By Racing Queensland CEO JASON SCOTT

Queensland is set to sparkle over the coming months with the 2023/24 Golden Greys Summer Carnival hosting record prizemoney and increases to race statuses.

With more than $2 million in stakes on offer this summer, the Golden Greys will once again attract some of the nation’s premier chasers to the Sunshine State for eight feature race nights over 10 action-packed weeks, headlined by the $375,000 Group 1 Gold Bullion.

The Queensland Flame – now worth $90,000 as a Group 3 event – will decide Queensland’s representative into the $1.65 million The Phoenix, acting as the Golden Greys’ opening evening on November 30. 

The ‘Chase the Flame’ initiative will again provide an opportunity for a competition winner to own a share of a greyhound with leading trainer Travis Elson for an entire year at no cost, aiming to grow future participation and involvement in the sport.

In addition, the Queensland Greyhound Adoption Program will also share in outcomes related to The Phoenix.

The QGOLD feature evening returns for its second year, with racing exclusively for Queensland-bred greyhounds to take centre stage at Albion Park on December 14, with almost $250,000 in prize money on offer.

Greyhound racing continues to go from strength-to-strength in the Sunshine State, and this has been reflected with increases in prizemoney and a boost in status for several races.

Following their success last year, we are excited to again kick off this year’s Golden Greys with the Queensland Flame and QGOLD evening, ensuring that our local greyhounds are given exclusive opportunity to shine on the biggest stage.

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.

You can read more about the Golden Greys Summer Racing Carnival on the RQ website.

The Q update

The next phase of The Q construction is underway, with the appointment of FKG to complete the main body of works at the new facility.

In the latest major milestone for the project, the next phase of works will commence on the precinct in November 2023, setting new standards in modern track design once completed next year.

The Darling Downs company were awarded the major contract, following BMD Group’s completion of the bulk earthworks earlier in the year.

Situated just south of Ipswich, the precinct will feature three tracks – a straight track, a much-needed one-turn track and a two-turn track – with racing to be beamed to more than 60 nations across the world via Sky Racing.

This is another major milestone for The Q and another step towards delivering Queensland’s newest state-of-the-art racing precinct.

The Q will not only deliver one of the nation’s premier racing facilities, but it will also be an invaluable multi-use asset that the whole community can enjoy.

More broadly, we continue to see the greyhound industry’s growth come along in leaps and bounds.

With enhanced animal care, alongside record-breaking prizemoney and returns to participants headlining the sport’s continued growth and interest, there truly is no better time to be a part of greyhound racing in Queensland.

Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club

We’re pleased to confirm that greyhound racing is set to continue at the Ipswich Showgrounds in 2024.

Late last month, the Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club and the Ipswich Show Society reached an agreement to extend their lease at the venue for a further 12 months.

The agreement will see racing continue at the Showgrounds, ahead of the completion of Queensland’s future home of greyhound racing, The Q, situated in Purga.

At the conclusion of this lease, both the IGRC and the ISS will work together to ensure a seamless exit arrangement from the site with a view towards it being utilised for alternative community purposes.

We extend our congratulations to both parties on the agreement, which provides greater certainty to industry stakeholders and participants.

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Finally, as we reach the end of another busy year, we want to take the opportunity to wish you and your families a happy festive season and new year, as 2024 shapes up to be another exciting one for the Queensland racing industry!