The image shows Slick Ivan faltering and trying to balance using his tail, his mouth open in pain. He had collided with another greyhound and suffered a fractured leg. Slick Ivan was originally given a 90 day standdown but two hours later he was killed by the on-track vet at Traralgon Victoria.
Reported on track deaths were down in May. Two young greyhounds finished their respective races but then dropped dead in the catching pen, simply raced to death. Two more greyhounds suffered horrific injuries and were killed by the industry vet.
One of them waited two hours before being put out of his misery after he was originally given a 90 day stand down period. A further nine greyhounds sustained race injuries and were given 90 day stand downs only to be killed away from the track. Victorian tracks continued to be the deadliest for greyhounds in May killing 8 greyhounds on and off track.
On May 7 three year old Is He Happy ran in his 101st race at Mt Gambier South Australia. He was dragged down and fell at the first turn. No video has been uploaded by Greyhound Racing SA. Is He Happy suffered a complete open fracture of his right radius and ulna, in other words the broken bone jutted through his skin. He was killed by the on track vet. The greyhound racing industry in South Australia has until 8 July 2026 to report to the government how many of the 87 recommendations in the 2024 Ashton inquiry have been implemented.
The next day on May 8 at Traralgon Victoria Slick Ivan, two, clipped heels with another greyhound at the first turn in race 6 and “faltered”. He can be seen in the race video pulling back suddenly, trying to balance using his tail, his mouth open in pain. Slick Ivan had fractured his right radius and ulna. The on track vet originally gave him a 90 day stand down period but two hours later he was killed trackside. The stewards inspected the track following this race and deemed it “suitable for racing”. Slick Ivan had been forced to race 34 times.
On May 18 at Northam track in Western Australia Zero Sugar was trialling at 509m. She had raced 25 times but was completing a “steward’s satisfactory trail” as she had last raced more than 21 days previously. Zero Sugar collapsed in the catching pen and was pronounced deceased by the industry vet. Zero Sugar’s last few races had been unprofitable for her trainer, she had been at the back of the pack several times. This trial is not noted on RWWA’s results page which is unusual and is only noted in the stewards report. Her status in Fasttrack is erroneously noted as “retired”. A necropsy was ordered but it is likely Zero Sugar was raced to death. Zero Sugar was one of three greyhounds in her litter born in November 2023. Two of the three are now dead.
Back at Traralgon in Victoria on May 22 Needful had run 5thin a field of 6 when he collapsed just outside the catching pen following race 3. He simply dropped dead. Samples were taken by the industry vet and a necropsy ordered. Needful had been forced to race 32 times. He had not raced for nearly 7 weeks before his last and tragic race.
A further nine greyhounds who suffered fractured limbs while racing in May are now listed as deceased despite being given 90 day stand down periods.
Two year old Manila Phantom sustained a hock “injury” on May 5 at Queensland’s much celebrated Q1 Lakeside track. He was listed as “retired (deceased)” not long after. He was one of 8 in his litter. 3 were unnamed (considered “wastage” by the industry). He is dead and another two littermates are “retired”.
The next day, May 6, five year old Destini Rebel fractured his right hock at Bendigo Victoria. Although given a 90 day stand down period, his owner/trainer opted to have him killed away from the track. Destini Rebel had been raced 119 times.
On May 12 two year old Pyrenees Pizazz fractured his right tarsus at Horsham Victoria. He is now listed as “retired (deceased)”. He was one of nine in his litter. 2 were stillborn and one was unnamed and is also deceased.
The same day at Townsville Queensland three year old Imprisonment “injured” his off side hind in race 10. Despite being given a 90 day stand down period he is now listed as “retired (deceased)”. There were five in his litter- two are now deceased and one is “retired”.
Still in Victoria, the next day at Sale Ray Choice, two, suffered a fracture of his right radius and ulna. He was killed away from the track in the days following his injury. One of five, three of his litter are listed as deceased, including two greyhound pups who were “unnamed”.
Victorian tracks continued the carnage with Dr. United fractured his left wrist at Traralgon on May 15. A few days short of his 5th birthday he was listed as “retired (deceased)” despite being given a 90 day stand down. Two of his littermates are listed as “retired” and now two are “deceased”.
On 19 May three year old Made You Look suffered a catastrophic injury in race 9 at Townsville. She fractured both her front legs. She is now listed as “retired (deceased)” after being given a 90 day stand down by the industry vet at the track. Made You Look was one of 10 pups born in March 2023- 4 were unnamed and listed as “retired”, and only one of the ten remains listed as “racing”.
Back in Victoria on May 20, three year old Conroy Park fractured her right hock during race 11 at Ballarat. She was killed in the days following her injury. Half of her littermates are now listed as “deceased”.
On May 23 two year old Hoppy fractured his right hock in race 9 at the Meadows in Victoria. He was given a 90 day stand down period yet he is now listed as “retired (deceased)”. Hoppy was born in March 2024- one of his littermates was “unnamed” while two more are “retired” and now two are “deceased”.
Rest in peace - we will remember them
| 5/5 | Manila Phantom | 31 months | Male | 46 starts | $29,520 winnings | Hock | Q1 Lakeside QLD | Off track |
| 6/5 | Destini Rebel | 61 months | Male | 119 starts | $30,065 winnings | Hock | Bendigo VIC | Off track |
| 7/5 | Is He Happy | 39 months | Male | 101 starts | $35,825 winnings | Radius/Ulna | Mt Gambier SA | On track |
| 8/5 | Slick Ivan | 27 months | Male | 34 starts | $25,090 winnings | Radius/Ulna | Traralgon VIC | On track |
| 12/5 | Pyrenees Pizazz | 33 months | Male | 52 starts | $17,430 winnings | Tarsus | Horsham VIC | Off track |
| 12/5 | Imprisonment | 40 months | Male | 34 starts | $36,780 winnings | “Hind” | Townsville QLD | Off track |
| 13/5 | Ray Choice | 34 months | Male | 17 starts | $5,130 winnings | Radius/Ulna | Sale VIC | Off track |
| 15/5 | Dr United | 59 months | Male | 93 starts | $57,055 winnings | Wrist | Traralgon VIC | Off track |
| 18/5 | Zero Sugar | 30 months | Female | 25 starts | $19,661 winnings | Collapse, Die | Northam WA | On track |
| 19/5 | Made You Look | 37 months | Female | 20 starts | $11,605 winnings | Both forelegs | Townsville QLD | Off track |
| 20/5 | Conroy Park | 40 months | Female | 28 starts | $10,785 winnings | Hock | Ballarat VIC | Off track |
| 22/5 | Needful | 43 months | Male | 32 starts | $43,280 winnings | Collapse, Die | Traralgon VIC | On track |
| 23/5 | Hoppy | 26 months | Male | 21 starts | $21,950 winnings | Hock | Meadows VIC | Off track |