New Queensland Highway race for Doomben
Officials will monitor the turnover on Queensland’s first Highway-style race before any decision is made on whether the series will be permanent.
The Queensland Country Highway Plate (1350m) is at Doomben on Saturday which coincides with the first weekend of the Royal National Association show in Brisbane.
The race is restricted to Queensland trainers who operate out of a track which does not host a Saturday metropolitan race.
It means horses trained at Eagle Farm, Doomben, Toowoomba, Gold Coast, Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast are ineligible.
A trainer must have also had a horse in his care for at least 180 days.
The idea is based on the highly successful Highway series in NSW.
There were 19 nominations for the race with horses from areas such as Mackay, Rockhampton, Oakey, Beaudesert, Gympie and Gatton.
The final race field has attracted 16 runners.
A Racing Queensland spokesman said turnover on the race would be a factor in the staging of regular similar events.
“It is another chance for country horses to race for bigger prize money,” he said.