Spotlight On: QBRED Race Night

There’s something special about QBRED race night.

Over the years, Racing Queensland has quietly gone about enhancing and solidifying the breeder’s incentive bonus scheme.

Now, it stands as the premier breeding scheme throughout the country.

QBRED is an incentive scheme delivering over $4 million in additional returns for breeders and owners of harness horses bred and racing in Queensland. 

With a lucrative range of exclusive stakes and bonuses on offer, only QBRED registered horses race for:

•  $14,000 QBRED ‘First Win’ Bonus (from January 1, 2022);
•  $7,500 QBRED ‘Second Win’ Bonus.
• $3,000 QBRED ‘Third Win’ Bonus (State-bred Qbred’s only):
•  $1,000 QBRED Cash bonuses (on all races <$4,500).
• Group 1 TRIADS for 2YO & 3YO; and
• Exclusive rich QBRED Race Series.

The stand-alone Triad race night in August continues to grow and the list of stars that competes is outstanding, and 2024 was no exception.

For Real Life, a standout performer for Trent and Crystal Dawson, completed the Triad ‘trilogy’ when successful in the Group 2 $76,500 QBRED Triad 4YO Entires and Geldings Final, defeating Regazzo Di Tilly and Free Thinker in the 2138m mobile start feature.

His 4YO trophy adds to his 2YO and 3YO triumphs. For Real Life now joins an exclusive list by joining only Aquagold and Colt Thirty One as the only male pacers to complete the Triad ‘trilogy’.

Starting as the race favourite, For Real Life eventually found the lead role before holding rivals clearly at bay while rating a solid 1:53.3.

As it stands, Dawson has won four Gr.1 races to date, and all of them, have come via the QBRED Triad features (For Real Life x 2, Talent To Spare & Magical Maya).

The QBRED Triad/Sires Stakes program commenced back in 1982 at Albion Park.

Conversely, the list of mares that have completed the Triad ‘trilogy’ runs much deeper with a total of six on the list.

The list includes Joyable, Kentucky Bye Bye, Cherry Cheer, Theartofillusion, Fleur De Lil and Shez No Fake. Forever Gold won the 2YO and 3YO Triad Finals while the 4YO Final was not staged.

And just like For Real Life, the Bernie and Cath Hewitt-prepared Jewel Melody had the chance to add her name to the list this year but could only manage fifth behind Lady Digby placing in the Group 2 $76,500 QBRED Triad 4YO Mares Final.

Interestingly, this was the only time that both sexes had a chance to complete the Triad ‘trilogy’ in the same year.

After landing the inside gate, Lady Digby started as the race favourite and landed a perfect trail from driver Leonard Cain on the natural frontrunning type Girl From Rosedale, while Jewel Melody forced off the inside after drawing the inside of the second line before racing without cover.

In the straight, Lady Digby overpowered Girl From Rosedale while Aurora Joy took inside runs to fill third placing. The winning time was 1:54.0 for the 2138m event.

Lady Digby is raced by her breeder, Cameron Spencer.

The victory provided winning trainer Jason Carkeet with back-to-back QBRED Triad victories following the win of Pinnie last year in the 2YO Trot Final.

In the Group 1 $153,000 three-year-old finals, Bronski Zulu and Rylee Rhayne Bow etched their names into the history books with exciting victories.

Following his dominant heat win the week prior, the Donny and Maureen Smith prepared Bronski Zulu got a perfect Shane Graham drive when he shot through via the inside to beat Dele Row and Ellis Street in the 2138m feature.

The winning time was 1:53.1.

A gelded son of Sweet Lou from classy performer Bronski Gorgeous, a mare that was placed in the 2YO and 3YO Triad Finals before winning as a 4YO for owner/breeder Stuart Hunter.

The Smiths have now won two Group 1 races, both of which are QBRED Triad Finals, with A Good Chance successful in the 3YO Colts and Geldings Final back in 2015.

Rylee Rhayne Bow has given her connections every chance of completing the Triad ‘trilogy’ following her victory in the Fillies Final defeating race favourite Ever Art and Majorita Jujon in a time of 1:53.1.

Successful as a two-year-old, Rylee Rhayne Bow is raced by her breeder Ross Patrick. The filly is by Art Major from the multiple Albion Park winner Argyle Beach.

Prepared by Chantal Turpin and driven by her husband Pete McMullen, they have combined for four Group 1 QBRED Triad victories (Rylee Rhayne Bow twice, Awaywego and Big Wheels).

Both Group 1 $150,000 2YO Triad Finals went the way of Grant and Trista Dixon when Cool And Classy scored in the Fillies feature while Fire Raiser sprintlaned in the Colts and Geldings division.

Cool And Classy, a filly by Captaintreacherous from the talented Mr Feelgood mare Charming Allie, led throughout from her inside draw while holding off Arrive and The Lady Dior in a time of 1:55.2 for the 1660m event.

Fire Raiser, a gelded youngster by Bettors Delight from the Mach Three mare Fire One, got through on the inside to beat Thetorque Majority and Our Sweet Delight in a thrilling contest.

The winning time was a stunning 1:52.5 - a new race record.

Both Cool And Classy and Fire Raiser are raced by breeders, Kevin and Kay Seymour.

While Dixon has prepared winners of both divisions in the same year previously, this was the first time he has driven both. He’s done it multiple times in the 3YO division.

Amazingly, Dixon has now won 31 Triad races! And the Triad two-year-old double only adds to his $500,000 Protostar victory a month earlier with Fate Awaits.

In the Group 2 $51,000 QBRED Triad 3yo Trotting Final, race favourite My Ultimate Sunny continued his excellent form with an authoritative victory over Northern Heights and Singara Ted in the 2138m standing start feature.

Facing the tape for the first time, the Jarrod Alchin-prepared, and Will Rixon-driven Majestic Son – Ultimate Daiquiri colt handled the occasion perfectly. The winning time was 2:01.6.

Bred by Greg Mitchell, My Ultimate Sunny is raced by Tumby Park.

And the Group 2 $50,000 QBRED Triad 2YO Trotting Final went the way of the Shane Graham/Kelli Dawson-prepared Monterey Lass, who led throughout defeating race favourite Laydownluna and Its All Right Now.

The winning time for the 2138m stand start feature was 2:04.1.

Raced by Sydney-based Daniel Cordina, the Up And Quick filly ranks as a half-sister to Group 1 winner Agent Black.

With a QBRED double on the night, Shane Graham takes his Triad tally to a dozen with winners including Yahoo Buckaroo, Sparkling Melody, Clintal Do, Crackerofaparty, Bettorthanspecial, Torque In Motion, Aunty Bella, Manila Playboy, Captain Shuffles, Quik Change, Bronski Zulu and Monterey Lass.

The 2024 QBRED Triad race night was a very special race night, clearly getting bigger year-on-year. But in many ways, the QBRED bonus scheme is still one of the best kept secrets in the country.

Let’s not forget, some of harness racing’s biggest stars have been QBRED registered, including Blacks A Fake, Be Good Johnny, Slipnslide, Romeos Legend, Mister Martini, Forever Gold, Majestic Mach, Leos Best, Speed King, Henry Luca, Colt Thirty One, Rollon Bigred, Governor Jujon, Viking Reign, Happy Haldon, Tip Your Hat and Benefactor among many others.