Carnival’s not over so soon
NEXT year’s Queensland Winter Carnival is set to be extended from nine to 12 weeks despite the state’s showcase racing event being shortened dramatically this year to make it more appealing.
Racing Queensland completed a draft schedule for the 2016 Queensland Winter Carnival last week which will see the Carnival run from April 16 to July 2 if the proposal is accepted.
Changes from this year’s Carnival include Doomben Cup day returning to a standalone race meeting on May 21, instead of forming part of the BTC Cup race day as it did this year.
The Sunshine Coast is also set to host two feature meetings (April 23 and July 2) during the Carnival next year instead of its usual one, with Caloundra Cup day set to move back to the end of the Carnival instead of its midMay timeslot this year.
The Tattersall’s Tiara meeting will return to Brisbane on June 25 after being run on the Gold Coast as a one-off this year due to Eagle Farm being out of action.
The Victory Stakes will also return to Brisbane on April 30.
Racing will return to Eagle Farm with a midweek meeting on May 11 under the proposal and the redeveloped track will then host its normal three Winter Carnival race days on June 4 (Queensland Oaks day), June 11 (Stradbroke day) and June 25 (Tattersall’s Tiara day).
Under the draft proposal, which is yet to be locked in by RQ and may still change, Toowoomba will start the 2016 Queensland Winter Carnival with the Listed Weetwood Handicap and $100,000 Toowoomba Cup on April 16.
The Carnival will then head to the Sunshine Coast (April 23) for four Listed races, Doomben (April 30) for Victory Stakes day and the Gold Coast (May 7) for the Prime Minister’s Cup meeting before the BRC hosts five straight feature meetings in Brisbane from May 14-June 11.