The 2015 TattsBet Adelaide Racing Carnival will start one week later next year and run over three consecutive Saturdays in May.
The rescheduled Carnival will start at Morphettville Racecourse on Saturday, May 2, with Schweppes Oaks Day, which features the Group One Schweppes Oaks and Sportingbet Classic.
Derby Day and the Group One Sportingbet South Australian Derby will take place on Saturday, May 9 and the Carnival will conclude with the Darley Goodwood Day on Saturday, May 16.Thoroughbred Racing SA and the South Australian Jockey Club decided to change the 2015 dates to improve the flow of feature racing in Australia during May. It follows alterations made to the Queensland Winter Carnival and avoids a direct clash of two Group One races in South Australia and Queensland on the same day.
The Australian Racing Board has endorsed the revised schedule.Thoroughbred Racing SA Chief Executive Officer Jim Watters said when Queensland racing authorities proposed date changes to their own carnival, it opened the door for changes to be made to the Adelaide Racing Carnival.
“ We identified two opportunities where South Australian racing would provide the feature racing nationally each day, on May 2 and May 16, if we moved our Carnival by one week”, Mr Watters said.“By making this change, we avoid the Darley Goodwood and Queensland’s BTC Cup, both of which are Group One 1200m events with $500,000 in prize money, being run on the same day.
“The revised dates mean South Australian racing is showcased across Australia and leading interstate riders and trainers are more likely to compete in Adelaide on each day.”South Australian Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Brenton Wilkinson said Schweppes Oaks Day was initially scheduled for ANZAC Day on April 25, a date which posed crowd and logistical problems.
“It provided additional challenges with course attendance and we have thousands of people camping out at Morphettville as part of the national Camp Gallipoli celebrations over the 2015 ANZAC Day long weekend,” Mr Wilkinson said.“The main advantage of moving the Carnival forward by one week is the greater prominence we will achieve as the clear features event on the day.”
The 2015 Adelaide Racing Carnival coincides with a relaunch of Morphettville as Adelaide’s home of thoroughbred racing. This includes a new TV commercial and advertising campaign, along with a fresh, exciting and interactive new pop-up precinct to further attract a younger demographic to racing. Further details of this will be provided early in the New Year.
