Latest news with #RQ
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Racing Queensland set to pay out $1.5 million in prizemoney for abandoned Brisbane Cup meeting
The inaugural Group 1 Brisbane Cup meeting at The Q was supposed to usher in a new dawn for Queensland greyhound racing and put an exclamation mark on a winter carnival to remember. A cause for celebration, optimism and hope at the industry's brand spanking new $90 million state-of-the-art facility. But with the postponement of last Saturday's card after just two races, and the decision on Wednesday night to abandon any hopes of staging this weekend's rescheduled meeting, it will instead go down in infamy. Make no mistake, the fallout from this seismic bungle will be immense. And so it should be. When announcing that the showcase meeting had been abandoned, Racing Queensland (RQ) declared that the $1.49 million in feature prizemoney would be dispersed evenly among the finalists in the respective races. And rightly so given the significant expense and time connections – both locally and interstate – expended to partake in the carnival in good faith. But while RQ now must absorb the astronomical prizemoney expense, it carries no meaningful wagering return to support it. It's essentially dead money that the industry must now wear, along with the embarrassment and public fallout that goes with it. And the owners and trainers aren't immune from the havoc either, many staring down the barrel at their one and only shot of group race glory, now just left to ponder what might have been. • 'These are the facts': Shailer defends Winx favourite scratching A dark void left on the sport's most prestigious honour rolls for 2025, one that was meant to mark an important moment in history. When the post mortem begins on the whole sorry saga it will need to circle back well past the most recent events which led to the Q2 Parklands track being unfit and unsafe for racing. Bubbling away for months has been material concerns about the track surface management at the three-track complex which has largely been shunned by club officials. 'Trainers have been raising concerns week after week but there's been no appetite to listen, let alone acknowledge,' said one leading trainer. 'We could all see where it was heading but they just wanted to keep hiding behind reports and readings and listening to people that quite frankly just aren't up to the job at hand.' As consequential as the loss of the Brisbane Cup meeting is, it may just very well be the circuit-breaker needed for change. Since the Queensland Greyhound Racing Club (QGRC) was brought to life as a merged entity between the now defunct Brisbane GRC and Ipswich GRC, it's been anything but smooth sailing. Constant political infighting and jostling for power and relevance from within the club's corridors has been a constant theme. And that was no better illustrated than during the saga that engulfed the club during the departure of the club's former CEO Peter Gleeson earlier in the year. Then on Monday, it was revealed that highly respected northern NSW track curator Scott Higgins was set to take the reins as the track's new lead curator. It now seems for varying reasons that appointment is now on shaky ground as well. As a greyhound facility and entertainment venue the opportunities at The Q are endless. But for it to realise that potential change is needed. And with Racing Queensland and the Queensland Government demanding answers, you can expect that change to come sooner rather than later.
The Age
06-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Racing suspended at Australia's ‘deadliest' greyhound track
Racing at Queensland's new greyhound racing hub has been suspended due to unsafe conditions – a decision made after a string of dog fatalities at the brand new $85 million three-track facility. The annual Brisbane Cup was abandoned on Saturday after two races, with scheduled meets on Monday and Thursday also cancelled at what Racing Queensland has described as the 'world's best' greyhound racing venue. 'The decision was made after the Q2 Parklands track was deemed unsuitable for racing,' RQ said in a statement. At least 11 greyhounds have died at The Q since track trials in March, according to anti-racing campaigners, with most of them euthanised after picking up injuries during races. The most recent, Beau Ripple, was euthanised on the track on June 28 after suffering a foreleg injury. That followed on from the deaths of Texas Wedge and Divided By Nine on June 16, Spring Freya on June 3 and Travis's Scrub on May 17. The former Labor Queensland government put $44 million from the racing infrastructure fund towards the facility at Purga, south of Ipswich, which officially opened last month. Announcing the venue in 2022, then-racing minister Grace Grace said track design and injury prevention experts had been engaged to help design the track. Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds president Amy MacMahon said that approach had clearly failed. MacMahon, until last year the Greens MP for South Brisbane, said The Q was responsible for 11 of the 59 greyhound deaths nationwide this year, which made it the 'deadliest track in the country'.
Sydney Morning Herald
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Racing suspended at Australia's ‘deadliest' greyhound track
Racing at Queensland's new greyhound racing hub has been suspended due to unsafe conditions – a decision made after a string of dog fatalities at the brand new $85 million three-track facility. The annual Brisbane Cup was abandoned on Saturday after two races, with scheduled meets on Monday and Thursday also cancelled at what Racing Queensland has described as the 'world's best' greyhound racing venue. 'The decision was made after the Q2 Parklands track was deemed unsuitable for racing,' RQ said in a statement. At least 11 greyhounds have died at The Q since track trials in March, according to anti-racing campaigners, with most of them euthanised after picking up injuries during races. The most recent, Beau Ripple, was euthanised on the track on June 28 after suffering a foreleg injury. That followed on from the deaths of Texas Wedge and Divided By Nine on June 16, Spring Freya on June 3 and Travis's Scrub on May 17. The former Labor Queensland government put $44 million from the racing infrastructure fund towards the facility at Purga, south of Ipswich, which officially opened last month. Announcing the venue in 2022, then-racing minister Grace Grace said track design and injury prevention experts had been engaged to help design the track. Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds president Amy MacMahon said that approach had clearly failed. MacMahon, until last year the Greens MP for South Brisbane, said The Q was responsible for 11 of the 59 greyhound deaths nationwide this year, which made it the 'deadliest track in the country'.
The Advertiser
01-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Elvis in the building: Smylie to defend Aust PGA crown
Emerging star Elvis Smylie has locked in the defence of his Australian PGA Championship crown in year's championship, co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, will again be hosted by Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 23-year-old from the Gold Coast provided one of the major highlights of last season's summer of golf when he held off three-time champion Cameron Smith to win the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first propelled Smylie onto the world stage by earning him status as a fulltime member of the DP World Tour and he went on to claim the 2024-25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title. "Winning the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first time was a huge honour and definitely the highlight of my career so far," Smylie said on Tuesday."I have some great memories of that final Sunday. It meant so much to win at home in front of my family and friends in one of Australia's most important championships."Although there's still a lot of this year to play out, I can't wait to get back to RQ and try to do it all again."Smylie's rise has continued this year, with the Queenslander making the cut on debut at the PGA Championship, his first American major. He will also contest this month's British Open at Royal Portrush. Smith, meanwhile, has announced that his LIV Golf Ripper GC team have forged a new partnership with Golf Australia's MyGolf Junior Participation program. The program has hit new heights in the past 12 months, with a record-breaking number of children involved in the sport. "Ripper GC's Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones are passionate about creating opportunities for boys and girls to play and love golf," said GA boss James Sutherland. "We are grateful for their commitment to inspire the next generation of golfers through MyGolf." Emerging star Elvis Smylie has locked in the defence of his Australian PGA Championship crown in year's championship, co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, will again be hosted by Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 23-year-old from the Gold Coast provided one of the major highlights of last season's summer of golf when he held off three-time champion Cameron Smith to win the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first propelled Smylie onto the world stage by earning him status as a fulltime member of the DP World Tour and he went on to claim the 2024-25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title. "Winning the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first time was a huge honour and definitely the highlight of my career so far," Smylie said on Tuesday."I have some great memories of that final Sunday. It meant so much to win at home in front of my family and friends in one of Australia's most important championships."Although there's still a lot of this year to play out, I can't wait to get back to RQ and try to do it all again."Smylie's rise has continued this year, with the Queenslander making the cut on debut at the PGA Championship, his first American major. He will also contest this month's British Open at Royal Portrush. Smith, meanwhile, has announced that his LIV Golf Ripper GC team have forged a new partnership with Golf Australia's MyGolf Junior Participation program. The program has hit new heights in the past 12 months, with a record-breaking number of children involved in the sport. "Ripper GC's Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones are passionate about creating opportunities for boys and girls to play and love golf," said GA boss James Sutherland. "We are grateful for their commitment to inspire the next generation of golfers through MyGolf." Emerging star Elvis Smylie has locked in the defence of his Australian PGA Championship crown in year's championship, co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, will again be hosted by Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 23-year-old from the Gold Coast provided one of the major highlights of last season's summer of golf when he held off three-time champion Cameron Smith to win the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first propelled Smylie onto the world stage by earning him status as a fulltime member of the DP World Tour and he went on to claim the 2024-25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title. "Winning the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first time was a huge honour and definitely the highlight of my career so far," Smylie said on Tuesday."I have some great memories of that final Sunday. It meant so much to win at home in front of my family and friends in one of Australia's most important championships."Although there's still a lot of this year to play out, I can't wait to get back to RQ and try to do it all again."Smylie's rise has continued this year, with the Queenslander making the cut on debut at the PGA Championship, his first American major. He will also contest this month's British Open at Royal Portrush. Smith, meanwhile, has announced that his LIV Golf Ripper GC team have forged a new partnership with Golf Australia's MyGolf Junior Participation program. The program has hit new heights in the past 12 months, with a record-breaking number of children involved in the sport. "Ripper GC's Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones are passionate about creating opportunities for boys and girls to play and love golf," said GA boss James Sutherland. "We are grateful for their commitment to inspire the next generation of golfers through MyGolf."
Perth Now
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Elvis in the building: Smylie to defend Aust PGA crown
Emerging star Elvis Smylie has locked in the defence of his Australian PGA Championship crown in year's championship, co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, will again be hosted by Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 23-year-old from the Gold Coast provided one of the major highlights of last season's summer of golf when he held off three-time champion Cameron Smith to win the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first propelled Smylie onto the world stage by earning him status as a fulltime member of the DP World Tour and he went on to claim the 2024-25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title. "Winning the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first time was a huge honour and definitely the highlight of my career so far," Smylie said on Tuesday."I have some great memories of that final Sunday. It meant so much to win at home in front of my family and friends in one of Australia's most important championships."Although there's still a lot of this year to play out, I can't wait to get back to RQ and try to do it all again."Smylie's rise has continued this year, with the Queenslander making the cut on debut at the PGA Championship, his first American major. He will also contest this month's British Open at Royal Portrush. Smith, meanwhile, has announced that his LIV Golf Ripper GC team have forged a new partnership with Golf Australia's MyGolf Junior Participation program. The program has hit new heights in the past 12 months, with a record-breaking number of children involved in the sport. "Ripper GC's Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones are passionate about creating opportunities for boys and girls to play and love golf," said GA boss James Sutherland. "We are grateful for their commitment to inspire the next generation of golfers through MyGolf."
