Victoria Racing Club Set To Target Asian Market To Build Melbourne Cup Further

European raiders "have been a vital component in driving global interest and building the profile of the Melbourne Cup carnival, but the Victoria Racing Club's main focus now is on growing Asian involvement in Australian racing's best-known show," according to Michael Lynch of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. VRC Commercial & Customer Manager Nick Addison said that "Japan, from a competitive perspective, and Hong Kong and Singapore, from a punting standpoint, are the countries that the VRC is now set to target more intensively." He said, "Certainly Asia is at the top of the list. We have had great success with horses from Europe ... but from an events perspective and also from a wagering perspective, markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore (are very important). There are (other) markets that have regulatory restrictions at the moment, but it's only a matter of time before these markets open up" (SMH, 3/17).