The track is looking “terrific” after a $70,000 upgrade and president Robert Munn said “a lot of positive talk” surrounded the surface after racing last week.

The Tamworth club picked up the extra meeting after the Gunnedah track was forced to close after a routine inspection found it to be “compromised at some points”.

“We jumped at the opportunity to take on the meeting and help out,” Munn said.

Tamworth will host an eight-race card with over 50 greyhounds to go around.

While the numbers weren’t massive, Munn said he hadn’t expected huge fields with the greyhound racing industry still feeling the effects of the greyhound racing ban which saw a widespread breeding halt.

“With the numbers, if you can get a meeting these days, it’s pretty good. I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” Munn said.

The third race on the card – the John Cini Painting Appreciation over 402 metres – was worth the most with $555 on offer.

After only a brief look at the fields, it was also a race Munn thought had one of the stronger greyhounds of the meeting in it trained by Duri’s Melanie Mabbott.

“There’s only one I can think of,” Munn said when asked of any standout greyhounds.

“Wet Weekend’s a good one in that big race.”

Wet Weekend comes into the Tamworth meeting following a second in Dubbo and three wins on the trot prior to that at Tamworth and Newcastle.