As a part of the inaugural event, an innovative slot auction will take place on March 12, with each of the 10 barriers up for grabs, which will in turn form a part of the race’s funding.
The auction will be run as part of annual Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale at the Magic Millions complex on the Gold Coast, with aspiring slot holders having the opportunity to secure their preferred barrier before they then turn their efforts to selecting a horse.
The Hayden will be run for $100,000 in stakes, with proceeds from the slot auction to contribute further to the prize money pool.
RQ CEO Brendan Parnell said that partnering with the cricket icon and Shoreline was an easy decision for all involved.
“Named after one of Australia’s greatest ever Test batsmen, The Hayden honours a much loved and highly regarded Queenslander, who is known for his grit, determination and strength,” Mr Parnell said.
“Epitomising Matthew’s staunch maroon pride, The Hayden will be a race for QBRED-only pacers, run during the highly successful Queensland Constellations, ensuring strategic alignment with the fundamental race conditions of The Eureka.
“As a strong supporter of harness racing, utilising Matthew Hayden as the hero of Queensland’s proposal will resonate with those outside of the sport, as well as creating widespread interest in The Hayden and The TAB Eureka.”
In October, Racing Queensland was announced as one of 10 inaugural slot holders in the world’s richest harness race, ensuring a Sunshine State star will represent Queensland in the new $2.1 million feature for the next three years.
The 2400-metre race, set to be run at Club Menangle for the first time later this year, is restricted to Australian-born three and four-year-old pacers.
Click here for more information on The Hayden.