Friday, July 3, 2020
Recent Greyhound Racing SA contact made with cross-border trainers, who prior to the COVID-19 border restrictions had raced their greyhounds regularly at Tara Raceway, has been met with a positive response.
GRSA Strategic Projects Manager, Scott Wuchatsch, made the contact via email to more than 50 trainers after Greyhound Racing Victoria introduced additional fortnightly low-grade meetings at Warrnambool.
“We were concerned that these additional meetings could impact on the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club being able to get back to its two weekly meetings (Category 3 on Sundays and time-graded on Thursdays),” he said.
“To be honest, given the heavy support that is required from western Victorian participants to ensure the viability of twice-weekly fixtures at Tara Raceway, we simply do not know how additional racing at Warrnambool will impact on Mount Gambier’s nominations.”
However, Wuchatsch said he believed with non-penalty time-graded meetings on Thursdays, a two-turn track and the finish-on lure there most certainly were some advantages to racing at Tara Raceway.
“So, we asked cross-border participants if they would respond to a couple of questions – Will you return to race at Mount Gambier after interstate border restrictions are lifted? and Will additional racing at Warrnambool (low grade) impact the frequency at which you race at Mount Gambier?”
Wuchatsch’s survey was met with positive replies, such as:
As soon as the border is re-opened I’ll be back racing in Mount Gambier.
I look forward to getting back to Mount Gambier as soon as the border re-opens. Probably no reason why trainers couldn’t utilise both tracks if they so desire because there’s still plenty of dogs missing out on a run.
Yes, we will be back. We like the time-grading system.
As a trainer from south west Victoria I have greatly missed racing at Tara Raceway. My preference for racing there is the finish-on lure along with distances above 450 metres and the friendly family atmosphere at the Mount Gambier meetings.
Will certainly be back once the restrictions are lifted. Both on a Thursday and Sunday. I believe the time-grading methodology provides greater opportunity to be competitive.
No change in my nomination procedure once restrictions are eased, even if Warrnambool is racing twice a week. The main reason is the time-grading methodology and greyhounds being placed in races they can win.
Mount Gambier is my first choice.
Low-grade race meetings in Victoria will not deter me from nominating for Mount Gambier.
GRSA CEO Matt Corby’s summation: “Some very encouraging feedback from the cross-border trainers and a credit to the Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club.”