Mooloolaba Cup meeting to kick-start Queensland Summer Racing Carnival

By Andrew Smith

The Sunshine Coast Turf Club has proven to be the breeding ground for future Melbourne Cup winners and there is confidence that success will continue to increase interest in the venue.

Corbould Park will play host to the opening day of the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival tomorrow with the Mooloolaba Cup meeting.

The headline act will be the $160,000 Mooloolaba Cup to kick-start this year’s carnival, alongside the Swiss Ace Plate for the sprinters.

The club hosted a Breakfast with the Stars on Tuesday morning, with the event helping to build anticipation for tomorrow’s big day.

“We had a bit of success with the Caloundra Cup in just trying to build the week up, and we thought we would do a similar community breakfast this week,” Sunshine Coast Turf Club CEO John Miller said.

“Everyone seems to enjoy coming out, we get a lot of families and it showcases the facilities, and we have 500 horses working here every morning.

“It's a day that we keep building each year, and it's the start of the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival, which we're all excited about.

“It's a great time of year in Queensland, and we're pretty excited to kick things off on Saturday.”

The club was in the national spotlight recently following Half Yours’ win in the 2025 Melbourne Cup.

The five-year-old gelding year had taken out the Caloundra Cup in July on the path to this year’s great race.

It followed Without A Fight and Knight’s Choice also being based at the Corbould Park facilities during their winter campaigns before taking out the 2023 and 2024 Melbourne Cups respectively.

Miller said he expected to see more trainers head to the Sunshine State next year to tap into the winter success.

“Half Yours winning the Caloundra Cup on its way to the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double was great for us - the Caloundra Cup is our signature event in the winter, and an event we've been trying to build for a number of years,” Miller said.

“I think with Half Yours winning it, we'll have a bit of attention again next year.

“There's a lot of interest for here and I think it just sort of showcases what great facilities we've got here for our trainers.

“It’s why we've got the Anthony Freedmans and the Tony McEvoys wanting to be here during winter, because it’s a lot more enjoyable than down south that time of year.”

The SCTC hosted a special race day in July to mark its 40th anniversary which dates back to their first meeting at the Caloundra site on July 25, 1985.

The club is currently in the process of developing a master plan for the Corbould Park facility, ensuring that the racing industry is alive and well in the area for the next four decades.

Miller said days like the Mooloolaba Cup were a great chance for the club to show how well it could put on a show for a metropolitan meeting.

“It’s a busy place, we race pretty much every week, sometimes twice a week, and to do that, you've got to have a really good team of staff to present the venue like we do,” Miller said.

“We're very particular about making sure that the presentation’s of the highest quality and making sure the experience for people on course is really enjoyable, and I think we do a pretty good job of that.

“Obviously we always look to improve, and we are really excited to be given that chance on Saturday for a metro meeting.

“We get a few of these opportunities each year and we really love hosting the metro Saturday meeting here at the Sunny Coast with the 10-race card.

“Off the track, we’ll have our traditional Fashions on the Field, a live stage in The Avenue area for our general admission people who turn up, as well as some great activations with music, food trucks, plenty of bars and betting facilities on course.”

Click here to see the full Queensland Summer Racing Carnival schedule.