By Racing Queensland CEO JASON SCOTT

As November arrives, we edge closer towards the start of the must attend Golden Greys Summer Carnival.

With more than $2.3 million in stakes up for grabs, the Golden Greys is poised to 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. 

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.

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 serve as the ideal lead-up to the Gold Bullion, with the winner receiving automatic entry into the $375,000 Final a fortnight later.

The Group 1 Gold Bullion on January 30 remains the crowning jewel of the Golden Greys, with an honour roll that includes champions such as 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 for 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.

Australia’s richest maiden greyhound race, the Group 3 Vince Curry Memorial, will close out the Golden Greys Summer Carnival on February 1, with $75,000 again on offer for the winner.

The Golden Greys Summer Carnival 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 nation to Queensland this summer.

You can read more about the Golden Greys and see the full schedule on the RQ website.

The Q update

The Q continues to make important progress ahead of its completion in early 2025.

All concrete floors on the grandstand building are now complete, which includes the level two broadcast and race callers’ areas for all three tracks.

In addition, the one-turn track posts and rail have been installed, as well as the two-turn posts with the rail to commence shortly.

Finally, the track lighting to the one-turn, two-turn and straight tracks have been erected and completed, while both the eight-dog and 10-dog starting boxes have arrived on site.

The latest monthly newsletter with detailed progress on the facility is available on the RQ website via The Q’s landing page.

Vale Bill Elson

Finally, I’d like to pay my respects to legendary greyhound racing stalwart Bill Elson, who we lost in October at the age of 77.

The Elson surname has become one of the major players in the Queensland industry over the last decade on the back of Bill’s training and breeding efforts alongside his wife and training partner Cyndie.

While Cyndie is still at the top of her field when it comes to preparing regular city winners, the parents have also passed the baton to their son Travis who has developed into a leading dog man himself in recent years.

The Elson kennel has been a major force over the last decade in Brisbane racing, making the owners and trainers’ premierships at the annual end of season awards almost their own.

The team were put up in lights at their peak when they raced champion bitch Cyndie’s Magic, one of the most popular greyhounds we’ve seen in Queensland.

Described as the darling of Queensland greyhound racing in her career that was headlined by her stunning racing style, Cyndie’s Magic would often get back to last in the run as she would rocket home to win on the line in scintillating fashion.

On behalf of Racing Queensland, I send my deepest condolences to Cyndie, Travis and the entire Elson family.