Message from BRC Chairman Neville Bell OAM
Saturday, 11 April 2020
It seems that every time we have written to you in recent weeks, it’s been to inform you of more bad news for the racing industry as we all deal with the COVID-19 response.
Finally, we can share some positive news after a decision to reinstate some black-type racing for this winter, ensuring we can run the TAB Stradbroke Handicap among other races.
When we last wrote to you, Racing Queensland had cancelled the Brisbane Racing Carnival when it implemented strict biosecurity measures that prevented the movement of horses between new racing zones.
Racing Queensland has now lifted the restrictions on those horse movements, enabling some black-type racing to resume. The restrictions on the movement of people between those zones remain while all race meetings will continue without patrons.
Racing Queensland has released a program of feature races for the next two months, which includes five meetings at the BRC with the following schedule:
Saturday May 9, Doomben
• Group 3 $125,000 BRC Sprint (1200m)
• Listed $85,000 Daybreak Lover (1600m, 3YOs)
Saturday May 23, Eagle Farm
• Group 2 $175,000 Victory Stakes (1200m)
• Group 2 $175,000 Champagne Classic (1200m, 2YOs)
• Group 3 $115,000 Gunsynd (1800m, 3YOs)
Saturday May 30, Doomben
• Group 3 $125,000 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m)
• Group 3 $125,000 Fred Best Classic (1350m, 3YOs)
• Listed $125,000 Helen Coughlan Stakes (1350m, Fillies & Mares)
• Listed $115,000 Pam O’Neill Stakes (1600m, 3YO Fillies)
• Listed $115,000 Hinkler Handicap (1110m)
• Listed $85,000 Bill Carter Stakes ($85,000, 2YO Fillies)
Saturday June 6, Eagle Farm
• Group 1 $350,000 TAB Stradbroke (1400m)
• Group 1 $350,000 JJ Atkins (1400m, 2YOs)
• Group 3 $175,000 Rough Habit Plate (2200m, 3YOs)
• Listed $85,000 Mick Dittman (1000m, 3YO)
Saturday June 13, Eagle Farm
• Group 2 $175,000 Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m, F&M)
• Group 2 $175,000 The Roses (1800m, 3YO Fillies)
• Group 3 $175,000 Tattersall’s Cup (2400m)
• Group 3 $125,000 Eagle Farm Mile. (1600m)
• Listed $85,000 Ascot Handicap (1200m)
• Listed $85,000 Dalrello Stakes (1200m, 2YOs)
The full schedule of races can be found at this link.
Unfortunately, this means that we won’t have the likes of the Doomben 10,000, Kingsford Smith Cup, Queensland Derby or Queensland Oaks in 2020. We also won’t have the inaugural running of the EVA Air Q22, which had been an exciting prospect for the Carnival. However, the BRC accepts that these matters are out of our control. We also acknowledge that other clubs have lost races that are dear to them. We will host the Tattersall’s Cup on June 13 which has been run so well by the Tattersall’s Racing Club for many years – we look forward to that race returning to Tattersall’s in 2021. While all clubs were desperate for these races to continue this winter, we understand that the extraordinary circumstances of these times means that those races will not be held.
This programming has only been made possible by the success of club raceday staff and QRIC. We have worked together to ensure that the strict biosecurity measures have been maintained at all times. This enables racing to continue at this time while other sports are unable to proceed. We remain grateful for this however we are mindful that many stakeholders within the industry have been impacted by these difficult times.
While patrons will be unable to enjoy our upcoming feature races, we hope that you can watch on television and enjoy the fact that races like the Stradbroke and JJ Atkins – such important launching pads for Australia’s best horses – will be held in 2020. The Brisbane Racing Club, in all of its forms for more than a century, has never missed a winter for feature racing. Even during World War I, the Spanish Influenza outbreak and World War II, we were able to race. Interestingly for some time during WWII, the Doomben 10,000 continued but the Stradbroke was not held. We have the reverse this year but we look forward to our racing returning to normal as soon as health authorities decide it is safe.
We continue to send our wishes to all in the wider BRC family who are feeling the effects of COVID-19. We have you in our thoughts and we look forward to seeing everyone back at the track as soon as conditions are safe.
Yours sincerely
Neville Bell OAM
Chaiman
Brisbane Racing Club