The greyhound racing industry has been forced to admit that racing at Wentworth Park is dangerous after a sharp increase in injuries on the track.
An article in the Greyhound Recorder was designed to reassure participants that their dogs will be safe in upcoming Easter racing.
But the GBOTA head had to admit that: “Yes, we’ve had some unfortunately high weeks with injuries”.
That is an understatement. Comparing the same year-on-year period, injuries have increased more than 50 percent over the same number of race meetings (19).
For period 1 January – 9 March
2023: 1 death, 65 injuries (inc. 14 serious injuries)
2024: 2 deaths, 99 injuries (inc. 18 serious injuries)
Year-on-year, total injuries have increased 52%, and serious injuries 28%. From GWIC stewards’ reports.
None of the industry cheerleaders actually say why the injuries have occurred. They do , however, spruik how great the track surface is.
The GWIC chief steward said the track surface was “as good as it’s been in my 18 months in the job…. it’s in the safest condition I’ve seen it in my time.”
Note that Wentworth Park should be one of the safest tracks in the country: it’s currently using the double-arm safety lure, penetrometer testing and surface profiling, and received a $552K taxpayer-paid safety upgrade, which included a new track profile.
Apparently the track meets NSW minimum safety standards.
UPDATE: Six dogs were injured at the 16 March 2024 race meeting, five days after the Greyhound Recorder article:
Cawbourne Apollo Offside quadricep and hamstring soreness
Mr. Yellowstone Offside shoulder soreness
Sin Rap Flyer Nearside shoulder soreness
Double Threat Soreness to the offside quadricep and both groins
Tip Me Nearside groin sprain and quadricep soreness
Bold Emgrand Soreness to the nearside hamstring and groin plus offside shoulder soreness.
Image at top shows Cawbourne Apollo and Kangaroo Jack falling at Wentworth Park on 16 March 2024.