The Australian Turf Club is looking to create a greater awareness of racing within Sydney's Chinese community.

The NSW minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events, Stuart Ayres, on Friday announced the Chinese Festival of Racing to be held at Randwick on January 16.

The inaugural event will be held in conjunction with the Australian Chinese Primary Industry Council and the Australasian Horse Racing Federation Incorporated.

The race day will focus on Chinese culture with lion dancers and other national displays, traditional food stalls and noodle markets and dedicated services for Chinese people to enjoy a day at the races.

The ATC will engage Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking translators for behind-the-scenes guided tours of Randwick Racecourse as well as provide form guides printed and displayed in these languages.

ATC chief executive Darren Pearce said the race day aimed to attract a new audience and to build a friendship with the Chinese community in Sydney while also helping to promote tourism and trade with China.

"With the help of the Australasian Horse Racing Federation Incorporated and the Australian Chinese Primary Industry Council, the club will be able to build and develop new opportunities domestically and abroad," Pearce said.

"We are focused on doing a better job in making the race day more relevant and enjoyable for those who have not traditionally made it their first place of choice to enjoy racing, or to place a bet and enjoy the fun and elegance of Australian racing.

"If we get it right it could lead to substantial new investment in Sydney racing.

"Horse racing is a thrilling sporting and social event but it needs to reach out to new communities to continue to grow."