Greyhound racing in Australia
In Australia anyone over 18 can train a greyhound, and race it on any registered track anywhere in the country. Greyhound racing is conducted in every state and meetings are available 7 days a week.
Greyhound racing clubs operate our tracks, unlike America, where the tracks are owned by corporations. Most tracks in Australia conduct only one or two meetings a week, as apposed to the daily or twice daily meetings on American tracks.
Prize money for graded races varies from about $200 for a win on low grade country tracks, up to $4,000 for a win on our top city class tracks. Special events, Stakes races and Group races carry much more prize money. There are probably a dozen races around the country that offer $100,000 to the winner of a Group race.
The largest prize money race in Australia is the Melbourne Cup, a Group 1 Special Event with $500,000 on offer over a series of meetings, culminating in a final offering 1st:$140,000 2nd:$40,000 3rd:$20,000. This year the final is on Thursday evening, the 25th of November.
Anyone with a greyhound that has won at least one race is eligible to enter the Melbourne Cup series of prelude races, and if they win a prelude, they get automatic inclusion into the semi-finals the week before the big race.
The author of this Blog was blessed enough to breed and own a greyhound that raced in the final of the Melbourne Cup, in 1988. Oh what a feeling, I can remember it like it was yesterday...
posted by Russell Savige @ 11:47 PM
<< Home