Success of recent races sees Racing Queensland pushing for extra Group 1 winter status

Racing Queensland will push for a number of winter carnival races to be upgraded to Group 1 status going forward following John Messara’s appointment as chairman of Racing Australia.

Officials are keen to have both the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes on the Gold Coast and The Q22 at Eagle Farm elevated to Group 1 level while there is a push for the BRC Sires’ Produce for two-year-old’s to also be returned to its former Group 1 glory.

The emergence of Annabel Neasham’s star galloper Zaaki will only give the push from Racing Queensland added substance with the governing body pouring extra money into the Hollindale, Doomben Cup and The Q22 in an attempt to attract a better group of stayers to the Sunshine State for the winter.

The pattern committee at Racing Australia requires three years of outperformance before a race can be re rated.

“We are making investments with a goal of seeking to get the Hollindale and The Q22 upgraded,” Racing Queensland chief executive Brendan Parnell said.

Tiger Of Malay wins the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography.Source:Supplied

“Both are already Group-level races and it has been a great first running of what is a new carnival. We made the investment in these races and attracted a really strong band of middle distance horses.”

Racing Queensland – which supports The Everest gaining Group 1 status – will look to have the likes of the Listed The Buffering (1400m) elevated to Group status after attracting strong ratings due to its positioning before the Magic Millions in January.

Saturday’s Listed Tattersall’s Stakes (1800m) came as a result of a recommendation from the pattern committee for more middle distance races for two-year-old’s later in the season.

Sources close to discussions say there has been a number of impasses at a national level for some time when it comes to the grading of races however there are hopes Messara will be able to lead them out of the situation.

While the Queensland governing body don’t expect the likes of the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (3200m) to be upgraded, Parnell said he was hopeful the attraction of The Q22, worth $1.2m could continue to attract top-level middle distance horses.

“The prizemoney and the structure has been great,” he said. “I think Zaaki might have scared off a few, we were hoping if there was a really good three-year-old colt or filly they might go to The Q22 with the prizemoney.

“We don’t expect an overnight solution but we are looking forward to working on it.”

Originally published asRacing Queensland pushes for extra Group 1 status

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