The Queensland Turf Club (QTC) was founded in August 1863.
It began on a piece of land in Ascot, Queensland, later called Eagle Farm Racecourse, given to the club by government grant. The first meeting of the club was held on 14 August 1865.
Some of the major races staged today by the QTC are the Brisbane Cup, Queensland Derby, The QTC Cup, The T.J. Smith handicap, The Sires produce and Queensland's greatest race the Stradbroke Handicap.
Some other races held at the QTC are the Sir Edward Williams handicap, P. O'Shea stakes, Peter Gallagher, Sir Byrne Hart stakes.
On 1 July 2009, the Queensland Turf Club merged with the Brisbane Turf Club (BTC) to form the Brisbane Racing Club (BRC); the BTC had run until then the nearby Doomben Racecourse.
Past chairmen of the QTC include Sir Edward Williams (judge), Sir Byrne Hart and Mr. P. Gallagher.
Famous quotes containing the words turf and/or club:
“Lie lightly on her, turf and dew:
She put so little weight on you.”
—Marcus Valerius Martial (c. 40–104)
“The barriers of conventionality have been raised so high, and so strangely cemented by long existence, that the only hope of overthrowing them exists in the union of numbers linked together by common opinion and effort ... the united watchword of thousands would strike at the foundation of the false system and annihilate it.”
—Mme. Ellen Louise Demorest 1824–1898, U.S. women’s magazine editor and woman’s club movement pioneer. Demorest’s Illustrated Monthly and Mirror of Fashions, p. 203 (January 1870)