Queensland Greyhounds Prizemoney Restructure
Greyhound racing in Queensland will have a new prizemoney format from September 1.
Greyhounds Queensland Ltd (GQL) general manager, Darren Beavis, said this today.
“The new format has been brought in to allow for the introduction of a UNiTAB and Sky Channel covered race meeting in Townsville,” said Beavis.
Townsville will become the first country race meeting in Queensland to hold regular TAB and Sky covered races.
GQL will switch the Tuesday night meeting from Albion Park to Townsville from September 1, the date of the first meeting. “We had hoped to commence TAB meetings in Townsville from 1 July but the installation of cabling will now not be completed until the end of August,” said Beavis. GQL is working with Sky Channel in trying to bring the commencement date forward.
Greyhound racing will have six TAB and Sky covered meetings each week in the south-east, initially three each at Albion Park and Ipswich. This will revert to four at Albion Park and two at Ipswich from January 8, 2010.
“Albion Park will retain its Thursday night Class 1 race meeting at a slight increase in prizemoney for lower grade races,” said Beavis.
“The Class 2 race meetings at Albion Park and Ipswich will have a redistribution of prizemoney because those clubs now have only one each Class 2 meeting.
“To the end of December, Ipswich will have two Class 3 race meetings and Albion Park will have one, and we have significantly redistributed the prizemoney available.”
Beavis said the Directors of GQL had discussions with the clubs involved before altering the Class 1, 2 and 3 format.
“The Directors of GQL and the committee of the Brisbane Club felt a premier night of racing was needed and this should continue on Thursday nights,” said Beavis.
“There was some talk of two Class 1 race meetings at Albion Park for a lower scale of prizemoney on both days but the Brisbane Club was adamant it wanted to retain its premier night of racing with the higher scale of prizemoney.”
Beavis said included in the redistribution was a significant increase in prizemoney for Maiden races, and a doubling of unplaced prizemoney for Class 2 and 3 race meetings.
The new racing schedule from 1 September will be:
- Monday : Albion Park Class 2
- Tuesday : Ipswich Twilight Class 3, Townsville Night Class 4
- Wednesday : Albion Park Twilight Class 3, Ipswich Night Class 2
- Thursday : Albion Park Night Class 1
- Friday : Ipswich Twilight Class 3
The revised prizemoney schedule is detailed below :
