The Australian Turf Club has secured wagering giant TAB as the new sponsor of the $5 million Golden Slipper, the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.
But Sydney’s other $5 million autumn carnival feature, the weight-for-age Queen Elizabeth Stakes, is still without a sponsor.
Longines had supported both races for some years but recently scaled back their global racehorse sponsorships deals.
Under the new agreement with ATC, the TAB will also sponsor key races across the new TAB Golden Slipper Carnival at Rosehill Gardens.
They include the three key “pathway races” to the TAB Golden Slipper – the Group 2 Silver Slipper (February 24), Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (March 2) and Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes (March 16).
The winners of each of these races gain automatic entry into the TAB Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on March 23.
TAB chief customer officer Jenni Barnett said TAB would bring its “whole ecosystem together” to promote the TAB Golden Slipper Carnival.
“We can’t wait to combine all our assets – our 4000 retail venues, the TAB App, Sky Racing and Sky Sports Radio to bring this iconic race that we all know and love to audiences both nationally, and internationally,” she said.
“TAB and the ATC have one of the longest partnerships in Australian sport and together we’re looking forward to growing the TAB Golden Slipper Carnival.”
The Golden Slipper is traditionally TAB’s best holding race of the autumn carnival.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Storm Boy is currently early favourite at $3 ahead of Switzerland at $6.
Switzerland, trained by Chris Waller, is a three-quarter brother to Shinzo, last year’s Golden Slipper winner.
Waller has withdrawn Switzerland from Saturday’s $2 Inglis Millennium to concentrate on preparing the colt for the Golden Slipper.
The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, run over 2000m at Royal Randwick on April 13, won’t be without a sponsor for long as the race rivals the Golden Slipper for punter interest and wagering turnover.
English raider Dubai Honour is the dominant early favourite at $4 to go back-to-back in the Queen Elizabeth ahead of Mr Brightside and Pride O Jenni at $11.
Russell Balding.
RACING NSW CHAIRMAN ANNOUNCEMENT SOON
Racing NSW’s leadership vacuum should be resolved by the end of the month.
The position of Racing NSW chair became vacant and a new board member needed late last year after Russell Balding came to the end of his 12-year term.
The publicly advertised expression of interest (EOI) process for a new chair and board member closed last month.
An independent panel is now assessing the applications and conducting interviews before providing a list of eligible candidates for the Minister for Gaming and Racing, David Harris, to consider.
“We’ve committed to ensuring Racing NSW continues to be the number one racing jurisdiction in Australia and a successful cohesive Board is essential to that end,” Mr Harris said.
The selection process is being undertaken in accordance with the Thoroughbred Racing Act 1996.
Details about the composition of the selection panel or the number of applicants will not be disclosed in line with government practice when appointing boards.
This process, including Cabinet approval, is expected to be completed before the end of the month with the appointment of a new chair and board member.
Racing NSW continues to function as it normally would during the absence of an appointed chair, with a quorum still in place and deputy chair, Dr Saranne Cooke presiding at board meetings.
The other board members are Simon Tuxen, Tony Shepherd, George Souris, Michael Crismale, Garry Charney and chief executive Peter V’landys.