A new-look TAB Queensland Racing Carnival will be staged in 2020 with the introduction of the $2.25 million Future Champions Series.
Staged at the Brisbane
Racing Club, the Future Champions Series for two-year-olds will include:
– $250,000 Group 2 Champagne Stakes (1200m), Doomben, May 9;
– $1 million Group 2 Sires’ Stakes (1400m), Eagle Farm, May 23; and
– $1 million Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m), Eagle Farm, June 6.
This will be the first
time that the established two-year-old races have been joined as a series that
recognises the history of Brisbane’s juvenile features.
Over the years, the
honour roll across the three races includes The Autumn Sun, Zoustar, Brazen
Beau, Press Statement, Sizzling, Darci Brahma, Show A Heart, Mossman, Mahogany,
Winning Rupert and Melody Belle.
In the process, the
Future Champions Series will provide more than $1 million in prize money
increases including $600,000 for the Sires’ Stakes and $400,000 for the JJ
Atkins.
“The TAB Queensland
Carnival has long been a springboard to stardom for two-year-olds,” Racing
Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell said.
“Having turbo-charged
our Summer Carnival, we’re looking forward to enhancing Winter with record
prize money for our late season two-year-olds.
“With the new QTISx
bonuses on top of the $1 million Sires’ Produce and the $1 million JJ Atkins,
there will be more than $3 million up for grabs for juveniles next year.”
Having launched the
careers of some of Australia’s greatest modern racing horses, BRC Chairman
Neville Bell said the Series would be a welcomed addition to the Winter
Carnival.
“These races really
are the nursery of Australia’s modern racing history and we’re thrilled to be
collaborating with Racing Queensland for this Series,” Mr Bell said.
“This is an innovative
Series that will only increase the interest in these races and the Winter
Carnival as a whole.”
Nominations for the
Future Champions Series close on December 6 followed by first acceptances on
January 21 and second acceptances on April 28.
All nominations will
be automatically entered for the three races that comprise the Series.
Key dates for the Future Champions Series:
Nomination
– Friday, December 6, 2019 (2PM) – $330
Late Nomination
– Friday,
December 13, 2019 (2PM) – $550
First Acceptance
– Tuesday, January 21, 2020 (2PM) – $495 (Same day as Second Acceptance for the
Slipper)
Second Acceptance
– Tuesday, January 28, 2020 (2PM) – $660 (Same day as Stradbroke Nominations)
Final Acceptances
– Wednesday, May 6, 2020 (9AM) – Nil (Champagne Stakes);
– Wednesday, May 20, 2020 (9AM) – $5,500 (Sires’ Stakes); and
– Wednesday, June 3, 2020 (9AM) – $5,500 (JJ Atkins).
Final Late Nomination & Acceptances
– Wednesday, May 6, 2020 (9AM) – $2,200 (Champagne Stakes);
– Wednesday, May 20, 2020 (9AM) – $44,000 (Sires’ Stakes); and
– Wednesday, June 3, 2020 (9AM) – $44,000 (JJ Atkins).