The Group 1 Brisbane Cup will become Queensland’s first million-dollar greyhound race in 2023.
The time-honoured feature will almost double in prize money next year, skyrocketing from $525,000 to $1 million.
With the greyhound code set to receive an additional $9 million in prize money from February 1, the Brisbane Cup will maintain its status as one of the nation’s most prestigious and coveted greyhound races.
Now worth $650,000 to the winner, the Brisbane Cup has been the beneficiary of a number of significant prize money increases in recent years, having been run for $145,000 in the summer of 2017.
The Brisbane Cup has a storied history – first run in 1972 as the Gabba Sprint Championship – and has since established itself as the state’s centrepiece race of the Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival, having moved from its traditional summer slot in 2019.
Racing Queensland EGM Operations Adam Wallish said that the increase to the pinnacle event was made possible thanks to the recent Investment Growth Plan, which will see a further $31 million in prize money across the three codes delivered early next year.
“The greyhound racing code continues to reach unprecedented levels in Queensland, headlined by record wagering and returns back to participants,” Mr Wallish said.
“This historic increase to the Brisbane Cup will confirm its position as one of the world’s marquee sprinting features.
“We would once again like to thank the Palaszczuk Government and their recent Betting Tax reform, which has enabled us to invest record amounts of prize money back into the greyhound industry.”
Elsewhere, the Golden Greys Summer Carnival’s marquee race, the Group 1 Gold Bullion, will also receive an uplift, now to be run for $375,000.
Staged at the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club, the stakes upgrade will come into effect ahead of its next running on February 2, 2023.
At the same time, RQ will place a 1% prize money levy on all greyhound races, as per the equine codes, and a 5% premium levy on $250,000 races to support and enhance its animal care initiatives.
RQ’s Strategic Plan focuses on upholding world-class integrity and animal care standards in Queensland, which has seen the recent adoption of the Race Meeting Injury Scheme, supporting the industry’s commitment to placing welfare at the core of its day-to-day activities.
Additionally, RQ introduced the Greyhound Retirement Readiness Scheme earlier this year, which has been designed to optimise overall greyhound health and wellbeing in retirement.
Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club CEO Luke Gatehouse said the prize money increase for the Brisbane Cup signifies the rapid growth of greyhound racing in the Sunshine State.
“This is a watershed moment in the history of Queensland greyhound racing,” Mr Gatehouse said.
“Our most iconic event now becomes even more significant on the national greyhound racing calendar with this increase.
“Returns to participants across the board have increased dramatically over the past few years, and the Brisbane Cup will provide a pinnacle for everyone to aspire.”
This announcement underpins the code’s meteoric rise in recent years, with prize money having increased from $13.5 million in FY18 to almost $41 million from next year.
Average prize money per race has almost doubled in that same period to $5,533, whilst the number of $100,000 races has risen from three to 19.
Earlier this year, it was announced that construction on the multi-million Greater Brisbane Greyhound Centre precinct will commence in 2023 after receiving planning approval from the Palaszczuk Government.
With animal care at the core of design and construction, GBGC will feature three tracks - a straight track, a two-turn track and a much-needed one-turn track – and will be beamed to more than 60 nations across the world when racing is expected to commence in 2024.
Design features like appropriate radius and surface banking, air-conditioned kennels and world-class racing surfaces will be incorporated, as well as a veterinarian clinic on-site to provide quality care for greyhounds.