Summer Scorcher Series to ignite night racing

South-East Queensland is turning on the lights for a new exciting chapter of night racing this summer, with the launch of the new Summer Scorcher Series for the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.

From November 13, the eight-meeting series will light up Corbould Park and Aquis Park, combining the spectacle of night racing with boosted prizemoney and performance bonuses of up to $20,000 for winning horses.

Standard races on the designated night programs will carry prizemoney of $33,000 to $35,000, while the stakes will be increased to $40,000 for a feature race on every card.

Adding further incentives, winners of selected short-course races during the Summer Scorcher Series will also secure bonuses if they are able to eclipse the prescribed benchmark time at either the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast tracks.

Following the Summer Scorcher Series finale on January 22, racing will continue with a further six night meetings, each featuring a mini-feature race worth $50,000 in prizemoney, ensuring the summer spotlight remains firmly fixed on South-East Queensland racing.

The November 20 Silks Under the Stars meeting on the Gold Coast will be further strengthened by the running of a $75,000 Open 1200m Handicap, while also hosting the official Queensland Summer Racing Carnival launch.

The meeting will provide a fitting entrée to the first feature day of the carnival on the Sunshine Coast the following day, kicking off a nine-week Summer Carnival program where over $28 million in prizemoney and bonuses will be on offer.

Racing Queensland Chairman Matt McGrath said the new Summer Scorcher Series presented a significant opportunity to grow the thoroughbred code.

“Night racing has already proven to be incredibly popular with fans, industry participants and clubs, and the new Summer Scorcher Series allows us to build on that momentum with stronger prizemoney and fan engagement at our tracks,” Mr McGrath said.

“Racing under lights opens up new opportunities to engage audiences, attract new fans and showcase our sport in a different way, and make the most of the warmer months in the Sunshine State.

“By introducing benchmark time bonuses, we're also encouraging faster, competitive racing and providing owners, trainers and jockeys with additional opportunities to earn significant prizemoney during the summer period.”

The Sea FM After Dark series is already underway on the Sunshine Coast, with Corbould Park playing host to four Friday night meetings throughout October, combining racing under lights with live music, unique on course promotion and fan engagement.

"Night racing is now a key component of our season and an important part of our strategy to attract new audiences to racing,” Sunshine Coast Turf Club CEO John Miller said.

“It provides a unique, fast-paced entertainment product that appeals to both traditional racegoers and people looking for a great social experience on a Friday night and we are excited by the new initiatives supported by Racing Queensland.

"Not only are the incentives there for racegoers but our industry participants will also benefit from increased prizemoney offerings and some added incentives put on by the club and its partners to race under lights.”

The Gold Coast Turf Club’s Silks Under the Stars race meetings, which will run monthly through to March, will each feature free admission, on-course entertainment, drone shows, feature acts and giveaways.

"We are excited to host the launch of the Summer Carnival and will continue to invest in these initiatives for night racing with the support of Racing Queensland,” Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Steve Lines said.

“To date, our Silks Under the Stars Meetings have been a huge success and everything we do is about enhancing patron and participant engagement to attract greater audiences."

The new schedule is a key initiative of the Queensland Government’s review into the racing industry The Next Lap: a plan for the future of Queensland racing.

It will include the implementation of the Lighting Up Racing Strategy designed to maximise the benefits of recent and future investments in racecourse lighting, club promotion and race night experiences.

Further investment in racing under lights will also be progressed through The Next Lap initiative, including the restoration of lighting at Toowoomba Turf Club to support future programming opportunities.

Click here to read more about the Summer Scorcher Series.