GRV recently introduced a new Industry News EDM, which replaces Greyhound Monthly Victoria (GMV).

GRV’s main website (grv.org.au), The Watchdog website, GRV’s Racing eNewsletter and GRV’s social media channels will continue to publish racing and human interest stories that were a feature of GMV, while the Industry News, to be issued fortnightly, will keep you up to date with operational issues, calendars and reports.

The most important issue we face at the moment is, of course, managing COVID impacts. Participants and club and race day staff have done a great job together over the past 22 months to keep our sport safe and thriving. I ask you to continue doing so by following the current health directions for attending clubs as listed here.

Despite this renewed challenge, we have kept racing and recent highlights include strong runs by Jarick Bale and Robbie Rotten in the Sale and Warragul Cups respectively, and a great win by Zippy Telsa in the Silver Chief. And of course, Wow She’s Fast winning the inaugural TAB Phoenix, the world’s only greyhound slot race and an exciting major new highlight for our greyhound racing calendar which is now the biggest in the world.

Speaking of the Phoenix, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Ashley Baker for his work as CEO at The Meadows. Ashley played a key role in developing and delivering the Phoenix and since 2019 has kept building The Meadows as one of the world’s leading greyhound racing venues. I wish him all the best with his new role at the Williamstown Seagulls VFL Club.

Looking ahead, 2022 promises to be another very busy and exciting year for greyhound racing in Victoria. The prize money pool has been significantly expanded and, at the end of March, the GRV Board will be reviewing opportunities to increase it further – although this will depend in large part on how national wagering turnover performs which, in turn, is influenced by the impact of COVID restrictions.

GRV will also continue to deliver its Safer Racing Program over the year with funding already committed for projects including the completion of catching pen upgrades, stainless steel kennels and options for a Cranbourne redevelopment. Other planned works will be confirmed in the near future.

And last but not least we’ve had a welcome return to racing at Traralgon after a $6 million upgrade that has delivered a state-of-the-art track optimised for safer racing along with new venue facilities. Aston Miguel is now in the history books as the first greyhound to win on the new Traralgon surface on January 15, while Typhoon Sammy showed his enormous ability when beating a top-class field in the Traralgon Cup on Australia Day.

As always stay safe and we’ll see each other at the track.