The Sydney Harbour Bridge could host a six-race meet

Racing NSW is set to meet with the English company City Racing in the next couple of months to discuss having a race meeting on the Sydney Harbour Bridge as the concept becomes closer to reality in Paris.

The street racing concept - backed by Peter Phillips, the Queen’s grandson - has been in the planning for a couple of years and the Sydney Harbour Bridge has always been one of the preferred options.

The concept has global appeal and France Galop is understood to have a working date of September 16 for a race meeting on Champs-Elysees, one of the world grandest avenues.

Racing NSW has been interested in the concept as a multimillion-dollar advertisement for Sydney and racing in Australia to run in conjunction with The Everest or The Championships meetings.

The Harbour Bridge is seen as a dream location by promoters, who would like to set a worldwide circuit of races.

However, Racing NSW didn’t want to be the first to use the synthetic paletted racing surface. If Paris was to hold a meeting it would accelerate Racing NSW involvement.

It wanted to see the track used somewhere else in the world before committing to holding a race meeting and seeking the approvals from various levels of government.

The Harbour Bridge meeting would almost certainly be held under lights and it is proposed to be a six-race meeting.

“We are monitoring what is happening around the world,” Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys offered. “Any discussions we would have would be commercial in confidence."

City Racing has had difficulties getting the concept off the ground with a meeting planned for Oxford Street in London stopped when the Westminster council withdrew support.

The Champs-Elysees meeting has been approved by the Champs-Élysées Committee and local government in Paris and would be part of a promotion of the re-opening of Longchamp later in the year.

Meanwhile, Bjorn Baker will take over as the trainer of Villiers Stakes winner Crack Me Up after Racing NSW indicated it would refuse the entries of Queensland trainer Liam Birchley because of his alleged role in the Aquanita doping circle.

"It's not how you want to get a horse but it is good to have him joining the stable," Baker said.

Racing NSW stewards put conditions on the transfer of Crack Me Up from the Birchley yard to Baker, who must train the four-year-old for at least three months.

Crack Me Up will have his first start for Baker in the Liverpool City Cup at Randwick on Saturday as he builds towards a start in the Doncaster, for which he is exempt from ballot after his Villiers win.

Baker will head to Melbourne with Addictive Nature for Saturday's Australian Guineas confident that his colt can measure up to southern foes.

"His form is a bit hard to assess against the Melbourne form but the race fits into his preparation perfectly," Baker said.

"His owners are down in Melbourne and it has always been an option they have been keen on. If he goes well he can come back up for the Randwick Guineas next week."

Article courtesy of Fairfax Digital and The Brisbane Times