Almost $13 million in prizemoney across a bumper 10-race card at Randwick on Saturday is testament to the fresh ambition of Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club.
In all sporting spheres, administrators and industry regulators must be open to change to move with the times and maintain relevance within the media.
The Everest concept has unquestionably gained traction in mainstream media this week as the build-up continues to the inaugural running of the world's richest race on turf.
The Everest initially divided opinion but few would deny the benefits it has created for an industry that is desperate for innovation.
The Australian Turf Club and Racing NSW have made unprecedented change to the Sydney spring carnival, adding the $500,000 Sydney Stakes (1200m), boosting the Aqualand Craven Plate (2000m) to $500,000 and reinstating the $500,000 Heineken 3 St Leger Stakes (2600m), and two Highway Handicap races for country gallopers worth a combined $300,000, to complement the $10 million main event.
Australian Turf Club Chief Executive Darren Pearce said the 146 acceptors on the 10-race card for The TAB Everest Day has added further stature to the most talked about race in Australia.
"The TAB Everest field is arguably the strongest sprint field we ever seen assembled in Australia and will provide a tremendous betting race for all punters, particularly with so many different formlines,'' Pearce said.
"The race itself has attracted incredible publicity and we could not have wished for a better field, but the support card has given us further confidence that this raceday is going to be one of Sydney and Australian racing's biggest and most successful events all year.
"We want the racing industry to get behind this whole event for Sydney and we are very pleased and grateful that trainers and owners have supported the day in such big numbers.
"The Sydney Stakes which has offered a reserve pool of horses for The Everest and those who may have just missed out on the big race, but has attracted a cracking field in its own right.
"We are also delighted to see such strong fields in the Craven Plate and St Leger, including seeing the Epsom winner in Happy Clapper in the Craven, and stables from across Australia and New Zealand in the St Leger.
"The $200,000 TAB Anniversary Handicap is another huge success story for the day, with it not only giving us a capacity field from 42 original nominations, but allowing us to put on a tenth race on the card as a $100,000 TAB Highway Consolation with another capacity field.
"Right across the day we have big and quality fields, offering great value for punters and so many owners, trainers and participants the chance to share in what is one of the biggest and most anticipated days in the history of Sydney racing.''
Tickets for the Everest race meeting are available for pre-purchase via the ATC website (CLICK HERE)
