Ten greyhounds killed racing in June 2023

One greyhound died a few seconds into his very first race. Another was killed following his third start after being raced three times in nine days. Four greyhounds were killed racing in just one day. These are just some of the tragic statistics of greyhound racing in June 2023.

On June 3rd Whipping Dance, just three years old, was racing in her 27th start in the “Broken Hill City Council Appreciation” race at Broken Hill track when she suffered a compound fracture to her hock. She “failed to finish” and was killed by the on track vet soon after.

In a horror day four greyhounds were killed racing on June 6th. Two were killed in the same race at Horsham, Victoria. Two year old Victini Bale hit the inside rail and fractured his right wrist. It was only his third race in a nine day “career”. Seconds later in the same race Manson “faltered on the home turn” as he had fractured his right hock. It was his 36th start. The race video shows both greyhounds gamefully and painfully limping toward the finish. Both greyhounds were killed by the on track vet shortly after.

The same day at Gunnedah track, which had recently undergone a “safety” upgrade to the tune of $678,350, two year old Unchanged Pace fell at the first turn following a collision. He suffered multiple fractures in his foreleg. The video of the race has been removed by Greyhound Racing NSW. Unchanged Pace was killed by the on course vet after the race. He had raced only five times.

Cannington track, Western Australia, was the scene of Big Girl Daphne’s first and fatal race on June 6th. Just a pup at 19 months, her “career” lasted mere seconds when she broke her left hock and tibia following a fall at the first turn. Big Girl Daphne could not go on and she was killed by the on track vet.

On June 10th at Traralgon track Johnny Giraffe, just two years old, was galloped on and fell halfway through the race. The race video shows him screaming in agony. He had fractured his right tibia. Johnny Giraffe’s career had lasted less than three months. He was killed by the on course vet after the race.

The following week at Ipswich track in Queensland, two and a half year old Potato Peeler fell at the first turn following a collision. He suffered an excruciating comminuted fracture of his right radius. Potato Peeler was running in the “Greyhounds Make Great Pets” race, but tragically he never got the chance to be a pet as he was killed shortly after by the on track vet.

On 19th June, three year old Tah Tracey collided with another greyhound in the catching pen at Launceston track, Tasmania. She fractured her humerus and scapula in her right foreleg. She had raced 87 times and had won her connections over $40,000 but she was still killed by the on track vet soon after.

Still in Tasmania, at Hobart track on June 27th, two year old Just Like Jazzy failed to finish after she “faltered on the track” and “died shortly after” according to the stewards’ report. No other details are known. It was her ninth race.

The very next day at Wentworth Park in NSW Swift Kade collided with another greyhound at the first turn and fell. He had fractured his humerus with “articular involvement”. It was only his seventh race. He was killed by the on track vet.