Scores of Australians have evacuated their homes in mountains west of Sydney as intensifying winds fanned wildfires that have ravaged the region for days.

One man was killed, scores of homes were destroyed and hundreds of people were forced to evacuate as almost 100 wildfires burned across Australia’s most populous state today.

With still two days to go before the deadline, the entry list for the Paddypower.com Irish Derby had reached 100 and the signs are that the final number will be very close to the ideal number of 144.