The Sunday Afternoon ‘Finish On'

WAGERING on all three racing codes is sliding to pre-Covid metrics, the rehoming of domestic pets (and that includes greyhounds) is stagnant while costs soar.

Times are tough for greyhound racing's faithful yet the existential threat to greyhound racing's future are the lies and propaganda anti racing activists continue to peddle.

Good governance will deal with economic outcomes yet the deceit anti racing activists (which includes politicians and activists) promote goes beyond the pale.

In Melbourne late last month, an Animal Rights Forum was promoted by Grey2K, the Coalition for Protection of Greyhounds and Free The Hounds and they formulated an action plan to attack South Australia and WA's racing, each considered "weak links in the chain".

The forum resolved to increase the use of drones in all states while Animals Australia and Animal Liberation gave a playbook about how to be covert.

Drone use over private property is illegal but attendees were given endorsements to ‘just do it' regardless of the law.

Interestingly, Grey2K rebuked the Animal Justice Party and CPG for their attempts to block Greyhound Adoption Program dogs being sent to the US.

They said; “we want these dogs in the USA and you are trying to stop that … it is ridiculous and too radical.”

Discussion was had about track disruptions – stopping races being run, public nuisance for exposure. The poor oversight of track security was identified … owners and trainers must be fully diligent on where vehicles are parked and ensure they report/record and suspicious goings on.

Attendees were urged to push rehoming organisations to highlight ‘wastage' and therein, lies will again come thick and fast.

Insert Pics attached here.

SQUEEZING ORANGE

On Wednesday, Orange MP Phil Donato asked five ‘on notice' questions of Minister of Racing David Harris which focussed on capital works across the state and rehoming numbers promoted by GRNSW.

The Minster must respond in writing within five weeks but, meantime, Donato will continue to battle for a new centre of excellence – an all-purpose facility which includes a greyhound track – at Orange.

"Considering all the monies allocated across the state and the budget blowouts, I'm frustrated at the inference GRNSW has no money available for a new track at Orange," the hugely popular Independent MP said.

"The GBOTA have indicated a genuine desire to invest in this region and have the right facility available but this seems to be stuck in quicksand."

Many of NSW's finest greyhounds hail from the central west and, since the crippling floods of November 2022, greyhound racing has not been conducted at Kennerson Park at Bathurst.

Dates have been shared to other country tracks (Dubbo, Richmond, Gunnedah, Temora etc) yet the impact that has had on trainers in the region comes at a significant cost and impacts on time away from home.

Saturday's big Country Challenge Final – the richest middle-distance event in the land – was secured by Bella Una and trained by Jack Smith who also prepared her sire Feral Franky.

Jack and Maree Smith race a lot at Dubbo, it's their nearest venue yet a 300-kilometre round trip while the prospect of racing at Orange would slice 80k's from the odometer and get them home at a less ungodly hour when racing at night.

Unfortunately, the Goulburn straight track project is caught in red tape (the Goulburn Mulwaree Council have rejected two Development Applications), Taree's opening is seriously behind schedule and Lithgow's upgrade waits on Taree's completion.

Just where that leaves the prospect of Orange getting a green light is anyone's guess yet the GBOTA is keen to invest in the region and Phil Donato is certainly focussed on the best outcome for his constituents.

INQUIRY NEEDED

Persistent rain conspired to hinder Country Challenge night at Dubbo yet the precipitation failed to halt the club's mechanical bull promotion.

The betting ring came to be the impromptu site for the spectacle yet someone must have ‘nobbled' the person revving the bull's mechanism.

Well, it's what you've all been waiting for… the mechanical bull-riding showdown!

We bring you… Shayne Stiff, Jack Smith, and Minnie Finn in 'The Dogs Dubbo Rodeo'! ????
Disclaimer: no greyhound identities were harmed in the making of this video ????#thedogs #greyhoundracing pic.twitter.com/VTU2T0MkIE

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) March 16, 2024

Dubbo President Shayne Stiff was one of the first to test his ‘skill' and most trackside were expecting him to land on his head quick-smart.

Unfortunately, the bull never got out of first gear and Stiffy remained somewhat upright. Minnie Finn and Jack Smith failed to stay aboard and that makes no sense.

Shayne will assert the vision is run in slow motion but that's merely a diversion. He's surely done a deal with whoever was at the controls.

With deference to Manly NRL coach Geoff Toovey – after a loss to South Sydney – just under 11 years back; "There's gotta be an investigation into this!"

STUD SERVICES

Was interesting to see a number of services advertised for sale this week in social media chat groups.

Some near impossible to procure services came at a high price (and rightly so) yet others were under the open market price from the stud master.

The lower price is factored somewhat on a possible ‘no pups, no return' policy yet the fact that the For Sale sign is also intriguing.

Breeding numbers are in decline nationwide and I'd reckon a handful of sires are securing something like 90 per cent of all services.

High priced service fees only last while the performance of progeny is at an elite level and there's always a new kid on the block ready to get breeders' attention.

Shima Shine has established himself as a go-to sire for anyone looking towards Barcia Bale's paternal lines while Tommy Shelby, Wow and Koblenz do the same for those looking for a Fernando Bale influence.

And it's interesting how remarkably successful Wow's litter was.

From 214 starts, Wow and his six siblings combined for 97 wins (at a remarkable 45.3 per cent) while Koblenz's litter won an impressive 130 races (at 22.8 per cent). The Tommy Shelby litter prevailed in 77 races from 316 starts at 24.4 per cent.

Bernardo – a son of KC And All – has been a revelation at stud. His litter was 10-strong and all won races, 134 in total at 27.6 per cent.

Stats might mean little to many breeders yet the performance of Wow's litter might just be the best we've seen.

TIME TO CONSIDER

Submissions concluded at the close of business on Friday re Greyhound Racing Victoria's Racefields Wagering review.

No doubt it would be interesting to be a fly on the wall at the Chetwynd St head office when management gets into the nitty gritty of what is at hand.

GRV was looking for insights with respect to market conditions being experienced by wagering customers, market growth potential for wagering on Victorian Greyhound racing (opportunities or impediments), general thoughts on Minimum Bet Limit conditions while the threshold of $3m (in turnover) for a Wagering Service Provider to comply with the MBL Conditions was an agenda item.

READ: Shining a light on the wagering landscape

Punters are getting ‘squeezed' and the downturn in wagering (income) must be addressed by regulators.

Governments across the land seem to think higher taxes result in higher returns to the Treasury yet the Point of Consumption Tax hikes have done the opposite in a major way.

It will be interesting what GRV takes from the exercise and how wagering partners react.

MATCH RACE?

Was interesting to see Valpolicella absolutely fly over 600m at The Gardens on Friday in preparation for a crack at the upcoming ‘The 715' at the Newcastle circuit.

She handled The Gardens with aplomb registering 34.13 after the last race which compares very favourably with Like Wildfire's 33.88 record.

Interestingly, Like Wildfire registered a 12.19 run home in his record-breaking romp while Valpolicella posted a stunning 12.10 – much quicker than each of the three races that night over 515m!

Before the $500,000 to-the-winner contest at The Gardens, the Queensland-trained star will likely have one more start at Albion Park (710m) before an Association Cup assault.

And it's the "All In" market for the Association Cup which is interesting.

Valpolicella and Palawa King are equal favourites for WP's feature G1 staying contest at $4.50 with TAB and that's tremendous value.

In recent times, there has been as few as two 720m Cup heats and both should qualify for the decider. If that happens, the box draw might determine which starts favourite but expect each to be shorter than $2.50 – maybe one will be very much shorter.

The fact that the Cup is nearly one month away will worry some but, for those willing to ‘risk the biscuit' opportunity knocks.

On what we've got in front of us at the moment all they need to do is get there!

BOX DRAW BLUES

Last week's Finish On dealt with the randomness of the algorithm which all greyhound box draws rely on.

Tony Zammit's lightly raced Callisto was used as a case in point where she, after five career starts, had drawn box four three times and the five alley twice.

Whether the words offered last week secured any attention by decision makers is unknown but the ‘box draw Gods' certainly frowned upon it!

Callisto heads back to Albion Park on Sunday night for start six and she's got box four again!

The syndicate which owns the daughter of Barcia Bale must surely be frustrated.