The Q – Queensland’s brand-new home of greyhound racing – will officially launch in spectacular fashion this Saturday night, hosting the first Group 1 of the 2025 Winter Carnival: the Flying Amy Classic!
While the $150k to the winner feature is the highlight on the ten-race Q2 Parklands card, sprinters of the calibre of Good Odds Cobber, Smooth Plane and Gets Late Early will tune their engines for bigger Carnival races in the Brisbane Cup Prelude.
Let’s ride the wave of opening night energy and find a few winners at The Q!
Canya Succeed (1) was electric when debuting over this course and distance last start with a win.
The Houdini Boy bitch flew out of box 7 to find the front early before powering to the finish for a 9.5 length win in 29.79 seconds.
She should be better for the experience which doesn’t bode well for her rivals.
She should get on the arm early from box 1 and get us away with a win at The Q.
2 Units – Canya Succeed (1)
Akela Martial (1) will appreciate the drop in class after finding the line well for a 6.75 length fifth to subsequent G3 Ladbrokes The Dashing Corsair winner Autumn Storm.
The son of Ballymac Kingdom won over 710m at Albion Park four starts ago and had a sprinkling of placings around that win including a strong second two starts back over 710m here.
He has a good box 1 record having won twice and placed twice from four starts wearing the red rug.
If he lands in a handy position, then he may take some holding out.
1 Unit – Akela Martial (1)
Seriously (2) will find this easier than the heat of the Dashing Corsair last start where she fought for the lead early but weakened out of it in the straight.
The Tom Tzvouvelis-trained bitch ran well in her only previous start over this course and distance where she led but was run down in the final strides to finish a nose second in 41.47 seconds.
She won three starts back over 600m at Albion Park in a best of the night time.
There looks to be a lack of speed in the race which should see her jump straight to the front from box 2.
2 Units – Seriously (2)
Marrakesh (4) strikes the right race to return to winning form.
The Anthony Azzopardi-trained bitch was last seen finishing a close second over 525m at The Meadows in an average time.
However, if she can recreate her best form like six starts ago when she lit up the Sandown sand in a Launching Pad semi-final where she clocked 29.29 seconds then she’ll be awfully hard to beat.
The Group 2 The Laurels runner-up just needs to be close enough in the run to be powering home over the top of them.
1 Unit – Marrakesh (4)
Midnight Queen (4) can bounce back after not having a great deal of luck from box 8 in a heat of the Flying Amy Classic last start.
The Bailey Dargusch-trained bitch was brilliant two starts back when storming out of box 3 to set up in front before dashing clear to win over this course and distance in 29.51 seconds.
That followed a top effort of 29.71 seconds from this box when third in final of the QGOLD Emerging Sprinters Final.
If she gets clear air then she should take some stopping and provide us with an opening night at The Q winner.
1 Unit – Midnight Queen (4)
Good Odds Cobber (4) is one of the best sprinters in the country and made a successful return to the races last start after finishing fourth in The Sandgroper at Cannington.
The son of Fernando Bale proved too strong over this course and distance with an all the way 4.75 length win in 30.12 seconds.
He’s a multiple Group 1 winner and is no stranger to Queensland having won the Gold Bullion Final in January this year over 520m at Albion Park.
He’ll strip fitter second-up and looks hard to beat in this heat of the Brisbane Cup Prelude.
1 Unit – Good Odds Cobber (4)
Gets Late Early (8) didn’t have the best of luck in her first start over this course and distance last start when squeezed early.
The Melinda Finn-trained bitch won back-to-back races prior to that including the Group 3 Dubbo Cup Final when clocking a slick 29.49 seconds over 516m.
During the Summer she won the Group 2 Gosford Gold Cup and finished second in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Paul Wheeler.
Box 8 should give her clear air to build momentum.
1 Unit – Gets Late Early (8)
Sooty Keeping (2) didn’t have an ounce of luck in the Group 3 Brother Fox Final at Dubbo two starts back but had been in red hot form before that with eight wins from 10 starts.
The daughter of Feral Franky bounced back in a big way last start when leading from box to kennel in her first visit to The Q in a heat of the Flying Amy in an impressive 29.65 seconds.
She’s no stranger to big race finals having won the Group 3 Nowra Puppy Classic Final in a slick 29.25 seconds and the Group 2 Richmond Oaks.
She’s armed with good speed so should be able to get on the arm from box 2.
1 Unit – Sooty Keeping (2)
Newton Hayze (4) will appreciate taking on Masters company for the first time following a short break and two luckless box 8 races over 457m at Q1 Lakeside.
The son of Orson Allen was racing in excellent form earlier this year when winning three from five starts over 520m at Albion Park.
He broke 30 seconds in one of those wins so a repeat of that performance would see him hard to beat at this level.
1 Unit – Newton Hayze (4)
Winning form is good form and Infra Terra (3) has that advantage over his rivals with four wins from his past five starts.
The son of Aussie Infrared tuned up for this on Wednesday with a strong win over 366m at Capalaba.
While his recent wins have been over shorter sprint journeys, he did run a bold race four starts ago over 520m at Albion Park when finishing a close second in 30.49 seconds.
I have question marks over most of this field running the race out strongly but I think he looks best placed to do it and can hopefully send us home from The Q as winners.
1 Unit – Infra Terra (3)