Grading & Nominations

Grading Policy

RQ Grading Procedures

Grading Enquiries

Grading enquiries can be made via email at grading@racingqueensland.com.au

Changes To Online Nominating Process

Racing Queensland advises upcoming changes to the online nomination process for all Queensland Greyhound race meetings. The changes will take effect from Wednesday, January 15, 2025, onwards.

Summary Of Changes

• Removal of class/distance nominations
• Addition of all race events to the race event drop drown box
• Removal of comments box
• Addition of eligibility criteria for Pathways racing and Preferential Box Draw racing
• Early race requests to be made with QRIC Stewards

Full detail regarding the changes is provided below to assist participants with the new nominating process.

Participants requiring assistance to nominate online can contact the Graders by email grading@racingqueensland.com.au or phone on 1800 851 155.

The Grading Procedures have been amended to reflect changes in the online nomination process.

Nominating a Greyhound

• All nominations are required to be submitted online via Ozchase prior to the advertised close of nominations for each race meeting. 
• All advertised race events will be provided in the race event drop down list for each race meeting.
• For every nomination, the nominator is required to choose a race event from the race event drop down list. It is the responsibility of the nominator to check the race program and nominate accordingly. The nominator will not be permitted to nominate for race events that aren’t advertised.
• The greyhound will only be considered for the race event which is selected by the nominator. It is responsibility of the nominator to submit additional preferences if the greyhound is to be considered for multiple race events, including if the greyhound has been nominated for a feature event.

Graded Races

• Ozchase functionality for class/distance nominations has been removed.
• To nominate for a standard graded event, the nominator will have the option to select “Graded 1,2,3,4,5” or “Graded 1,2,3,4” from the race event drop down list. Note - Greyhounds nominated for a graded event will be graded into single grade events or mixed grade events as per the grading procedures. Nominating for “Graded 1,2,3,4,5” does not mean that grades 1,2,3,4,5 will be combined into one race.
• When 5th Grade Heats are programmed, all Grade 5 greyhounds will only have the option to nominate for the heats. Nominations for a graded race will be given the option to select “Graded 1,2,3,4” in the race events drop down list.

Nomination Comment Box

• The comment box will no longer be available when nominating.
• The nominator can submit multiple preferences for each greyhound using the race event drop-down list.
• All greyhounds will be graded as per the nomination submitted and the grading procedures.
• Trainers are not permitted to make conditional nominations (eg. leave out if can’t split). 

Masters age drop back

• The Ozchase system will not automatically detect if a masters age greyhound is eligible for a drop back.
• If your Masters greyhound is grade 4 and is eligible for a drop in grade under the grading procedures, the grading team will manually drop the grade of the greyhound and try the greyhound for all races that it is eligible for including any masters events if they are programmed.
• The nominator can email the grading team at grading@racingqueensland.com.au prior to the close of nominations if the greyhound is only to be considered for a masters event.

Eligibility Criteria for Pathways Racing and PBD Racing

• Eligibility criteria has been built into the Ozchase system for Pathways racing and Preferential Box Draw racing.
• For Pathways racing, the system will check the greyhound’s eligibility before accepting the nomination.
• For Preferential Box Draw racing, the system will check that the greyhound has started at the track/distance and require the nominator to select an early race trait the first time that the greyhound is nominated for a preferential box draw race.

Early Race Requests

• If a greyhound consistently requires an early race due to the greyhound’s behaviour, the trainer can submit an early race request application to the Stewards.
• The early race request application will be assessed by the Stewards and the race day Veterinarian.   
• Regardless of an approval for an early race, in some circumstances it may not be possible for an approved greyhound to be granted an early race.
• Any other reasonable request for an early race must be made in writing to the Grading Department prior to the close of nominations for the race meeting.

Grading Schedule from 1 May 2022

The meetings shown below will be graded in the order in which they appear.

Nominations

All nominations must be submitted online via OzChase.

Online: OzChase

 OzChase online nominations user guide

Please note: nominations via any other method will not be accepted

Scratchings

Scratchings are to be submitted online via OzChase.

Scratchings close with Racing Queensland at 8am on the day of the race meeting except:

• Capalaba Wednesday closes at 8am on Tuesday morning
• Ipswich Thursday closes at 8am on Wednesday morning
• Townsville Friday closes at 8am on Thursday morning
• Capalaba Sunday closes at 8am on Saturday morning
• Bundaberg Monday closes at 8am on Sunday morning

Late scratchings (after 8am) are processed by QRIC race day stewards. To make a late scratching, please call the stewards on 07 3087 9002.