The Golden Greys Summer Carnival is ready to launch at Albion Park.
With more than $2.3 million in stakes up for grabs, the Golden Greys will once again attract some of the nation’s premier chasers to the Sunshine State for eight feature race nights, headlined by the $375,000 Group 1 Gold Bullion.
The $90,000 Queensland Flame on December 5 will once again act as the Golden Greys’ opening night, with the Group 3 event set to decide the state’s representative for the $1.65 million The Phoenix.
Off the track, an ownership partnership will remain a key part of the journey towards The Phoenix, aiming to grow future participation and involvement in the sport.
In the lead up to Christmas, the QGOLD feature night will be run on December 19, with eight races exclusively for Queensland-bred greyhounds including $220,000 in stakes.
Racing Queensland CEO Jason Scott said the Golden Greys had solidified its status as the premier summer carnival nation-wide.
“The Golden Greys Summer Racing Carnival has established itself as the must-race destination from December to February,” he said.
“We are excited to again kick off this year’s Golden Greys with the Queensland Flame to decide our representative in the world’s richest greyhound race, before we continue to shine the spotlight on our local talent through the QGOLD evening.
“The program remains attractive to the nation’s best sprinters, middle distance types and stayers, and we look forward to welcoming the best dogs and trainers from all over the country to Queensland this summer.”
Group racing commences with the Queensland Flame before ramping up in the New Year with the running of both the Group 2 Queensland Derby and the Bogie Leigh Futurity – both worth $112,500 – on January 2, followed by the $150,000 Group 2 Golden Sands now one week later.
The Group 2 Golden Ticket on January 16 will again act as the ideal lead-up to the Gold Bullion, with the winner receiving automatic entry into the $375,000 Final a fortnight later.
The heats of the $100,000 event will be conducted as four-dog shootout heats, with two-dog match races in the Final to determine the winner by fastest time.
The Group 1 Gold Bullion on January 30 remains the crowning jewel of the Golden Greys, with an honour board that includes champions of the sport like Sennachie, Shima Shine and Jungle Deuce.
The Summer Carnival’s penultimate evening will also feature the Group 1 $150,000 Gold Cup for stayers.
There’ll be added incentive from trainers too, with any greyhound that places first, second or third in the final of a Summer Carnival lead-up event, and subsequently wins a heat of either the Gold Bullion or Gold Cup, to earn a $10,000 prize money bonus.
“We know Queensland in summer attracts so many tourists, and now locals and visitors alike have an extra reason to join us for what is now the pre-eminent summer greyhound carnival in the country,” Queensland Greyhound Racing Club CEO Peter Gleeson said.
“The club is justifiably proud of what we’ve built over this summer period and it just goes from strength-to-strength each year.
“With The Q coming along nicely, and wagering turnover on the dogs at record high levels, there’s much to be optimistic about going forward.’’
Australia’s richest maiden greyhound race, the Group 3 Vince Curry Memorial, will again close out the Golden Greys Summer Carnival at Ipswich on February 1, with $75,000 again on offer for the winner.
