Welcome to the May edition of Greyhound Monthly Victoria. A major development in April was the release of the final version of the Code of Practice for the Keeping of Racing Greyhounds, developed by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) and which is posted at agriculture.vic.gov.au/pets/dogs/greyhounds/code-of-practice.
While GRV has been busy working with clubs and participants to build a strong long-term future for the sport, animal welfare and integrity are still its key priorities, both strategically and in daily operations.
It has been another busy month for GRV as we continue to work on developing a strong and sustainable long term future for the sport. As I mentioned last month, the capital works program is now well underway to ensure that Victoria’s greyhound racing clubs have the infrastructure they need to improve track safety, support industry development through new training centres and deliver a great experience for racing audiences and community events. GRV is also working to strengthen the clubs in the many roles they play in their communities by funding people to provide dedicated support for the clubs and also developing a collective strategic plan and new marketing initiatives.
GRV had its biggest ever GAP Adoption Day on 1 May with a record 70 dogs finding new homes. This was a great effort by everyone involved, particularly GAP’s foster carers and other volunteers who did a wonderful job looking after the dogs and talking with their potential new owners. Then on 4 May, the Warrnambool Cup Rock ‘n’ Race night drew one of its largest audiences ever with around 1800 people coming along for great racing and live entertainment.
As you can see from this issue of Greyhound Monthly Victoria there’s a lot happening right now in the sport across the state. This year’s Australian Cup at The Meadows drew one of the biggest crowds ever seen there, to watch Dyna Double One become just the third greyhound in world history to win $1 million in prize money. And in April the heats start for both the Warrnambool Classic, which introduces a new generation of racers to the sport, and the Warrnambool Cup.