A Message from the Chairman
Dear Members & Guests,
As we approach the end of the financial year, there is plenty happening at Clifford Park, with several important projects progressing and Weetwood now just a few months away.
Preparations are well underway for the 2026 1 Equine Weetwood on Saturday, 26 September, with tickets and hospitality packages going on sale from July. Weetwood remains the highlight of our racing calendar and, following the success of last year’s event, we are looking forward to another outstanding day. Members will receive further information regarding tickets and hospitality shortly.
The 2026 Sub-Zero Airconditioning King of the Mountain was another very successful event for the Club. Congratulations to Cherry Rose, trainer Jamie McConachy and all connections on winning the feature race. The weather was kind, the crowd was strong and the meeting delivered a profitable result for the Club.
The day also raised more than $15,000 for Epilepsy Queensland, and I thank everyone who supported the event. Events such as these continue to demonstrate the important role the Toowoomba Turf Club plays in our community, both on and off the racetrack.
The tender process for the replacement of the cushion training track has now been completed, with ECA Gallop Track selected to supply and install our new all-weather training track.
The contract is expected to be signed shortly, with construction to commence after Weetwood. This multi-million dollar project is being jointly funded by Racing Queensland and the Club and will provide our trainers with a vital all-weather surface, replacing the existing cushion material.
It is an exciting period for the Club. Between the replacement of the all-weather training track, the planned upgrade of our broadcast lighting and the return of harness racing to Clifford Park, the Club is entering one of the most significant periods of infrastructure investment in its history. These projects will ensure Clifford Park remains one of Queensland’s premier provincial racing and training venues for many years to come.
Following the recent changes to the Racing Queensland Board, we are still awaiting confirmation of when the replacement of our broadcast lighting infrastructure will commence and when harness racing will return to Clifford Park. Harness racing is currently expected to return early in the 2027–28 financial year, and we will provide members with further updates as more information becomes available.
Wagering continues to be a very positive story for Toowoomba. The Club was set a wagering turnover target of $206 million for the financial year and, pleasingly, we exceeded that target earlier this month with meetings still remaining in the season.
Toowoomba also continues to perform strongly on the Price Parity Index, recording the best returns of any provincial club in South East Queensland. In simple terms, this measures how strongly our meetings are supported by punters relative to the prizemoney being offered.
Combined with one of Queensland’s busiest provincial training centres, these results reinforce Clifford Park’s growing importance within the state’s racing industry and provide confidence that the Club continues to deliver strong outcomes both on and off the track.
Congratulations to our recent Horse of the Month winners:
- March – Apostle, trained by Pat Webster
- April – Jenni Moreese, trained by Corey and Kylie Geran
- May – Cifrado, trained by Rex Lipp
Members are reminded that we will not be racing on Saturday, 4 July, with the meeting instead being held on Friday, 3 July. The first race is scheduled for approximately 5.00pm, with the last race at around 8.00pm.
In other news, the Club has recently appointed a new ticketing partner, which will provide a simpler ticket-purchasing process for our events. As part of the new system, membership cards will also be digitised, making it easier for members to access their benefits. Further information and assistance will be provided as the new platform is introduced.
The Board also continues to explore opportunities that will strengthen the Club’s long-term future. While some of these initiatives remain in their early stages, members can be assured that the Club remains focused on ensuring Clifford Park continues to prosper for future generations.
On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our staff, volunteers, trainers, sponsors and members for their continued support throughout the year. The progress we continue to make would not be possible without your commitment to the Club.
Thank you once again for your continued support. I look forward to seeing you at Clifford Park over the coming months as we build towards another outstanding Weetwood Carnival.
Yours sincerely,
Kind Regards,
Jason Ward
Chairman
Clifford Park Racecourse
By Clifford Park | June 2026
