Gold Coast’s QTIS March race day to be worth $1 million

THE latest jewel in Gold Coast racing’s crown has extra lustre with the QTIS March race day to be worth $1 million in 2019.

QTIS-eligible horse Dazzling Red wins at the Gold Coast last Saturday. Photo: Richard Gosling

THE latest jewel in Gold Coast racing’s crown has extra lustre with the QTIS March race day to be worth $1 million in 2019.

Racing Queensland yesterday released details of a two-year plan under which QTIS-eligible horses would race for more than $1 million in bonuses and stakes at the Gold Coast track in March 2019.

The QTIS plan adds further prestige to one of the city’s glamour race days, the Gold Coast Stakes meeting.

The inaugural $250,000 QTIS 2YO Jewel (1200m) and $125,000 QTIS 3YO Jewel (1200m) – restricted to QTIS-eligible horses – will be run at the Aquis Park track on March 17 next year.

The events will complement the traditional Listed Goldmarket Handicap and Gold Coast Stakes on the day.

From 2019, the 3YO Jewel will rise to $165,000 while QTIS-eligible horses will race for a QTIS Double Stakes Bonus.

The bonuses will be available for any QTIS-eligible winner on any of the seven supporting races on the card.

If the winner of the $100,000 Goldmarket Handicap is QTIS eligible, the winning prizemoney of $64,000 will double to $128,000.

Upstart Pride wins the 2017 Goldmarket Handicap on the Gold Coast. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography

QTIS (Queensland Thoroughbred Incentive Scheme) rewards owners and breeders of horses bred in this state through bonuses when they win or are placed in specific races.

Racing Queensland chief executive Eliot Forbes said the announcement yesterday reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to the promotion of the Queensland breeding industry through the innovation of programming.

“The 2018 QTIS Jewels and subsequent $1 million race day aims to provide further incentives to breed in Queensland, while providing increased returns to owners, and encouraging further growth at the 2018 March QTIS Magic Millions Yearling Sales,” Forbes said.

Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox said the introduction of the $1 million race day was a tremendous boost for Queensland participants.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to significantly reward owners and trainers involved with racing a QTIS horse and I’m sure that plenty of them will be targeting a race at the Coast on the day,’’ he said.

Queensland Thoroughbred Breeders Association president Basil Nolan said: “This is exactly the kind of programming and thinking outside the box that can really make a difference.

“In my opinion, QTIS is already the best state based incentive scheme in the country and this type of day only further adds to it.

“To be able to race an older horse and run for such prizemoney is fantastic and will really reward owners and trainers of QTIS horses.”