Leading greyhound racing figures in the region have given a mixed response to the introduction of a first-ever $1 million race that will feature races at NSW regional tracks – saying that while the initiative is “great” for the controversial industry, the net of riches should have been cast wider.
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Robert Munn, Tamworth Greyhound Racing Club president, said the creation of the Million Dollar Chase was “probably” a good development for the industry but non-TAB clubs like Tamworth would not benefit.
Munn also said the event – the final of which was the world’s richest race – would lure the “best of the best of the best”, making it very difficult for the owners of “normal country dogs” to share in the $1.7 million overall prize-money pool.
He believes that there should have been an associated race, with good prize money, for dogs from non-TAB tracks.
“Most of the country people probably won’t even be bothered worrying about it because they’d say, ‘Well, you’re gonna be racing against, you know, the real good dogs,’” he said.
He added: “I think it is a good thing for the industry … [but] maybe they should have had something for all the non-TAB tracks.”
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From September 3, 11 regional NSW TAB tracks will host qualifying heats, leading to 25 qualifying finals at those tracks and Wentworth Park in Sydney.
There will then be eight semi-finals at Wentworth Park on October 12 and the final at Wentworth Park on October 20. First place in the final is worth $1 million.
Geoff Rose, president of the Gunnedah Greyhound Racing Club, agreed that the regional benefits for the industry from the event should be greater.
He said: The concept is brilliant. Maybe the criteria concept is not as brilliant as it could have been. But I honesty believe that it’s great for the industry – there’s no two ways about it.”
He added: “Two years ago we were being closed. No one would have ever thought you’d have a $1 million race.”
Rose said he was “disappointed” that Gunnedah’s greyhound track, closed awaiting an upgrade, missed out on hosting the qualifying heats and finals but he was confident that would change next year if the event continued.
NSW’s greyhound racing industry faced extinction less than two years ago after then-Premier Mike Baird legislated to ban the sport over the live-baiting scandal.
