Jay Is Jay claims Greyhound of the Year title

Jay is Jay has capped off a history-making 2023 season to be crowned the TAB Queensland Greyhound of the Year at tonight’s awards ceremony in Brisbane. 

Trained by Selena Zammit, the star chaser continued to reach new heights in 2023, notching up 15 wins from 26 starts – headlined by his superb victory in the Million Dollar Chase. 

Jay’s strong affinity with Albion Park continued, with a new track record sitting alongside triumphs in the Group 2 Queensland Derby, Group 3 Queensland Flame and Listed Origin Greyhound Series Match Race, as well as second placings in Group 1 races the Gold Bullion and Topgun. 

He now sits third on the all-time list of highest earning greyhounds in Australian racing history with more than $1.5 million in stakes. 

In being crowned Greyhound of the Year, Jay Is Jay defeated fellow finalists Bear’s Bullet and Magistrate, both of whom enjoyed highly consistent 2023 seasons. 

“Jay Is Jay’s thrilling victory in the Million-Dollar Chase was a true highlight of the 2023 season, making Selena Zammit’s star chaser a deserving winner of the Greyhound of the Year Award,” Racing Queensland CEO Jason Scott said. 

“Off the back of last year’s hugely successful Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival and the Golden Greys Summer Racing Carnival, it is also fantastic to see the greyhound code continue to go from strength-to-strength in the Sunshine State.” 

In total, Racing Queensland announced 26 award winners at Victoria Park, acknowledging the remarkable achievements of greyhound racing participants across the state throughout 2023. 

Jay Is Jay and the Zammit-Jones family also claimed the Top Simbi award, awarded to a greyhound, person, organisation or event that creates positive publicity for the industry. 

Magistrate’s trainer Greg Stella did not go home empty-handed, claiming the Darryl & Maree Heck Brisbane Trainers Strike Rate Award. 

The Raymond Burman-trained Blue Hornet was crowned the Brisbane Greyhound of the Year after 18 wins and 19 placings from 51 starts, while Cyndie Elson took out her fifth straight Brisbane Trainer of the Year Award. 

The Outstanding Contribution Award, which was introduced in 2019 to recognise the tireless efforts of volunteers within the industry, was bestowed upon long-time Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club President Les Bein. 

Trainer Hayley Wooler was awarded the Young Achiever Award for a season that amassed 64 wins and 164 placings from 624 starts for the 22-year-old, including a feature win with Smiling Walnut in the Robert Olsen Memorial. 

Finally, Cynthia Suttle was presented with the Women in Racing Award for her contribution to racing in Queensland, with over 50 years in the industry.