Racing to Asia

By Bridget Brady
CRANBOURNE is tapping into a lucrative time zone.
As Cranbourne welcomes racing under lights, it will also welcome the Asian racing market with open arms.
Cranbourne Turf Club chief executive Neil Bainbridge said the timeslot of night racing at Cranbourne would coincide with meets in the Asian market and exhibit Cranbourne on the world stage.
“It will be prime time viewing over there and provide wonderful exposure for racing in Victoria,” Mr Bainbridge said.
“The population in those areas is very, very significant and it really puts Cranbourne on the map and highlights how significant the racing industry is in Cranbourne.”
The Australian racing product was highly regarded around the world, Mr Bainbridge said.
Racing Victoria chief strategy officer Paul Bittar said the move was about providing consistency for the Asian market.
With the inclusion of Cranbourne, night racing will now be held each Friday night from the week before the AFL grand final until mid-April.
“That consistency is really the important thing for punters.”