australia’s richest sporting trophy arrives in dubai exclusive suhour event highlights links between australian and uae tourism
Executives from Australia’s premier racing club, the Victoria Racing Club (VRC), have arrived in Dubai safeguarding the world-famous 18-carat gold Emirates Melbourne Cup trophy - valued at approximately 235,000 Dirhams - to promote the bilateral trade, tourism and investment links between Australia and UAE-based businesses.
Visiting Dubai as part of an international strategy - which has seen the world-famous trophy travel to destinations such as Dublin, London, Singapore, Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong - the VRC highlighted Melbourne’s business opportunities to prominent business leaders and tourism operators at an exclusive suhour event at Park Hyatt Dubai.
The event included comments by HE Jeremy Bruer, Australian ambassador to the UAE, as well as a special Melbourne Cup Carnival millinery preview by leading Melbourne milliner, Kim Fletcher, who displayed more than 30 of Australia’s top headwear designs for Spring.
Commenting on the strong relationship existing between the VRC and Dubai-based champion stables, Godolphin, Deputy CEO of the Victoria Racing Club, Ms Sue Lloyd Williams said: “It is wonderful to be here in Dubai – a true world centre of racing – and see first-hand the commitment that the Godolphin team, lead by UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has made to driving the visibility and viability of the sport.
“The Victoria Racing Club has enjoyed a strong relationship with Godolphin ever since it entered its first-runner in Australia’s premier race. The number of international horses competing in the Melbourne Cup Carnival has grown significantly and Godolphin has played a major role in this development.”
Godolphin horses have been entered in the Melbourne Cup Carnival for a number of years; however, the world-leading stable is still to win what is proving to be the ‘elusive’ Melbourne Cup trophy. With the possibility of strong entry in this year’s race, 2007 could be the year that Godolphin enters racing’s hall of fame ‘down under’.
The Emirates Melbourne Cup race is valued at approximately 15 million Dirhams, making it the richest handicap race in the world. The race attracts a worldwide television audience of more than 700 million people in 120 countries and territories, with millions more either viewing or listening to the event on the Internet.
The Carnival – which serves as a model for a number of Dubai’s racing events -- is considered a marketing phenomenon in Australia with more than 420,000 racegoers flocking to Flemington over the four-day Carnival, where more than 46 million Dirhams in prize money is presented to owners. It is also an important economic contributor to the State of Victoria, generates 968 million Dirhams towards the State’s coffers.
Fashion plays a big role in delivering financial returns to the retail sector, with racegoers last year pumping more than 60 million Dirhams into the retail industry. Last year alone, racegoers purchased 40,000 pairs of shoes, 23,000 handbags, 48,000 hats and 14,000 men’s ties.
While racing is a massive industry in Australia, worth an estimated 22 billion Dirhams annually and providing employment for approximately 250,000 people, the country is also home to a strong and innovative economy.
“Business people in Australia are keen to foster ties with the UAE’s tourism sector, so the VRC has developed the Melbourne Cup Business Network to help facilitate networking and business building opportunities between Australian and international businesses around the positive and dynamic atmosphere of the Melbourne Cup Carnival,” said Ms Lloyd Williams.
To assist with facilitating these networks, the VRC has developed an exclusive International Lounge, a new facility at Flemington Racecourse designed for companies to host their international and interstate guests and visitors, providing an exciting and unique way to connect business, leisure and world-class racing.
“The Melbourne Cup Carnival offers a week of world-class thoroughbred horse racing action intermingled with an exciting array of high profile and prestigious on-course and off-course social and business events,” said Ms Lloyd Williams. “This presents the perfect platform to network, build relationships and entertain clients across a range of relaxed environments,” she concluded.
