Greyhound Racing Victoria is the latest to stage the charade of an “awards night” with the 2024/25 Victorian Greyhound of the Year.
The event will be held at The Meadows track on 20 September 2025 and is closed to the public – couldn’t they afford a proper venue? Was no one prepared to host them?
The cruel farce will no doubt honour trainers with drug convictions and hype up those fast dogs that won lots of money.
Here is a small selection of the greyhounds that should be acknowledged and honoured but who the racing industry tries to erase from history.
ON-TRACK DEATH AWARDS
Killed In The First Race Award
MIARA
Killed Shepparton on 16/06/2025.
“Incident” in the catching pen caused death from cervical spinal injury.
Owner/Trainer: Aaron Debattista (Toolleen)
Oldest To Die Award
APACHE SHOUT
Collapsed and died at Sandown Park on 20/01/2025.
53 months old, 116 races.
Trainer: Brian Brown (Axedale)
Youngest To Die Award
QUICK DASH
Fell at Geelong on 6 June 2025, suffered radius/ulna fracture, euthanased.
19 months old.
Owners: Friday Lunch Syndicate J Flood, B Howard, A Sherriff, D Thomas
Didn’t He Win Enough Money To Save Him Award
MEPUNGA LOAF
Suffered a right hock fracture at Ballarat on 13/08/2025, euthanased.
Won $50,790 prize money in 46 races.
Owner/Trainer: Michael Mellington (Jung)
Carnage Unleashed Award
13 dogs injured at Sale racetrack including MY BLUE ROSE (now deceased)
Deadliest Track Award
Oprah Bale, Josie’s Jewel, Jag Fernando, Miara, Frisco Joe, Matchbox Flame, Speedy Riot, Bamera, Zesty Boy
Six dogs have been killed racing on the Shepparton track in 2025, the highest toll in Victoria and Australia this year. At least another three dogs suffered serious injuries in their race meetings and were killed afterwards.
OFF-TRACK DEATH AWARDS
Fractured Family Award
Money Rain (RIP), November Rain, Arkstorm, Erza Scarlet and Blissful Rain
Five siblings: Money Rain scratched for vomiting at Warragul on 1 November 2024, subsequently “euthanased due to injury”.
Others suffered leg fractures in 2025: November Rain (Shepparton), Arkstorm (Sale), Erza Scarlet (Bendigo) and Blissful Rain (Warragul).
Owner: Allan Lie
One-way Trip Award
On 5 September 2025, Yangang Wang was “warned off” for 10 years.
On 16 June 2025 Wang was involved in an “inappropriate export of a greyhound.” In 2023 he was “suspected of involvement in inappropriate exporting of greyhounds.” GRV has made no effort to retrieve the dogs.
Death Instead Of Treatment Award
Speedy Riot
Speedy Riot suffered a hock fracture at Shepparton in March 2025 and was eligible for the Greyhound Recovery Initiative (GRI). However, he was “euthanised with a repairable injury.”
GRV fined owner Grant Fullerton $500. Speedy Riot had won $27,950 in prize money.
The Two Scapula Fractures Award
Paw Penelope
Paw Penelope suffered a scapula (shoulder blade) fracture at Ballarat on 7 October 2024, and given a 60-day stand-down.
On her first race back at Shepparton on 11 January 2025, she suffered the same injury. She hasn’t raced since.
Trainer: Tammy Kennedy-Harris (Somerville) Owner: Luke Harris
How Long Can She Race Award
Hurricane Miami
Hurricane Miami was born in March 2018. She had her first race on 31 August 2020.
Her 224th race was on 12 September 2025 at Warragul, where she suffered a left wrist injury. In her previous race 23 days earlier at Sale, she suffered injuries to both wrists and was given a 21-day stand-down.
She fell and was injured in March 2021, injured in March 2022, fell and was injured in January 2023.
None of her siblings is racing; one is dead.
Owner/Trainer: Victoria Sultana (Trafalgar East)
WTF Award: Joint Winners
Balloon Head & Collinda Blue
Balloon Head: Tailed off in last race at Shepparton on 26 June 2025, no injury, charged with unsatisfactory performance. Scratched 10 times in career. Listed as Retired (Deceased) in FastTrack industry database. Owner/Trainer: Darren Petersen (Rochester )
Collinda Blue: Hock fracture at Warrnambool on 24 February 2025, retired to pet adoption program 29 July. Listing updated to “Euth – not for rehome/GAP” on 18 August 2025.
