Racing Queensland is delighted to announce its membership in the inaugural National Straight Track Championship involving Queensland (Capalaba), Victoria (Healesville), and South Australia (Murray Bridge), to be held in July and August 2019. The GRV media release can be read here.
The format for the 2019 event will consist of greyhounds progressing from heats and semi-finals in each state. The final will consist of three representatives from Queensland, three representatives from South Australia, and two representatives (plus two reserves) from Victoria.
The Queensland heats will be conducted at Capalaba on Sunday 28 July, with the semi-finals on 4 August 2019. The Queensland semi-final will be worth total prizemoney of $7,505 (1st $5,000, 2nd $1,430, 3rd $715, 4th $360), plus a $1000 trainer bonus for the first three placegetters.
The National Straight Track Championship final will be held at Healesville on Sunday 18 August with total prizemoney of $35,500 ($25,000 to the winner). For the inaugural event GRV will implement bonus prizemoney of $14,500 to be distributed throughout first, second, and third place. The winner will also be awarded entry into the Group 3 Healesville Cup heats.
To be eligible for the Queensland heats the greyhound must have been domiciled in Queensland since 28 April 2019.
The aim is for the event to be conducted in a different state each year, with other states welcome to join should they open a straight track in the future.
Racing Queensland strongly supports straight track racing and believes that the National format is another important milestone in the ongoing elevation of the racing form.