Racing Queensland has announced the introduction of the ‘TAB Golden Greys Summer Carnival’ to be headlined by the new $235,000 Gold Bullion.
Following the success of the recently completed TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival, RQ will introduce a Summer counterpart that will feature Group racing for sprinters, middle distance types, stayers, and age-restricted greyhounds.
Staged at Albion Park from December 5, 2019 through to January 23, 2020, the Golden Greys Summer Carnival will feature six black-type events across eight weeks to well and truly place the national spotlight on the Sunshine State.
The Golden Greys Summer Carnival details include:
- Thirty Talks @ Stud Queensland Derby 520m Group 2 ($60,000) – Heats December 5, Final December 12;
- Fabregas @ Stud Bogie Leigh Futurity 520m Group 2 ($60,000) – Heats December 5, Final December 12;
- Asset Body Corporate Bribie Island Golden Ticket 520m Group 3 ($47,250) – Heats December 19, Final December 26;
- Garrard’s Gold Bullion 520m Group 1 ($235,000) – Heats January 2, Final January 10;
- Garrard’s Gold Cup 710m Listed ($113,000) – Heats January 2, Final January 10; and
- Box 1 Photography Golden Sands 600m Group 3 ($60,000) – Heats January 16, Final January 23.
Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said that Queensland had long coveted a Summer Greyhound Carnival and the Palaszczuk Government was now excited to be able to announce one.
“With two new events, two re-positioned events, and several re-named races, the eyes of the nation will now be on Queensland during two distinct periods of the year,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“The trophy for the Gold Bullion will feature Queensland gold and with $150,000 up for grabs to the winner of the Gold Bullion Final, it will now become Queensland’s second richest greyhound race.
“The Gold Cup over 710m will see Group 1 prize money being distributed to a staying racing for the first time ever in a Queensland summer.”
The Golden Ticket is expected to prove an ideal lead-in to the Group 1 Gold Bullion with the concept similar to the inter-state Shootout and Speed Star promotions.
The heats of the Golden Ticket will be conducted as four-dog shootouts, with the Final conducted as two-dog match races.
The winner of the Golden Ticket receives automatic entry into the Gold Bullion Final, with Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club CEO Luke Gatehouse among those praising the concept.
“We have looked at ways to innovate our racing product to attract interest from those outside of traditional racing circles,” Mr Gatehouse said.
“The format of the Golden Ticket event combines some of the best innovations of recent years into one event – four-dog shootouts into two-dog speed stars culminating with the eventual champion receiving the Golden Ticket straight into the Group 1 Gold Bullion final.”
The Golden Greys Summer Carnival gets underway with the heats of the Queensland Derby and Bogie Leigh Futurity which have been re-located from their former homes in Autumn.
Following the Golden Ticket and Gold Bullion, the Carnival closes on January 23 with the Golden Sands Final over 600m and the Country Cup Final.
The Golden Sands replaces the Queensland Cup which has been re-positioned into the Winter Carnival as the key 710m event in that period.
Heats for the Country Cup will be staged in Townsville, Rockhampton, and Bundaberg.
RQ COO Adam Wallish was keen to emphasise that the Golden Greys Summer Carnival continued a complete re-vamping of the Queensland greyhound racing calendar.
“The Winter Carnival, which was totally re-energised, met with extraordinary nomination support and delivered outstanding wagering results,” Mr Wallish said.
“So we’ve doubled down on our desire to create more carnivals, more iconic events and more reasons for participant and wagering customer focus on Queensland greyhound racing.”
Prior to the commencement of the Carnival, the Ipswich Cup will be run and won, with prize money increasing from $60,000 to $110,000.
The heats and Final of the Ipswich Cup will be moved to Thursday nights on November 7 and 14 as the metropolitan race meetings for those weeks.
In the New Year, the world’s richest maiden, the Vince Curry Memorial and the Capalaba Cup will steal the limelight in February.
The Capalaba Cup, Queensland flagship straight track event, will be staged at Group level for the first time with prize money increasing to $37,500 including $25,000 to the winner.