AUSTRALIA: Camels save Sydney's spring racing season

Sydney brings racing camels to one of the city's premier racetracks to save the ailing race industry, which has been hit by horse flu. Speed Hump, Sand King and Sir Hump-a-lot saved the Sydney racing scene on Friday (October 12), as a herd of camels took to the tracks in place of horses. A bout of equine flu has put an indefinite ban on horse racing in the Australian city and the camel race was an attempt by organizers to recoup some of the heavy losses to the racing industry. The ban has left racetracks abandoned and losing millions of dollars in revenue although punters are desperate to place a bet. Six camels competed in seven races at Sydney's Harold Park Paceway on Friday night at the first of four camel race meets to be held during the season. Even though spectators were't allowed to place bets on the races because camel racing is not recognised by Australia's premier betting organisation, TAB, the event attracted hundreds of people. And some punters were taking bets unofficially amid the crowd of spectators. The crowd cheered as the camels loped down the track, with some reaching speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour. Some camels, however, were not the speedy nor ambitious type, and walked down the racetrack to the frustration of their jockeys. After the race the jockeys, mainly amateurs, admitted the ride was fun but bumpy one. "How can I answer that diplomatically....yes," said a jockey after she finished the race. Camel racing, which started in Australia as a tourist attraction than a professional sport, usually takes place on outback racetracks. Australian camel racing jockeys are mostly women, unlike the Middle East, where boy jockeys are the norm, and camels race in sprints, not long distance races. Camels were brought Australia from Afghanistan in the early 1800s to help build major railway and telegraph lines in the outback. Since then the camel population has exploded to about 600,000 across Australia. Australia's first outbreak of equine flu in August saw racing stop across the nation and thousands of recreational horses quarantined on properties to try and stop the flu spreading. Harold park raceway, like many others in Sydney, has been empty for weeks since equine flu was discovered in the horses. Camel owner Lionel Keegan said: "People have probably been sitting around home bored a bit with no horse racing industry going and a lot of people that have come in have never seen a camel race before so especially in the city so they've come in to have a look." Equine flu is not infectious to humans but has the same debilitating effect on horses as influenza has on people. In rare cases, it can be fatal to horses.

ITN Source | October 13, 2007

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