The $1 million Sky Racing Brisbane Cup will maintain its status as one of the world’s most prestigious greyhound races, headlining the 2024 Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival.
The $650,000 to the winner feature will once again draw the curtain on the nation’s premier Winter Carnival, with more than $3 million in prize money up for grabs over seven weeks of racing from May 23 to July 4 at Albion Park, including 11 Group and Listed races.
The Sunshine State’s showpiece evening will also host the $260,000 Group 1 Queensland Cup for the stayers, as well as two Brisbane Cup consolations running for a combined $157,500.
With both the Brisbane Cup and Queensland Cup being held on July 4, almost $1.5 million in prize money will be up for grabs in what is one of Australian greyhound racing’s biggest nights.
Introduced in 2023, greyhounds must have previously raced at Albion Park over the 520m or further distance to be eligible for the Brisbane Cup heats, with a number of dedicated opportunities again on offer for dogs to familiarise themselves with the track.
Elsewhere, the Flying Amy Classic will remain Queensland’s richest event for age-restricted greyhounds, set to be run as a Group 1 event for the first time in 2024.
Restricted to greyhounds which are 30-months-old or younger, the $225,000 feature will be staged on June 6, retaining its position as one of the premier events on the calendar.
The Carnival is also set to honour one of the state’s champion greyhounds, with the re-naming of the Group 2 Carnival’s Chase to the Cyndie’s Magic.
Staged on June 6 alongside the Flying Amy, the race – which she won in 2016 – honours one of the state’s most scintillating dogs in recent times, who claimed 45 wins from 152 starts before going on to enjoy a successful brood bitch career.
“The Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival has solidified its status as the place to chase, continually enticing Australia’s top greyhounds to the Sunshine State,” RQ CEO Jason Scott said.
“The Brisbane Cup remains the crowning jewel of the programme, however we are as excited to bestow the Flying Amy with Group 1 status whilst also honouring one of our champion chasers in Cyndie’s Magic.
“With the new home of Queensland greyhound racing – The Q – nearing completion at the end of the year, there truly is no more exciting time to be involved in the code.”
Fast becoming one of the highlights on the racing calendar, the Origin Greyhound will take place on June 13.
The series will feature both the Origin Sprint and Origin Distance (worth $150,000 apiece) as well as the $60,000 two-dog match race, where competing chasers will be selected by Queensland and NSW respectively.
“The 2023 Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival stands out as the most successful and comprehensive carnival we've organised during my tenure,” Queensland Greyhound Racing Club CEO Luke Gatehouse said.
“Our primary focus has been on crafting an exceptional overall experience for attendees, blending meticulously promoted racing events with top-tier entertainment, engaging activations, and quality dining options off the track.
“Featuring a diverse array of races, from maidens to masters, age-restricted classics, Group races at all levels, and the Greyhound Origin Series, we ensured there was something for every type of greyhound.”
The best local dogs will take centre stage on the Carnival’s opening night, as the successful QGOLD feature evening returns following its winter debut in 2023.
Restricted to greyhounds born and bred in Queensland, the QGOLD meeting will see more than $200,000 in prize money on offer over eight races.
Finally, the famous ‘Super Night’ on June 20 will once again feature a race from each of the five distances contested at Albion Park (331m, 395m, 520m, 600m, 710m), headlined by the $107,825 Super Stayers Invitational, which has been elevated to Group 2 status.
Click here to read more about the 2024 Queensland Winter Greyhound Racing Carnival.