QBRED’s status as the nation’s premier harness breeding incentive bonus scheme will continue in 2024.
The highly vaunted scheme will once again see more than $4 million in bonuses up for grabs next year – along with more than $800,000 in feature race stakes.
A key change in 2024 will see the auto-invoicing of the 2YO Series fee, which will sustain the horse in the scheme for life once paid.
Payment of the invoice must be made by February 28, 2024 for the horse to be eligible for the scheme in 2024.
The successful first-win bonus initiative returns, with $14,000 on offer when a QBRED-registered standardbred registers its first success in the Sunshine State.
The $7,500 second-win bonus will also continue, with a third win netting a bonus of $3,000.
Following its success in recent years, the ‘Transitional QBRED’ program, which allows Queensland breeders to bring in-foal mares to the subsequent foal eligible for the scheme, will also continue.
After another successful evening in 2023, the QStars night will once again shine a light on the brightest QBRED stars, featuring four Triads for two and three-year-olds, while also incorporating QBRED trotting features for the second straight year.
RQ Executive General Manager Operations Adam Wallish said QBRED continues to set the standard as the nation’s premier breeding incentive scheme for standardbreds.
“The QBRED scheme continues to be the best breeding scheme available nation-wide, and we are committed to the ongoing growth of the program,” Mr Wallish said.
“With more than $3.5 million in bonuses paid out last year, we have made further enhancements in order to support Queensland participants.
“We unashamedly want people to back Queensland, buy Queensland and breed Queensland, and the QBRED scheme is a fundamental part of that commitment.”
While owners of two-year-olds will be auto invoiced, owners of 3YO and older horses who have not paid a series fee for their horse previously will need to complete and return the nomination form to Racing Queensland without payment by December 1, 2023.
Owners of these horses will then be invoiced for payment which will be due by February 28, 2024.
The payment structure will again be streamlined to the discounted series fee.
Finally, selection criteria for QBRED feature race rankings has been updated, with rankings to be determined as follows:
1. The winner of any Group or Listed age event in the current season;
2. The number of races won in the current season (excluding races worth $5,000 or less); and
3. The current season’s stake earnings.
Heats will continue for the 2 and 3YO Pacing Triads, with the top four ranked horses automatically progressing to the final.
The QBRED For Life features are being reviewed with consultation to be undertaken with industry to determine if these races are to continue in their current form.
Click here to view the 2024 QBRED brochure.