It was in 2013 – not so long after TAB racing commenced at Tara Raceway – that the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club (MGGRC) built its first slipping track at the Lake Terrace East venue.

In fact, the MGGRC was the first in SA to construct a slipping track – a fenced area where greyhounds could safely free-gallop as part of their training regime. These days, there are two tracks, side by side.

MGGRC president, Noel Perry, said the automatically-watered tracks had been of great assistance to the local “back yard” trainers involved in the sport.

“We’d like to see more of these types of trainers involved,” he said. “You certainly don’t need acres of land to train a greyhound providing there is access to free galloping. Plenty of good dogs have come from back yard environments.”

Perry said the club was now hopeful of making the slipping track area into a complete training facility with the addition of a “bullring” which could be a popular innovation for many trainers.

A bullring is simply a miniature track which is operated manually and is a great education tool. It gives young dogs an introduction to what is required when it comes to chasing an artificial lure.

“Shortly, we will be talking with Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) representatives regarding the proposed upgrade of the training facility. We believe not only will it be of benefit to all trainers in the region but also to greyhound racing in general,” he said.

Perry also said that a proposed business plan by Adelaide-based GRSA director David Lewis looking at increased participation in greyhound racing in South-East was to be the subject of a forthcoming workshop in Mount Gambier.

“David has put down six key components of what he believes need to be worked through with Mount Gambier club representatives.

“Among the topics to be discussed are ‘How do we attract new trainers?’ ‘How to train a greyhound and keep it healthy’ and ‘What does GRSA need to do to support new trainers?’

“As far as an introduction to greyhound racing goes, it has been suggested a 1-2 hour seminar at Tara Raceway to go through all aspects of becoming a trainer.

“Also suggested has been a visit to an existing trainer and quality promotional material.”

A look at an old South East Greyhound Racing Club race book makes for interesting reading. Not so many interstate greyhounds racing at Tara Raceway back then but trainers were nominating from larger SA towns such as Naracoorte and Millicent – and plenty of smaller ones as well.

Interestingly, at one stage Naracoorte had been seriously considered as the spot where the South-East greyhound track would be built.

And such was the greyhound population at Millicent that a Millicent Cup day was held annually at Tara Raceway. These days there are no racing greyhounds in either town.

So what does greyhound racing currently look like in Mount Gambier?

Twice-weekly meetings – Thursday: $50 trainer fee plus $50 unplaced. Time-Graded – stakemoney $850 to $1540 (total). Sunday: $50 trainer fee plus $40 unplaced. Category 2 – stakemoney $1255 to $2265 (total). Feature events include the $25,000 Group 3 Mount Gambier Cup.

Tara Raceway is a fully appointed TAB track that races over distances of 305 m, 400 m, 512 m, 600 m and 732 m. The track includes a standalone kennel house (refurbished, best practice) and a large clubhouse with bar, kitchen and TAB.

So, with prizemoney at an all-time high and with the prospect of even further training facilities at the track, is there a better time to be training a greyhound in Mount Gambier?