User: Paul.Stuart Time: 09-11-2013 10:21 Product: SSH PubDate: 11-09-2013 Zone: All Edition: Main Page: SHARED_14 Color: CMYK PART 3 TheThe SporSportitingng SceneScene It’s horses for courses at tracks across the nation in a sport worth $400 million AUSTRALIA prides itself on ing for prize money being a nation of sports- FUN FACTS exceeding $400m. mad people. There are ● Thoroughbred horses can reach speeds of 65km an hour, THE hundreds of popular sports with eight-metre strides How to race played on a weekly basis, ● The first horses arrived in Australia in January 1788 In Australia the style of UNUSUAL most of the common ones ● Horse racing is the third most attended spectator sport racing, the distances and the you will most probably after AFL and rugby league type of events vary. recognise, like Aussie ● The horse racing industry in Australia is among the top Most of the racing is done Rules, cricket, football, three leading Thoroughbred racing nations of the world and on a flat surface of turf tennis and basketball. Many can claim the distinction of having the most tracks (grass), sand, dirt or the new of these sports are televised synthetic Polytrack which Cane Toad Races and covered by the media. race was held at Hyde Park in trainers, breeders and own- consists of sand, synthetic IN KEEPING with the Aussie tradition Aside from these sports October 1810 and marked the ers are vast with many books fibres and recycled rubber. of betting on anything that moves, there are some unusual beginning of Australia’s and films depicting the “sport The races range from 800m cane toad racing has become part of ones that exist too. fascination with these ani- of kings” in our country. to 3200m for flat racing, and the sporting scene, with regular mals. Today the Australian Rac- anything up to 5000m+ for races held in towns across the Horse racing It is a sport of cultural and ing Board oversees 32,000 jumps races. country, where the pest has becomeAP :A Horse racing is an ancient social significance and an races at 400 race clubs across There are different catego- prevalent. TO sport with chariot races and important part of Australia’s the nation’s six states and ries in horse racing with The cane toad was introduced to PHO mounted races held at the history and folklore. Stories two territories with an esti- maidens for non-winners, Australia in 1933 to help control the ancient Greek Olympic of legendary horses, jockeys, mated 36,000 horses compet- Group One racing for the cane beetle but unfortunately the Games (700–40BC) and seen elite, Mares races for the toad thrived, to the detriment of as public entertainment female horses, aged races for | local wildlife. The toads can grow as during the times of the Ro- SPORTY SNAPSHOT two, three, four-year-olds and big as dinner plates and number in man Empire. In this photo add your thoughts to the speech bubbles. upward horses, races with the millions, largely thanks to not Since then the basic con- Special or Restricted condi- having any natural predators to stop cept of horse racing as a tions and many more. their numbers from growing. Most sport has undergone little A Flat Race is where horses people want to get rid of them but change. It is still a contest of race on a flat surface with no another use has been found for them speed and stamina between planned obstacles in the way. – racing. horses and their riders for A Hurdle Race is an event A cane toad race usually consists the amusement of spectators where horses are required to of 10 toads that are auctioned off to with the first horse across jump over a series of hurdles. spectators, named and fitted with a the finish line declared the A Steeplechase event is a number on their back to tell them winner. race where horses are re- apart. The “owners” are issued with Horse racing in Australia quired to jump over a series their cane toads, kiss them and began in the early years of of obstacles called fences. place them in a bucket in the centre European settlement when Harness racing is conducted of a circle marked out on the floor. horses were revered beyond with horses racing at a spec- When the bucket is lifted, the cane their practical use of tran- ific gait – a trot or a pace – toads take off. The first three toads sportation and labour. around a track while pull- to hop out of the circle win their The first official ing a driver in a cart. owners a prize. PHOTO:BUNDABERG NEWS MAIL / MAX FLEET After the races, toads are disposed of in a humane manner. The suggested method is to place them in a plastic bag in a freezer. Did you know? 1. A recent national survey showed more than 11 million Australians aged 15 and older participated at least once a week in physical activity. 2. About 70% of Australians participate in sport for exercise or recreation. 3. The 10 most popular physical activities are: walking, aerobics/fitness, swimming, cycling, tennis, golf, running, bushwalking, soccer and netball. Tip for playing sport ALWAYS ensure you wear appropriate safety gear when playing sport. The protective equipment should be appropriate for the sport, your size and age; TOMORROW: be worn during training and The Sportingting competition; fit correctly; and be regularly maintained. WINNER: Brett Prebble riding Green Moon (right) is congratulated Scene Part 4 by James McDonald riding Fiorente as he wins the Emirates Scene Part 4 Melbourne Cup race during 2012 Melbourne Cup Day. PHOTO:GETTY IMAGES.