The Q front of mind for trainers ahead of opening

By Jordan Gerrans

As the curtain comes down on the thrilling 2024-25 Queensland Golden Greys Summer Racing Carnival, attention in the dog community has quickly shifted to the fast-approaching opening of The Q.

During the recently completed high-octane carnival that was headlined by the Gold Bullion, Racing Queensland canvassed the opinions of numerous leading trainers in Australia around their mood ahead of the big move from Albion Park and Ipswich.

The Q edges closer to completion with full-time racing expected in May.

Weather permitting, the Queensland Greyhound Racing Club is hoping to start trials in late February and early March.

The club is keen to conduct 1,000 trials on each track before racing begins.

Tom Tzouvelis – who has gone on a feature race winning spree over the last 18 months – believes the Sunshine State’s greyhound industry is set to be the envy of every other racing jurisdiction in the world.

“You are always hoping that something new is as good or better than what you already have,” Tzouvelis said.

“Hopefully with the facilities being made from scratch, hopefully they are as good or better as anywhere in the country or the world.

“I went and had a look at it not long ago and I was really impressed. I cannot wait to get there.”

The Tzouvelis kennel has had a stunning run over the last year or so.

They have claimed the Queensland Flame – which was a qualifier for The Phoenix – as well as the Townsville Cup, Group 1 Ipswich Cup and Capalaba Cup, among other feature events. 

Tzouvelis jokes that he will miss Albion Park and Ipswich tracks seeing as they have been so good to his team in recent years but he is as keen as any to get to The Q in the coming months.

Victorian dog man Luke Whelan travelled north for the recent carnival to campaign Brisbane Cup runner-up Lakeview Emily.

Whelan and his small team stayed at Tzouvelis’ place during their northern sojourn.

As an interstate trainer, Whelan says The Q provides an attractive option for visitors with three tracks at one facility as well as the rest of the brand new amenities.

“It is going forward in leaps and bounds up here,” the Victorian conditioner said.

“It definitely will make everything easier for visiting trainers with everything being at the one facility. It will mean a lot less travelling for us.

“It looks like it is heading in the right direction up here, that is for sure.”

The new track names will be known as Q1 Lakeside, Q2 Parklands and Q Straight. 

The Q will use the latest best practice standards for greyhound racing safety principles, including modern cambers and drop-on boxes.

It will also be one of the few centres in the world with a straight track, a one-turn track, and a two-turn track to suit the size, age, running gait and athletic abilities of different greyhounds.

Churchable-based conditioner Warren Nicholls believes The Q’s location at Purga – which is west of Brisbane – will be beneficial for numerous participants in the sport.

“It is unbelievable, it is a place that everyone wants to be going forward,” Nicholls said.

“There is nothing like it and there has been nothing like it for a long time I do not think.

“It is just going to be so good for everyone in multiple ways.

“For trainers, the travelling distances will be shorter and everything being at the same place – I do not mind that, either.

“The three different tracks, it is going to be sensational and I cannot wait to be honest.”

Prominent greyhound trainer Graham Hall spent a period of time as the chairman of the Queensland Greyhound Racing Club and has intimate knowledge of the project's development.

Hall notes that with three different tracks on offer, every greyhound in the Sunshine State will be able to earn for their owners with the numerous distance options.

“The facility itself is enormous,” Hall said.

“I think everyone is excited about The Q – this is an opportunity for us to future-proof the industry in Queensland.

“There is nothing else like this in Australia and as long as everything goes to plan, I think it will go forward enormously. It will just future-proof the industry for us.

“It is a magnificent facility that gives us the opportunity to race on three different tracks.”

The father-and-son team of Reg and Craig Gardoll from Northern New South Wales also backed The Q as an exciting development for the sport.