13 March 2024 | RQ Media
The Queensland Constellations is set to shimmer in 2024 with the introduction of the nation’s most lucrative two-year-old race.
Staged from June 21 to July 27 at Albion Park, Redcliffe and Marburg, more than $4 million in prize money and bonuses will go on the line throughout five action-packed weeks of harness racing, including eight Group 1s and seven feature race nights.
Run exclusively for two-year-olds, the inaugural $500,000 Ladbrokes Protostar will be held at Albion Park as part of the Winter Carnival’s final night on Saturday, July 27.
The Protostar will utilise the highly successful slot race concept and take its place as Queensland’s richest annual harness race.
The state’s premier Group 1 feature, the Ladbrokes Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship, will be held on the same night, with $400,000 on offer for the famous Grand Circuit event.
The Constellations will commence on Friday, June 21 at ‘The Triangle’ with the Group 3 Patrons Purse and Garrards Redcliffe Yearling Sale Race Series 3YO Final.
Marburg hosts The Western Star on Sunday, June 23, before racing returns to the Peninsula on Saturday, June 29 for the Group 2 Redcliffe Gold Cup, Group 3 events the Redcliffe Derby and Redcliffe Oaks, and the Listed Garrards Redcliffe Yearling Sale Race Series 2YO Final.
RQ CEO Jason Scott said the richest and most innovative Constellations Carnival would ensure that Queensland remains the place to race this winter.
“With eight Group 1s and $4 million in prize money on offer, the Constellations has rapidly become one of the nation’s premier and most lucrative harness racing carnivals,” Mr Scott said.
“Now in its fourth year, the Constellations continues to attract competitors from both sides of the Tasman as they look to escape to Queensland’s sun and fun in the winter months.
“Following on from the success of the 2023 Inter Dominion, there is no better place for pacers and trotters to strut their stuff than right here and now in Queensland.”
Attention will firmly turn to The Creek for a red-hot month of racing, starting with The Queensland Sun night on July 6 and The Rising Sun night on July 13.
The $350,000 The Rising Sun will once again hold an additional $100,000 bonus for a three-year-old winner – while for the first time, a $25,000 bonus is on offer if a three-year-old runs second or third.
The second iteration of the Group 1 trotting feature for three and four-year-olds, The Great Square, will also be contested for $150,000 the same night.
The Constellations’ penultimate night on Saturday, July 20 includes the Group 1 events Sunshine Sprint and The Golden Girl, Group 3 Wayne Wilson Memorial Paleface Adios Classic, as well as the second running of innovative slot race The Hayden.
Once again, the $207,000 race that is run exclusively for three and four-year-old QBRED horses, will serve as RQ’s qualifier for the world’s richest harness race, The Eureka, at Club Menangle.
Finally, July 27 will see the Queensland Derby and Queensland Oaks run for $150,000 each, as well as the Queensland Trotters Cup, Ladbrokes Protostar, and the carnival’s crowning jewel – the Ladbrokes Blacks A Fake.
APHRC Chairman Brad Steele said continual innovations and enhancements has generated more appeal than ever for the Queensland Constellations.
“As Queensland’s premier harness racing club, The Creek is proud to play a leading role in showcasing the Constellations Carnival as the premier event on the Australasian harness racing calendar,” Mr Steele said.
“The carnival continues to provide a substantial contribution to the Queensland economy. The Club is particularly excited by the new innovations to the 2024 carnival.
“Working collaboratively with Racing Queensland is greatly assisting delivering outstanding results and experiences.”
Click here to see the full program for the 2024 Queensland Constellations.
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