Adelaide Racing Carnival in Review
The 2024 Sportsbet Adelaide Racing Carnival was certainly one for the books.
Thank you to all who attended, making this one of our most vibrant autumn carnivals yet. Over 7,700 racegoers joined us at Morphettville over three weekends – a sign that this great Carnival continues to grow.
The timing and length of the Carnival was a major discussion point for the SAJC and Racing SA this past 12 months and we were pleased to see the revised format work so well. We intend to work with industry to regularly review this Carnival format, ensuring its status is maintained as South Australia’s premier racing fixture.
The Carnival highlight for many; watching four $1 million Group 1 races. And the big names this increased prizemoney attracted, thanks to a new seven-year deal between the SAJC, Racing SA and Sportsbet.
Our commitment towards creating these million-dollar races represents the single biggest prizemoney investment by the SAJC in more than a decade, which was reflected across countless memorable racing moments including Jamie Kah’s Group 1 double, Lachie Neindorf’s emotional Sangster win, and James McDonald’s first race in SA. The high calibre of racing was enabled by the elite surface produced by our dedicated SAJC Track Team, and we echo the glowing feedback they received from local and interstate jockeys.
It was also important for us to drive trackside attendance through exciting new initiatives. This includes, in addition to the joint three-way partnership with Racing SA and Sportsbet, our Club securing a record-breaking $25m partnership between the SAJC and Sportsbet. That’s why the Club covered the cost of GA tickets across the Carnival. It’s why we collaborated with Sportsbet on a Putt for Dough competition, which ultimately saw 9 winners each take home a share of $100,000 cash.
We also prioritise delivering a consistently excellent race day experience for industry – such as the premium owners’ experience, we created in our best-in-class Wolf Blass Event Centre each day of the Carnival, with complimentary drinks and food provided by the SAJC and supported by Racing SA.
These initiatives are critical in creating an unmissable atmosphere and elevating the Morphettville experience to ensure there is more for every kind of visitor.
These events only happen through the SAJC’s passion and commitment to continually invest funds, hard work, creativity, and dedication to ensure thoroughbred racing in South Australia thrives. We are sure you’ll agree, the 2024 Sportsbet Adelaide Racing Carnival was incredibly memorable as a result.
Yours sincerely,
