South East Queensland trials selection protocol

The Racing Queensland protocol applicable to the selection of fields for SEQ trials meetings is as outlined in the protocol below. 

Clubs are required to provide RQ with the maximum number of starters permissible prior to the closing of nominations. 

If the club’s capacity to accommodate the number of horses nominated is exceeded (based on track or other related factors), horses will be selected in the following order:

1. Group, Listed and feature racehorses. Horses in this category are defined as followed:

• Have started in a Group race in the past 18 months;
• Finished in the top six placings in a Listed/Restricted Listed race in the last 18 months;
• Winner of a Saturday metropolitan status race (in any Australasian jurisdiction) in the last 18 months;
• Considered to be a Group/Listed/feature racehorse at RQ’s discretion; or
• Horses trialling for the purpose of qualifying for special races (e.g. Magic MiIlions The Debut), at RQ’s discretion.

2. Horses which permanently use a training facility at the club at which the trials are being hosted in the following order:

• Horses which are currently barred from racing and are trialling for the purpose of obtaining a barrier certificate/certificate of tractability, and horses which have not previously competed in a race or an official trial;
• Two-year-olds;
• Three-year-olds; and
• Four-year-old and older horses.

If there are still surplus horses to spots available at this point, RQ will adopt random ballot method.

3. Horses which permanently use a training facility in Queensland other than at the club at which the trials are being hosted in the following order:

• Horses which are currently barred from racing and are trialling for the purpose of obtaining a barrier certificate/certificate of tractability, and horses which have not previously competed in a race or an official trial;
• Two-year-olds;
• Three-year-olds; and
• Four-year-old and older horses.

If there are still surplus horses to spots available at this point, RQ will adopt random ballot method.

4. All other horses which permanently use a training facility outside of Queensland in the following order:

• Horses which are currently barred from racing and are trialling for the purpose of obtaining a barrier certificate/certificate of tractability, and horses which have not previously competed in a race or an official trial;
• Two-year-olds;
• Three-year-olds; and
• Four-year-old and older horses.

If the ballot criteria are applied and there are vacant slots remaining in one or more heats (i.e. the maximum numbers of horses permissible has not been met), RQ may choose to fill the remaining slots by random ballot method.