NSW government is standing by its decision to force Sydney Opera House bosses to promote a horse race despite an increasingly vocal community backlash.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian intervened late last week, instructing Opera House Chief Executive Louise Herron to go ahead with the plan to light up the sails to promote The Everest.

But one half of Big Guns Andrew Bolt is staunchly against the decision.

“I just don’t like it,” he tells Ben Fordham.

“I mean, my father-in-law’s a bookie… I just don’t like gambling because horse racing really just is gambling on four hooves.”

He says he doesn’t like the idea of gambling being promoted on the Opera House and the heritage listed site isn’t a billboard.

“It’s not there for that.

“It’s not to be made more beautiful by helping rich people get even richer.”

Andrew has likened it to the lottery.

“What’s the difference between that and the call of the card on the sails with the barrier draws up there.

“It’s exactly the same, it’s just racing’s has a little more prestige than the dropping of the balls.”

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