Sydney’s Glamorous Autumn Racing Carnival Rivals Melbourne for Food, Fashion and Prestigious Racing

Article by Southern Courier

Full Article Here: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/seasonmag/sydneys-glamorous-autumn-racing-carnival-rivals-melbourne-for-food-fashion-and-prestigious-racing/news-story/d0fae8c0ff0b4749f5c7f766f7ad472b


IT has a prize pool that eclipses Melbourne’s Spring Carnival and has erupted into a festival of food, fashion and high stakes racing that dominates the sport in Autumn.

At the heart of the Sydney Carnival has traditionally been this weekend’s Longines Golden Slipper — the richest race in the world for two-year-olds with its $3.5 million reward, which has come to be known as “the place where legends are born”.

Blake Shinn is jubilant after winning the Golden Slipper on Capitalist last year. Pic Jenny Evans

But the Sydney carnival is so much more than one day — with potential winnings of $33 million across 45 Group races at Randwick and Rosehill, the added glamour of Hollywood actor Elizabeth Debicki as ambassador and some of the hottest wining and dining to be found in the city.

Elizabeth Debicki at the Longines Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens. Picture: John Fotiadis

On April 1, The Championships kicks off at Royal Randwick with the Group 1 $2 million BMW Australian Derby and the Group 1 $3 million The Star Doncaster Mile. The world’s richest 2000m turf race, the $4 million Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes follows on Saturday April 8.

The Championships also plays host to what is becoming one of the city’s most exclusive culinary precincts — the Little Sydney marquee.

Little Sydney at Royal Randwick.

A cluster of restaurants and bars, Little Sydney boasts some of the most chic names in the city’s foodscape, which have designed special menus inspired by their a la carte restaurants.

China Doll at Royal Randwick.
China Doll at Little Sydney precinct.

Catalina, China Doll and butcher-to-the-stars Victor Churchill, purveyor of exquisite meats, will descend on the luxurious Royal Randwick enclave overlooking the Theatre of The Horse, where champion jockeys and thoroughbreds prepare for battle.

Victor Churchill’s exquisite meats.
Catalina Little Sydney Pic: Dominic Loneragan.

Across the carnival more widely, a convoy of food trucks converges on Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens racecourses until the Carnival closes on 15 April.

Trackside tipple: Cocktails at Royal Randwick

Risk spoiling your suit or frock with the Brisket Roll from Get in the Q, oozing with flavour and topped with slaw, gherkins and salsa; or grab a plate of fresh oysters from one of the Sydney Oyster Girls who shuck them on the spot, ready to enjoy with a bottle of bubbles and a side order of race day adrenaline.

Oysters and bubbles at Royal Randwick.
Da Mario Pizza’s divine margherita.

Among the other delicious foodie draws at the races this season are chilli cheese fries from Nathan’s Famous Fries, the Chilorio Pork Burrito from Cantina Movil and even divine pizza from “Sydney’s best”, Pizza Da Mario.