Sydney Turf Club

The best in the horseracing business will be in town for the 2008 Golden Slipper Festival, which features the richest day of racing on the Australian calendar.

The Golden Slipper Festival promises a stunning backdrop of colour, glamour and elegance as the best horses in Australia compete for more than $11 million in prize money. 

Usually staged before Easter each year, the 2008 Festival was postponed by five weeks to enable its participants to recover from last year’s Equine Influenza outbreak. With the NSW Caravan, Camping and 4WD Supershow being staged at Rosehill Gardens, the first day of the Festival has been relocated to Canterbury Park.

The Myer Ladies’ Day program on Saturday, 5 April is worth more than $1.8 million and showcases two Group 1 races: the Myer Queen of the Turf Stakes (1550m) and Ranvet Stakes (1900m).

Canterbury Park is also home to the fashion stakes, with the heats of Myer Fashions on the Field and the National Young Designer Awards being conducted before 10,000 racegoers. Former Australian Idol contestant, Daniel Misfud, will perform the national anthem.

Day Two of the carnival reverts to the Club’s showpiece, Rosehill Gardens, for Darley Guineas Day. The signature event is the Group 1 Dubai Rosehill Guineas ($500,000), a race steeped in history, having crowned some of Australia’s champion gallopers in Phar Lap, Tulloch, Dulcify, Tie the Knot and Eremein.

Everyone on course on 12 April will have a chance to win a $25,000 trip for two people to Dubai, including return business class airfares and tickets to the 2009 Dubai World Cup, courtesy of Darley.

The crescendo is the Festival’s third and final Saturday - AMMI Golden Slipper Day - at Rosehill Gardens on 19 April. The richest day of racing boasts some five Group 1 events, with the highlight being the world’s premier race for two-year-olds, the AAMI Golden Slipper.

The race program also features the $2.25 million running of The BMW, the country’s sole Group 1 weight-for-age race over 2400m. The races’ honour roll reads like a who’s who of racing legendary - Kingston Town, Bonecrusher, Octagonal, Might and Power and Makybe Diva.

The entertainment on AAMI Golden Slipper Day doesn’t stop at the racing. Be there to see performances by Ricki-Lee or purchase tickets to the day’s social hub, to be rocked by the sounds of popular Irish DJs, The Potbelleez.

The day also hosts the women’s finals and men’s heats & finals of the coveted Myer Fashions on the Field competition. Entrants will vie for a share of a generous prize pool comprising holidays to Hayman Island, Rutherford jewellery and Myer gift cards.

Ten aspiring young designers will contest the final of the National Young Designer Awards for a chance to win career-launching opportunities including a Myer in-store installation of their garment and two weeks’ work experience at a fashion show.

The 2008 Golden Slipper Festival official charity partner, The Spastic Centre, will have volunteers on course to sell commemorative Golden Slipper pins. The pins, which retail for $5 also carry a competition entry for a chance to win a trip for two people to the 2008 Melbourne Cup.

Sydney Turf Club Members and the Sydney events industry will receive a huge boost in the shape of the new 3,300m2, $30 million Grand Pavilion to be launched at Rosehill Gardens on 9 April. The new venue boasts first-class facilities for conferences, dinners and exhibitions under the one roof, complete with stunning views over the racecourse and city skyline.

For everything you need to know about the 2008 Golden Slipper Festival, visit www.theslipper.com.au.