Charleville hosts first horse races in over two years

The community was without its seven race meeting a year for 24 months when rain in October 2021 exposed problems with the newly refurbished track, after a project costing more than $950,000, outlaid by Racing Queensland, the race club and the Murweh Shire Council, had taken place.

Racing Queensland project manager Dave Morrison was at Charleville on Sunday for the soft opening after the latest track renovation, and said the feedback from the jockeys in the lead-up was that it was a very even surface.

"That's ideal, that's what you want," he said.

Mr Morrison said the track had had its problems but Racing Queensland had put just over $4m into the project, which included an all-new irrigation system and a new running rail.

"We finished construction a couple of months ago and had horses gallop and some jump-outs," Mr Morrison said. "The track's definitely heavy but it will settle."

Sandy loam from a local property was used for the project.

Mr Morrison said the Murweh Shire Council would now be responsible for the track, which will see the grand reopening on October 28, and a Melbourne Cup meet.

He said any suggestion that small clubs should close and amalgamate with larger clubs like Charleville's were silly.

"Country racing is huge - why would you want to shut what's going well," he said.

Local bookmaker Peter 'Red' Alexander said it was wonderful to be operating on the course again "after an enforced sabbatical".

"Other clubs have helped us out - Cunnamulla and Morven had extra meetings," he said. "It did hurt us but everyone banded together."