GREYHOUND racing has been suspended at Queensland’s newly opened greyhound racing facility, The Q, after the track was ruled unsafe during Saturday night’s Group One $1 million dollar Brisbane Cup event.
The Q, a state-of-the-art $85 million venue, has faced scrutiny since trials began in March, with at least seven dog deaths reported due to injuries sustained on the track.
Concerns escalated when a watering issue was detected ahead of Saturday’s races. Despite attempts to fix the problem, the surface was deemed “unsuitable for racing” midway through the event.
In a statement, Racing Queensland confirmed that the Q2 Parklands track failed to meet safety standards. It announced that a full refurbishment would take place, with a new field drawn for the rescheduled races. An independent assessment will determine whether the Brisbane Cup can go ahead as planned this coming weekend.
The Q is a joint project between Racing Queensland – owned by the State Government – and local greyhound clubs. The Queensland Government contributed $44.15 million from its racing infrastructure fund to the development.
The Brisbane and Ipswich greyhound clubs have since relocated their operations to the venue, which includes one-turn, two-turn, and straight tracks.
Trainers and participants have come out on social media to vent their frustrations at the events that have unfolded.
“They must abandon the meeting, split the prize money so people can plan their future racing and fix the place for good, and not for a meeting next week,” said trainer Jeff Crawford.
“Participants have other races, the Grafton Cup and Meadows Maturity to go to.
“So far, six of the Brisbane Cup finalists don’t want to risk their dogs on this debacle.”
Another currently high-performing trainer Jamie Hosking echoed those sentiments.
“Here I am starting to have some industry faith again, breeding again,” he said.
“The immediate future looked so bright. But instead, we are worse off and more vulnerable than ever.”
Premier David Crisafulli said he had discussed the issue with Sport and Racing Minister Tim Mander and supported efforts to investigate what went wrong.
He emphasised the cultural importance of greyhound racing in Queensland but acknowledged the need for safety and accountability.
Animal rights groups are calling for more transparency around racing-related injuries and fatalities, saying the public deserves a clearer picture of the toll on animals.
