Revealed: 10 Dog Racing Confirmed For The Q

Racing Queensland is poised to introduce 10-dog straight racing when the highly anticipated ‘The Q' opens for business in 2025.

The three-track $85 million project is being constructed on world-leading best practice designs, opening the door for Racing Queensland to experiment with fields of ten at the straight track venue.

Racing Queensland boss Jason Scott said that the introduction of 10 dog events has the ability to deliver a number of benefits for the industry.

"The track has been designed deliberately with 10-dog racing in mind – it's been on the cards from the start," Scott declared. 

"It will serve as a real point of difference and prove beneficial on a number of fronts.

"We've seen in our thoroughbred research that 12-14 is the optimum field size for wagering and while that's unreasonable in greyhounds, 10 is somewhat of the way there.

"What this can do is put more confidence in exotic pools in particular and drive liquidity. 

"We are continuing to work with the regulators about the merging of the (pari-mutuel) pools which would only be of further benefit.

"During the early stages of racing we'll be monitoring every angle – first and foremost animal welfare."

In recent weeks, Racing Queensland has begun engaging with Wagering Service Providers to work through any potential logistical issues before the track's opening.

It's envisaged that the nine and 10 runners will utilise the standard reserve rugs during the experimental phase.

If 10-dog fields do become a staple of racing at the venue, it's understood that rugs for reserve runners – 11 and 12 – would be designed.

Leading manufacturer Steriline has been commissioned to build the unique set of boxes with work well on the way to being finished.

Constructed at a track width of 12 metres, The Q Straight will be by far the widest straight track in the country.

In comparison, the width of the Richmond and Capalaba straight tracks is eight (8) metres, while both Healesville and Murray Bridge are seven (7) metres.

The Q Straight's catching pen width of 15 metres is more than double of any of the other four straight track venues.

While two distances will be utilised at The Q Straight, 300m and 350m, it's only over the latter that 10-dog races will be staged and at select meetings.

The proposal to introduce 10-dog straight racing is also on the horizon at Richmond with Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) well advanced in exploring the idea.

The commercial arm of the sport recently wrote to the Greyhound, Welfare & Integrity Commission (GWIC) seeking the green light to advance the matter further.

A return to 10-dog racing would evoke memories of back to the 1960s when 10 dogs would race up the old Richmond straight track.