Chief Stipe Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 Hollindale Stakes meeting moved again www.justhorseracing.com.au The featured Hollindale Stakes meeting … and integral part of the Queensland Winter Carnival will not take place at the Gold Coast … its traditional home … and will now instead be run at the Sunshine Coast for the second year in a row. Last year the switch was due to the fact that the Gold Coast Turf Club was in the middle of the construction of a new grass track. This year the reason is that, in its current state, the condition of the new track surface has been deemed to be not good enough to host the meeting. A switch to the Gold Coast Poly Track, which has been the go-to back-up for Gold Coast racing since the flaws in the grass surface were so blatantly, and sadly, exposed in a sandstorm of excessive sand kickback at The Jewel race meeting back on March 9 was never an option for a feature race-day. The Sunshine Coast, who have recently had troubles of their own with their track, have stepped in the rescue the Hollindale meeting, which will be run on its scheduled date of May 11. This development did not surprise anybody but, at the same time, it has reinforced a feeling of all around concern with the general state of racetracks in South-East Queensland. *The Gold Coast track curator Nevesh Ramdhani resigned on Wednesday. He will return to Sydney to take up a position with the Australian Turf Club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 27 Author Share Posted April 27 Sunshine Coast to host Hollindale Stakes 26 April 2024 SHARE Racing Queensland and the Gold Coast Turf Club have advised that the up-coming TAB Hollindale Stakes Raceday on May 11 will be transferred to the Sunshine Coast. Staged as part of the Queensland Racing Carnival, the Hollindale Stakes was successfully run at the Sunshine Coast last year, establishing a new wagering record for the meeting while the Gold Coast course proper was being rebuilt. Having conducted planned drainage works and sand grooving immediately following The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions in January, significant rain and humidity has impacted the return to racing at Aquis Park, with stakeholders committed to undertaking a cautious maintenance programme. “The decision to transfer the Hollindale Stakes from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast is in the best interests of the course proper for the long term,” Racing Queensland CEO Jason Scott said. “Whilst we had every intention of returning the Hollindale to the Gold Coast this year, the climatic conditions have conspired against us. “At the same time, it’s important that we provide certainty to our participants who can now target their horses towards the Sunshine Coast.” As part of the Queensland Racing Carnival, the GCTC is also scheduled to host a night meeting for the first time on Friday, May 24. A decision on whether the night meeting will proceed will be determined in the coming weeks. “We’re obviously disappointed in losing our second biggest raceday on the calendar,” GCTC CEO Steve Lines said. “However, having successfully worked hand-in-glove with the Sunshine Coast Turf Club last year, we’re confident that another highly successful Hollindale Stakes can be run at Corbould Park. “We will reassess the course proper in a fortnight’s time mindful of the first ever Night Racing meeting on May 24 but given the significant investment that has been made on the course proper redevelopment, we will continue to do what is best for it in the long term.” Further information in relation to ticketing and hospitality for the TAB Hollindale Stakes Raceday will be made in the coming days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 You have to wonder if 3000 tons of sand might have the same result at Ellerslie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomed Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 Just bloody lucky they still have the Sunshine Coast track. In NZ it would have been closed down ages ago and sold off for housing. Especially with the Gold Coast having an AWT. The distance from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast is exactly the same as ChCh to Timaru, Which I suppose makes Ashburton the Brisbane of NZ. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.