State Government, Racing NSW Combine To Boost Autumn Carnival Prize Money

The state government and Racing New South Wales "are set to deliver a long-promised boost to the Randwick autumn carnival with huge prizemoney injections to attract the racing world to Sydney," according to Chris Roots of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. And it is hoped that one week of racing at Randwick in April "will come to rival the eight-day Melbourne Cup carnival." The concept "has been in the pipeline for more than two years and will be announced by Racing Minister George Souris at Racing NSW headquarters on Tuesday." Racing officials "were extremely tight-lipped about the final make-up of the series on Monday, claiming that 'it could still fall over' if it was to appear in the press." The carnival "will target the best horses from Asia and North America and Canterbury racecourse is set to become a quarantine centre for the overseas visitors" (SMH, 11/12).