Racing Queensland (RQ) has released the dates for the 2018 thoroughbred Queensland Winter Racing Carnival featuring 63 Group and Listed races worth more than $15 million across five venues.
Starting at the Toowoomba Turf Club (TTC) on April 7, and concluding at Sunshine Coast Turf Club (SCTC) on June 30, the carnival also features meetings at the Brisbane Racing Club (BRC), Ipswich Turf Club (ITC) and the Gold Coast Turf Club (GCTC).
RQ Chief Executive Officer Dr Eliot Forbes said the carnival once again promised to capture the attention of the Australian industry and punters across 13 exciting weeks of feature racing.
“The Queensland Winter Racing Carnival is recognised as a carnival where future champions are discovered, and an opportune time to showcase everything great about racing in Queensland,” he said.
Among the many highlights during the 2018 Queensland Winter Racing Carnival will be;
- $3.875 million UBET Stradbroke Handicap Day at BRC Doomben (June 9, 2018)
- $2.15 million Darley Kingsford Smith and Oaks Day at BRC Doomben (May 26, 2018)
- $1.5 million Boag’s Doomben 10,000 Day at BRC Doomben (May 12, 2018)
- $200,000 Provincial Stayers and Sprinters Finals.
With more time allowed to return Eagle Farm as Queensland’s premier track in time for Spring 2018, Dr Forbes thanked all clubs and the Australian Trainers Association (ATA) for their cooperation while amendments were made to the racing calendar between March 1 and June 30, 2018.
“Racing Queensland has worked closely with the BRC, GCTC, SCTC and the ATA to carefully design a program that aims to provide the best possible outcomes for all participants,” Dr Forbes said.
“I would like to thank all 11 clubs included in the revised race dates calendar for their cooperation.”
As a result, the G1 $500,000 Queensland Oaks will run alongside the $700,000 G1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Doomben on May 26, with the Sunshine Coast to host a feature carnival meeting worth almost $1 million on Saturday, June 2.
The G2 Moreton Cup and G2 PJ O’Shea Stakes will highlight seven Black-Type races on the Saturday, following the club’s traditional Ladies Oaks Day on Friday, June 1.
The revised racing calendar will be updated in the February edition of RACE Magazine. A summary of race dates and changes is available here.