The Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival is in full swing – after wrapping up at Rosehill Gardens, the fun has moved to The Star Championships at Royal Randwick. The action always makes for a good day out, but the culinary experiences make it even more memorable.
The Riders Club is popping up trackside at the Royal Randwick Racecourse for two days only, on April 5 and 12. It’s luxurious, buzzy and offers the best view of the races while you eat and drink. Settle into the open seating area or grab a table on the lawn for an even closer view of the action – there’s no reserved seating, so you can easily move between both areas. And your ticket gives you access to the area all day, with food and drinks included from open ‘til close. Gather your friends or make it a chance to meet new people for a day out in the sun.
You’ll get a refreshing cocktail upon arrival before tucking into unlimited roaming canapes. For something more substantial, live cooking stations will be serving up a huge variety of grazing dishes – from mushroom arancini and cured salmon tartlets to South American-inspired barbeque sandwiches. Your ticket also includes a six-hour beverage package, so you can take your pick from free-flowing beer, wine or soft drinks all afternoon. Plus, your ticket includes a race book and private betting facilities.
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SIGN UPHungry? We’ve rounded up the dishes to look forward to.
Lamb skewers
There are seven canapes available throughout the day, including a bite-sized tartlet of cured salmon and horseradish, and crispy Cajun spiced prawns. But you can’t go past the grilled lamb skewer sprinkled with za’atar and served on top of pomegranate molasses and creamy tahini coconut yoghurt. They’re moreish and delightful, so make sure to pick up a few.
Cacio e pepe
Pasta fans, rejoice: you’ll be spoilt for choice at the dedicated pasta bar. Each pasta dish will be tossed in, and served directly from, an aged parmesan wheel. This one’s kept simple and traditional, with crispy guanciale and black pepper – in the cheese wheel, the heat from the pasta melts the parmesan, which coats each piece before the dish is transferred straight to your plate.
Steak sandwich
Alongside the Italian bar, there’ll also be a station serving up generous plates of smoked and grilled meat. The steak sandwich is sure to be a highlight: a fluffy, artisanal bread roll is stuffed with tender slow-cooked Angus striploin, caramelised onion, an assortment of gourmet mustards and hot sauce. This sandwich will see you through a big day at the races.
South American-inspired choripan
Another hearty option is The Riders Club take on choripan: a popular street food from South America. It typically comes in the form of grilled chorizo sausage on crusty white bread, sometimes topped with chimichurri. This version is made with pan batido (a Chilean bread roll with a soft interior and gold, crunchy crust), grilled chorizo, pico de gallo and hot sauces.
Everything at the cheese bar
Come 3.30pm, expect everyone to flock to the cheese bar. It’s the perfect spot to graze all afternoon. Here, you’ll find a mix of Australian and international cheeses, alongside fig paste, poached fruits and house-made crispbreads.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Australian Turf Club. Tickets for The Riders Club cost $395 per person and are available now.