Utter Disrespect: Carl Blasts WPK Abandonment

AN incensed Chris Carl has called for an overhaul to track maintenance in NSW after Wednesday's Wentworth Park program was abandoned.

AN incensed Chris Carl has called for an overhaul to how track maintenance is managed in NSW after Wednesday night's Wentworth Park program was abandoned at the last minute.

The 10-race card, due to get underway at 7.08pm, was canned at 4.26pm with trainers engaged either already at Wentworth Park or well in transit.

"There's just no excuse for this anymore – it keeps happening and no one takes any accountability," Carl said.

"The participants are being treated with utter disrespect. It's obscene the way this has played out. A similar thing happened at Richmond last month and what did we learn from it. Nothing!"

GBOTA staff carried out routine track maintenance at Wentworth Park on Sunday with Tuesday night's trials cancelled in advance.

But with 40 mils of rain hitting the city overnight Tuesday and continued rain Wednesday, the surface failed to come up as hoped for the program to proceed.

"I knew the meeting was in all sorts when I heard the airport copped the rain it did," Carl said.

"But the first question you ask is why did the maintenance go ahead with that rain forecast in the first place?

"The second question is why it took until 4.48pm to make a decision?

"Had a call been made earlier it would have saved people hours of travel and inconvenience.

"But there doesn't seem to be any concern with that. It's almost like ‘they're just dog people, what do they matter'.

"Owners and trainers should be getting paid for this meeting tonight. It's that simple.

"Someone has to own this going forward or it'll just happen again. It's time for an overhaul and systems and controls in place to stop this.”

Following the abandonment Matt Tutt from the Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission (GWIC) issued the following statement. 

"Due to a significant volume of rain this afternoon and following an inspection of the Wentworth Park track a decision was made that the track was unsafe for racing," Tutt said.

 "The safety and welfare of greyhounds is of paramount importance and stewards, in consultation with club staff and GRNSW, determined the track to be unsafe.

"A decision on tonight's race meeting was made based on the weather and condition of the track."

GRNSW announced that travel subsidies will be paid for the meeting.

 

 

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