Preferential Box Draw Pilot
Following a three-month pilot of the Preferential Box Draw (PBD) system at the Capalaba Greyhound Racing Club, Racing Queensland (RQ) advises of the addition of a Middle (M) racing trait. Trainers will now have three options when nominating for PBD races – Rail (R), Middle (M), and Wide (W). When nominating for PBD races, trainers should have regard for the greyhounds’ racing traits in the initial stages of the race.
Below is a reminder of the specifics regarding nominating, eligibility, grading, box draws and programming for PBD races.
Nominating for PBD Races
- Specific races at a meeting will be designated PBD.
- A greyhound must be nominated for a PBD event, to be drawn in a PBD event.
- The trainer must advise either a Rail (R), Middle (M), or Wide (W) racing trait upon nominating a greyhound for a PBD event. The nominated race trait will be considered and endorsed by the Panel prior to grading.
Eligibility
- A greyhound must have had at least one race start at Capalaba before becoming eligible to nominate for a PBD race.
Grading
- Fields will be determined using the Grading Procedures.
- No reserves will be drawn.
- Multiple race divisions of the same grade will be randomly divided.
Box Draw Method
- Once a field has been selected, the early running traits of each greyhound will be grouped, and a manual box draw will be conducted. For example, in an 8-dog field, if three greyhounds are designated (R), two greyhounds are designated (M) and three greyhounds are designated (W), then boxes 1-3 will be randomly drawn for the (R) runners, boxes 4-5 will be randomly drawn for the (M) runners and boxes 6-8 will be randomly drawn for the (W) runners.
- The manual box draw process will be conducted by QRIC stewards.
Post-event Race Trait Assessment
- After the first nomination and subsequent race start, the early running trait of a greyhound will be reviewed by the PBD Panel and may be amended with the trainer consulted and advised accordingly.
- The Panel will continue to review race traits applied to a particular greyhound in subsequent starts and further amendments may apply.
Programming
- The first race meeting to include all three race traits (R, M and W), will be Sunday 29 October 2023. The programmed race will be 1-3 Wins Heats 366m.