Caption: Leading Townsville trainer Bred Belford and wife Jackie are set to head up Federal Park Racing’s new facility at Churchable in south-east Queensland. (Photo courtesy Racing Qld)
(Chase Newspaper June, 2024, edition)
By MIKE HILL
FEDERAL Park Racing, the operation behind the ‘Federal’ greyhounds including Kiwi-based marvel Federal Infrared, is in the process of establishing a major greyhound training facility in south-east Queensland with leading Townsville conditioner Brad Belford and wife Jackie at the helm.
A spokesperson for the NSW-based group said FPR had purchased a 40-acre property at Churchable, a greyhound precinct west of Brisbane, and was planning to develop it into ‘a multi-million dollar state-of-the-art facility’.
“We are hoping it can become a showpiece for the industry and Belford Kennels will be the resident trainers,” he said.
Fedaral Park Racing is a family venture headed by Morgan Benjes and his mother Noeleen.
They established their breeding and rearing operation in Lemon Tree Valley on the NSW Central Coast about eight years ago.
“It’s part of the bigger Emeran Park thoroughbred centre,” the FPR spokesperson said.
He said FPR had previously signed a contract to purchase the outstanding Churchable complex, Sovereign Lodge, but had pulled out of the deal.
“We feel we did the right thing by not continuing with the contract on Sovereign Lodge, which is leased by QRIC for its GAP program,” he said.
“Re-homing greyhounds in Queensland is a massive operation.
“Lots of trainers are struggling to find homes for their dogs once they have finished racing.
“We didn’t want to add to the problem.
“We are extremely happy with our new purchase.
“It a beautiful property
“It has a house and pool on 40 acres of cleared, vacant land.
“We’re starting from scratch with a clean canvas and we’re hoping it can become an industry showpiece.
“We’ve already started construction on the 100-dog training facility that includes two massive air-conditioned blocks, one containing 45 kennels, the other 40 kennels.
“We will also have six 100m sprint lanes, a 400m straight track and 10 80mx80m rearing yards.
“Stage 1 of the infrastructure program, that includes the training complex, should be completed by the end of June and we hope Stage 2 (rearing facility) will be finished by late July or early August.”
FPR is the latest interstate greyhound group to purchase property in the Lockyer Valley region.
The well-known Britton family, with their highly successful operation in Victoria, broke new ground late last year when they established a satellite kennel also in the Churchable precinct.
It comes at a time when the industry is gearing up for a new era in Queensland with The Q, a multi-million dollar, three-track complex being built at Purga, near Ipswich.
It is believed Morgan Benjes, who has operated his own landscaping business for more than 30 years, went on a property inspection tour of the Churchable region earlier in the year.
The spokesperson said FPR only had a small facility at their Central Coast (near Gosford) complex.
“It’s a great opportunity to expand the business,” he said.
“We are looking forward to the launch of the new racing complex at Purga later in the year or early in 2025.
“It’s a big reason why FPR is moving to Queensland.
“There’s exciting times ahead for greyhound racing in the state.”
The spokesperson also added that FPR wouldn’t be making the move north if it didn’t have the Belfords on board.
“Brad started training for FPR several years ago; we’ve had success and formed a good relationship,” he said.
“He and Jackie are lovely people.”
Once in full operation FPR plans to send pre-training pups to the Churchable complex every couple of months.
“We hope to race most of the youngsters at the new Purga complex once it opens,” the spokesperson said.
Belford, who has been a leading trainer in Townsville for many years, said he was looking forward to the change.
“It’s going to be a great challenge,” he said.
“There will be plenty to do.
“I’ll be taking down about 40 dogs.”
Belford was the top Queensland trainer on the national points table in 2023. (He finished the season in eighth place with 205 winners, 197 seconds, 185 thirds and prizemoney just under $655,000.)
“It’s a great opportunity for us,” he said.
“We’re extremely positive and looking forward to the move.”
Federal Park Racing has about 20 greyhounds currently racing in Australia and New Zealand, while Belford was expecting a group of their youngsters to arrive in Townsville late last month.
Some of FPR’s outstanding sprinters to date included the brilliant Federal Infrared, Kiwi Greyhound of the Year winner Federal Morgan and Federal Lilly, runner-up to Zipping Bailey in the 2019 G1 Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park.
Federal Infrared (Aussie Infrared- Flo Jo Focus) is only $5928 off breaking the all-time New Zealand stake earnings record held by Little Mother ($377,751).
The black sprinter, under the care of leading New Zealand trainer Lisa Cole, has so far amassed $371,823 with 48 wins and 11 placings from 71 career starts.
She went on a winning surge in the second half of last year, producing 20 wins from 21 starts including 14 in succession.
