Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys will attend this weekend’s Kentucky Derby as part of a group of industry heavyweights looking to expand the reach of NSW racing and The Everest to one of the largest-growing betting markets in the world.
The cream of American and world racing will be in Louisville for the biggest meeting of the year, making it an ideal place for V’landys, Racing NSW head of operations Graeme Hinton and Australian Turf Club chairman Peter McGauran to meet a cross-section of the US industry.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys will be looking to increase the scope of NSW racing at the Kentucky Derby.Credit: Rhett Wyman
V’landys confirmed the group, which will also be accompanied by TAB officials, will leave for the multi-faceted trip on Thursday that will include meetings with major players from the wagering industry in New York and Los Angles as the betting industry opens up across the country.
As at Royal Ascot last year, it will also be an opportunity for V’landys to talk to influential owners about bringing horses to Australia for The Everest and other races.
Racing NSW believes there is an opportunity to gain a significant market share in the US, which has grown exponentially since regulations have dropped away in the past couple of years. The TAB, which handles the international rights of NSW racing, is a driving force behind the trip.
The agenda is not limited to wagering, with discussions due to be held about getting a mainstream cable television deal for The Everest in the US. The Everest would go into America on a Friday evening, which gives primetime exposure to the meeting and would be an attractive proposition to the betting market.
The working group will also be looking to the Kentucky Derby for ways they can increase the crowd at Sydney’s showcase day, with the ATC keen to look at the infrastructure of the infield at Churchill Downs, which has been labelled the biggest party in America, to see if it can be replicated at Randwick.
“We are always looking at ways to expand the crowd and scope of The Everest,” McGauran said. “We had 46,000 there last year, but we are looking at ways to increase that crowd.
“It is one thing that they do very well over there [the infield] and we want to have a look at it and see if we could do something similar at Randwick.”
V’landys wants to see what outcomes are achieved from the trip before commenting publicly but is confident a couple of intense days of work will deliver dividends for the NSW industry.
It will lead into V’landys’ well-publicised trip to Las Vegas to try to do a deal for an NRL doubleheader to start the season in 2024.
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