BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Many Australians are glued to the Olympics this week, there is one sport, though, that's managed to keep the attention of the fans despite the glitter of the games under way. CNN's John Raedler has a report on it.</s>JOHN RAEDLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The thunder of horses' hooves, the shimmer of jockey's silks, the lure of the gamble. Horse racing is as close as Australia has to a national pastime. It stops for nothing, not even the Olympic games, and horse racing fans are, as they say here, "dinky die" in their commitment, meaning genuine. Would you sooner be here or at the Olympic today?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, I'd rather be here.</s>UNIDENTIFIED: I'd much sooner be here.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here.</s>RAEDLER: Between rides at Sydney's Randwick Racetrack, the jockeys can watch Olympic sports on TV. They prefer to watch their sport. But horse racing in Australia is more than just a sport, it's a big business. Some $60 million U.S. will be bet on horses around Australia just today. That's $3 for every man, woman and child in the country.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much. Good day. Name your pony here.</s>RAEDLER: Book makers add their distinctive flavor to horse racing, Aussie style, as punters bet with them on a near-continuous stream of races coming in on big screens from across the length and breadth of Australia. Horse racing has thrived here for more than 200 years, and it is likely to continue as the national pastime for another 200 or more. John Raedler, CNN, Sydney.
Despite Olympics, Aussies Cling to 'National Pastime'