Bonus boost for annual Gold Coast meeting

The Gold Coast’s annual metropolitan race day will be worth $1 million with prize money increases and bonus payments.

Racing Queensland has released details of a two-year plan which means QTIS eligible horses will race for more than $1 million in bonuses and stakes in March, 2019.

Earlier this year, RQ announced a $250,000 QTIS 2YO Jewel and the introduction of the $125,000 QTIS 3YO Jewel, scheduled exclusively for QTIS eligible horses in March next year.

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

The QTIS Double Stakes 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 prize money of $64,000 will double to $128,000.

The 2018 QTIS Jewel Series will also feature regional QTIS Double Stakes Bonuses, with the winners of qualifiers held in Cairns (3YO), Townsville (2YO), Mackay (3YO), Rockhampton (2YO) and Toowoomba (2YO) receiving ballot-free entry into the rich Jewel events.

Chief executive Eliot Forbes said the announcement reaffirmed RQ’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.