3 minute read

The combination of quality racing and live music has proven the key to success for Harness Racing NSW’s Carnival of Cups, which wrapped up with another well-attended day at the Merino Cup this week.

The revamped Carnival of Cups consisted of five feature race meetings at country harness tracks, kicking off at Cowra last November and followed by highly successful events at Young, Tamworth, Albury and Goulburn.

A key part of the carnival has been live music on track with well-known Australian acts attracting big crowds, consisting of both regular and first-time racegoers.

Each meeting offered a feature cup race worth $60,000, attracting some big name pacers, trainers and drivers to the country cups circuit.

Harness Racing NSW chief executive Peter Buckman described the refresh of the carnival as "incredibly successful".

"It has put a renewed focus on our racing product while also reinvigorating what a day or night at the track can look like," Mr Buckman said.

"We've integrated into local communities and provided wholesome entertainment for all ages at a time when townships are looking for opportunities to get out and about.

"For some that's meant we've brought them back to the race track after some time away from the sport while for many others we've been able to showcase what harness racing has to offer.

"So no doubt that alone can be considered a major success."

Mr Buckman said the large crowds at each meeting had been a mix of those drawn to the venue because of the entertainment offering as well as a significant portion excited by the high quality racing and the prize incentive scheme.

"That's resulted in great fields and the best drivers and trainers heading to our regional areas to participate on tracks they might not normally frequent," Mr Buckman said.

"We've had more than 20,000 people pass through the gates at the five Carnival of Cups events, which is a significant vote of confidence in the strategy and the concept.

Mr Buckman said the feature races had drawn high calibre fields from across the state and even across the border.

"So by virtue of that the leading trainers and drivers have fully invested in the race meetings and brought a fleet of horses to compete.

"That has certainly raised the standard of race fields and allowed us to showcase the sport in a very positive way in these regional areas."

In an era where live music festivals are on the decline, Mr Buckman agreed that offering popular bands to the on-track entertainment had played a key role in the carnival's success.

"There is no doubt when you're offering up some of the biggest names and anthems that Australian music has produced over the past 30 years you are going to attract a more diverse audience to the track," he said.

"But that's the logic in the concept. We want to showcase our sport to more people and give them a great experience when they get there.

"People have voted with their feet. Everywhere we've been we've seen smiling faces and bodies rocking but we've packaged it up in a way so that our core business, which is racing every half an hour or so, isn't impacted at all.

"In fact it is prioritised and the music program takes shape around it. And the bands we have engaged have been brilliant in that regard.

"They've been accommodating in designing set lists around our racing product and even talking about it to the fans on stage. That's helped divert eyeballs to the race track when the races are on and ensured people are paying attention to what we really want them to experience – and that's our racing product.

"And because of that, every race throughout the Carnival of Cups program all over the state has been run with large crowds pressed up against the fence to amplify the experience for our participants, which has been wonderful to see."

With the 2023/24 carnival now at end, Harness Racing NSW will look ahead with a view to building on its successes.

"There is no doubt we feel as though we have landed on a unique and highly successful concept. Our crowds and racing product alone are testament to that," Mr Buckman said.

"What we will now do is undertake a review process to ascertain how we best move forward and continually improve what is delivered and how it is being received by our racing patrons."