Oliver to be face of rich slot race
Winning a rich slot race was one of the very few things Australia’s greatest jockey Damien Oliver never achieved in his glittering career in the saddle.
But he will be the face of one this year.
The legendary jockey, who made a brief comeback from retirement to ride in Saudi Arabia last week, will be the face of The Archer carnival in the central Queensland beef capital of Rockhampton in April.
The Archer is the $775,000 slot race which is marketed as a regional version of The Everest.
On Sunday April 28, it will be raced for the third time having been won by Emerald Kingdom and Alpine Edge.
Slot owners include prominent racing owner Max Whitby, now living in Queensland, and Jennifer Acton, the wife of the late cattle baron Alan who was killed in a helicopter crash.
The Archer last year had racing’s first lady Gai Waterhouse in a similar role.
Meanwhile, the Gold Coast Turf Club will on Saturday host the Ronald McDonald House Charities South East Queensland race day.
In each race at the Gold Coast on Saturday, a random selected jockey will be wearing Ronald McDonald House Charities SEQ silks plus a red and white checked hat.
For each race in which the jockey places, Racing Queensland and the Gold Coast Turf Club will donate $1500 for first, $1000 for runner-up and $500 for third.
“RMHC SEQ Race Day is such an exciting and unique way for the community to get involved and help fundraise for such a great cause,” Gold Coast Turf Club board director and RMHC SEQ volunteer Tara Hastings said.
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