Slot holders revealed for the inaugural King of the Mountain

Excitement is building towards the inaugural King of the Mountain on the Darling Downs later this year after the first-ever slot holders were revealed. 

While there is plenty of buzz about what will occur on the Clifford Park race track on New Years Eve, there is an added element to the new race that will stretch beyond the racing industry.

A field of 12 will assemble for the first King of the Mountain, with 10 of the 12 slots drawn by ballot at a function in Toowoomba last week.

Also at the function, the remaining two slots were auctioned successfully.

The last two positions in the inaugural King of the Mountain started at $40,000 at auction with the first being sold for $84,000 and the second for $100,000.

The money from the auctions will go towards three charities – which will be split between the three – with each individual charity receiving $34,500.

The charities that will benefit from the auctions include the Racing Queensland Off-The-Track program, the Queensland Jockeys Association and “The Lighthouse”, which is a children’s literacy program in Toowoomba.

The Lighthouse was chosen by Mort & Co, who are the naming rights sponsor of the first ever King Of The Mountain.

An application fee cost prospective slot holders $250, and the 10 successfully drawn out of the ballot, a slot in the race will now cost them $40,000 to secure their place for the next three years.

The inaugural slot holders for the richest provincial race in the Sunshine State will be: Tony Khoury, TJT Bloodstock, Andrew Boulos, David John Meara, Adam John Kennelly, Sears Racing, Paul Robert Reedy, Chris Anderson Jayven See, Cunningham Thoroughbreds, Harvey Black / Lyndhurst Stud and Sheralee Estate.

The winner of the inaugural King of the Mountain will also receive a wildcard spot for the Magic Millions QTIS on the Gold Coast on Magic Millions day.

Queensland’s newest slot race will be run for $750,000 over 1200 metres at Toowoomba’s Clifford Park on Saturday, December 31, 2022.

The race will be contested as a Set Weights and Penalties event.

Interstate-based trainers with satellite stables in Queensland will not be permitted to start a horse in the King of the Mountain.

The race will be restricted to Queensland-bred horses that are prepared by a trainer based in the Sunshine State.

Click here for more information on the King of the Mountain.