Race upgrades announced for Queensland carnival features

25 September 2026

The Asian Racing Federation has announced a number of Queensland feature races will be the beneficiary of a black-type upgrade, effective for the 2026/27 racing season.

The three-year-olds targeting winter success will be buoyed by the announcement that the Fred Best Classic and the Gold Coast Bracelet have been officially upgraded in their black-type status.

The Fred Best Classic, a proven lead up to the time-honoured Stradbroke Handicap, will be elevated from Group 3 status to Group 2 for the 2027 Queensland Racing Carnival.

Recent winners of the 1400m race include Group 1 winners Apache Chase and the 2026 Stradbroke champion Spicy Martini.

Programmed on Hollindale Stakes Day, the 1800m Gold Coast Bracelet will also be upgraded from Listed status to Group 3 for the 2027 edition held in May at Aquis Park.

Sprinting fillies and mares will also have more reason to target the Winter Carnival with the Helen Coughlan (Juanmo) Stakes lifted to Group 3 level, a race four-year-old mares have made their own in recent times, having won the last four editions.

A total of four Magic Millions races have also been elevated, led by the Magic Millions Buffering which has been granted Group 3 status for the 2026/27 Queensland Summer Racing Carnival.

Further features in the Magic Millions Pierata Plate, Magic Millions National Classic and Magic Millions Sunlight have also been upgraded to Listed races.

Racing Queensland Acting CEO Lachlan Murray said the upgrades were an indication of the strength of Queensland’s premier carnivals across the racing year.

“We have long known that Queensland’s premier thoroughbred summer and winter carnivals are amongst the best in the country for horses and their connections to boost black-type credentials on their resumes,” Mr Murray said.

“These announcements validate the hard work done by our racing operations team, in collaboration with our clubs and partners such as Magic Millions, the Brisbane Racing Club and Gold Coast Turf Club, in delivering high-rating fields in feature races over a number of years.

“The timing of these announcements is a perfect entrée to our upcoming Summer Carnival that will now feature new opportunities for black-type racing alongside over $28 million in prizemoney on offer.”

Additionally, the Brisbane Cup will now be run as a Group 3 race during the Queensland Racing Carnival.

Queensland races to be upgraded in 2026/27: