The Hayden

2025 EDITION: RAISING THE BAR

The third edition of The Hayden Slot Race will be held at Albion Park Paceway on Saturday, June 21, 2025, over 2138m.

$100,000+ with the prize money to include RQ’s guaranteed $100,000 plus the money raised via the slot auction.

The winner of The Hayden will secure a spot in The Eureka at Menangle on the first Saturday in September, putting Queensland talent on the national stage.

GET INVOLVED

The Slot Auction

The auction will be a feature of the Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale held on February 23 at The Creek, Albion Park. The slot auction adds a different element, with the aim of growing interest in the sale and attracting a new audience who ordinarily would not have attended the sales.

• When - Sunday February 23 at approximately 4pm.

• Where - Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale at The Creek, Albion Park or via
  live stream at www.nutrienequine.com.au.

• How - Slots will be auctioned from approx. 4pm following the conclusion of the yearling sale. Instead of having set prices for each slot, the 10 barriers (slots) for The Hayden will be auctioned off, with the auction proceeds being added to RQ’s $100,000 seed funding for the race. This way those who purchase the better barriers will theoretically have to pay more for the privilege and contribute more to the overall prize money. To emulate the preferential barrier draw required for the race i.e. PBD Age/Sex, while also providing successful bidders with certainty when choosing their horse post auction, the horse requirements for each barrier have been predetermined as outlined in the table below. Slot holders must choose/ nominate a horse as per the conditions of each barrier.

SELECTING A HORSE

Once you have purchased your slot and completed the Slot Holders agreement you are free to choose a horse to compete by either of the following methods:

• You may already own an eligible QBRED horse, noting you agree to compete in the $2.1m TAB Eureka should your horse win The Hayden; or
• Negotiate with an owner of an eligible QBRED horse, ensuring your agreement includes competing in the $2.1m TAB Eureka should your horse win The Hayden.

HAYDEN WINNER

Congratulations your horse will automatically qualify to compete in Racing Queensland’s Slot in the $2.1m TAB Eureka!

Any prizemoney won in the Eureka will be split as follows:

• 10% to RQ’s partner Shoreline
• 90% to the Slot Holder, with the Slot Holder and owner of the horse to agree on the split

QUICK LINKS

• The TAB Eureka website
• The Hayden 2025 brochure
• Nutrien Equine Standardbred Yearling Sale - Terms & Conditions
• The Hayden Slot Holder Agreement - Terms & Conditions
• Sunshine Stars Yealing Sale website
• For more information please contact: David Brick on dbrick@racingqueensland.com.au.

MATHEW HAYDEN AM

'The Hayden' is a the gateway to the world's richest harness race, The Eureka, paying homage to one of the state's finest ever athletes and ambassadors.

Over the years, few people have epitomised what it means to be a Queenslander like Matthew Hayden AM, including his ongoing commitment to family, community, social responsibility and sustainability, with the race unashamedly taking on a Queensland slant and being restricted to QBRED-only horses.

SHORELINE

'The Hayden' can transcend what happens on the track and make a real difference to the lives of Indigenous students. 

Staged on an annual basis , RQ will utilise The Hayden to generate funds for Shoreline, which has provided education and employment opportunities for Indigenous students since 2009, and to reinforce its commitment to reconciliation.

Founded on the Tiwi Islands, more than 500 students have participated in Shoreline programs over the past decade, igniting and inspiring positive change and self-determination for young Indigenous Australians.

With the winner of The Hayden advancing to The Eureka, RQ will commit 10% of all prize money from The Eureka to Shoreline to assist in funding its educational programs.

As an organisation, RQ is committed to building an equitable future where Australia’s First Nations peoples, their communities and culture continue to be respected and celebrated and firmly believe that The Hayden can play a key role in this journey.