Three dogs suffered serious injuries at the racing industry’s biggest showpiece event of the year.
Another dog was removed from racing after stewards inspected the trainer’s vehicle.
The Million Dollar Chase – advertised as the world’s richest dog race – was held at Sydney’s Wentworth Park, one of Australia’s most dangerous racetracks, on 13 October 2023.
Four dogs were injured during the ten races on the night. Three were seriously injured, two suffering fractured legs and one a lacerated neck.
One greyhound was carried away by a racing staff member before the eyes of a large group of animal welfare protesters demonstrating against the event.
The three badly hurt dogs were transported to an industry vet hospital located 45 minutes away. An experienced vet has expressed shock at the distance travelled by the dogs.
In Race 1, three dogs fell at the track’s first turn, which racing participants know is too tight for greyhounds running at more than 60kmh. Six other dogs were vet-checked after incidents during the race meeting.
In another incident, greyhound Time To Go was scratched after stewards inspected the vehicle of trainer Robert Howard.
Greyhound Racing NSW has removed two of the race videos that showed dogs falling.
At a Wentworth Park race meeting the following day – 14 October – another dog suffered a fractured leg and four others were injured. Eight others were vet-checked after racing incidents.
In 2023, Wentworth Park has recorded the 6th-highest number of total injuries at Australian tracks (317) and the 5th-highest number of serious injuries (63).
The Wentworth Park track received a taxpayer-funded $553,000 safety upgrade in 2019.
Despite the NSW racing industry’s claims of improved animal welfare, the number of serious injuries in 2023 have increased 40% over 2022.
Injuries recorded at Million Dollar Chase event, Wentworth Park, 13 October 2023
Race 1 Cartier’s Finest fell heavily at first turn – foreleg fracture 90-day standdown
Race 4 Fernando Quality fell at first turn – neck laceration 90-day standdown
Race 8 My Catalina “went amiss” in back straight – hock fracture 90-day standdown
Race 9 King Of Tulsa spike wound – 0 days
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