CAMEL RACING AT MOONEE VALLEY RACE COURSE IN MELBOURNE, 1999-10-31 (photo)

Judith Bullock aboard Savannah (L) leads Karen Field aboard Jasmin (R) during the feature race, the Abu Dhabi Cup at Moonee Valley Race Course near Melbourne October 31. Jasmin won the race with Savannah second and Cleopatra (unseen) third. Australia is home to a population of an estimated 250,000 feral camels, the only country in the world with wild camels. Originally brought into the country to open up the arid regions of central and western Australia, the animals were released by their owners as the advent of road and rail transport made their use uneconomical. Today's meeting is part of a developing camel racing circuit. WB/PB