Seventeen greyhounds killed racing in December 2025

Twelve days of Christmas. Twelve greyhounds killed at the racing track. December was anything but festive for the twelve greyhounds who died racing in Australia.

And from the 60 or so greyhounds who suffered broken limbs and other injuries on tracks in December at least five are now listed as “deceased” in the databases. Horrifically three greyhounds were killed in the one meet on December 17 at Cannington track in Western Australia. Cannington and Mandurah tracks in Western Australia are Australia’s deadliest tracks in 2025, each killing 10 greyhounds.

December started badly for Long Gone who suffered an excruciating comminuted right hock fracture and right calcaneal fracture while running in blistering heat in race 2 at Mandurah WA . She collided with another greyhound approaching the finish and according to the stewards report, “stumbled”. She ran 5^th. It was her 46^th race. Long Gone was killed by the industry vet after her race. She was two year old.

Two year old Go Rocky Go was checked rounding the first turn and checked again in the home straight during the first race at Rockhampton Queensland on December 3. The stewards report refers to his injury in vague terms as a “right hindleg injury”. In any case, his injury was severe enough, or his life not worth saving, as he was killed by the on track vet. Go Rocky Go had been forced to race 15 times, most of them in Victoria with another trainer. He had been raced only 3 days before his last race.

On December 5 Zonnekeyn ran 3^rd in race 5 at Warragul Victoria before collapsing and dying in the catching pen. Samples were collected from his body and a post mortem ordered. He clearly ran his heart out and won $345 for his connections. But in fact he was raced to death. Zonnekyn was not yet three. The necropsy results have not yet been published by Greyhound Racing Victoria.

Luke’s Coal was running in race 4 at Mandurah Western Australia on December 11. A veteran at nearly four, he had survived 94 races but his 95^th was his last. He collided with other greyhounds on the first turn and lost ground. He pulled up and “failed to finish” due to his injury. The race video shows him falling behind the rest of the race. Luke’s Coal had suffered an open comminuted fracture of his tibia and fibula. His foreleg was shattered in pieces and the bones were protruding through his skin. He must have been in agony. He was killed by the industry vet soon after.

Two greyhounds were killed racing on December 13. Steely Shiraz ran in race 10 at Bendigo Victoria. The race video shows him being manhandled into the starting box by his tail seconds before the race started. It had been raining and the track was slick. The race video shows him falling after being severely checked turning off the back straight. He flies along the track helplessly on his back, tail flailing. According to the commentator he got to his feet, no doubt looking for help. He had fractured his right radius and ulna. When help came, it was to take him to the on track vet to be killed. Steely Shiraz had only just turned two a few weeks earlier. He had raced six times. The other greyhound to die on December 13 was Don’t Play Games. He was running in race 9 at Cannington WA when he collided with others and fell on the second turn. He failed to finish as he had broken both his forelegs. He can be seen in the race video disappearing swiftly from sight as he falls. Don’t Play Games ,2 ½ , was killed by the industry vet after his 16^th and last race.

In a horror day for deaths, three greyhounds were killed racing at Cannington on December 17. Puppy Tresor Drive was running in race 3 when he had his heels galloped on at the first turn. He fell and “failed to finish”. The race video shows him falling and skidding across the track. He had fractured his left radius and ulna. He was one of twelve greyhounds his trainer had taken to race that night. His trainer went home with eleven greyhounds as Tresor Drive was killed by the on track vet. Tresor Drive was only 22 months old.

The very next race three year old Smile Time fell at the first turn after a collision. He “failed to finish”. He can be seen in the race video falling, his legs flailing. Smile Time suffered a truncal or spinal fracture. He broke his back. Nothing to smile about. His fall was not even remarked upon by the race commentator. Smile Time was killed by the on track vet soon after.

Four races on, the vet was again kept busy killing another injured greyhound. Two year old Rapido Warrior fell on the first turn (again) after a collision and having his heels galloped on. He too “failed to finish”. He had suffered a right calcaneal (hock) fracture. The race video shows his fall and he seemingly flies across the track flipping over helplessly at top speed. Rapido Warrior didn’t leave the track alive.

On December 22 at Sandown in Victoria Bellarine Beauty was running in race 5 when her hock fractured. The moment her bone breaks is captured on the video a few seconds into the race. She is running at upwards of 60 km/hr when she suddenly falters and tries to slow down, almost hopping on three legs. The commentator describes her as “going amiss”. Bellarine Beauty was taken to the industry vet to be killed mere minutes after her 26^th race. Bellarine Beauty was just two years old.

Veteran greyhound May Be Real was running in race 11 at Warragul Victoria on December 30 when she was checked and fell turning off the back straight, according to the stewards report. She “failed to finish”. In the race video she falters then decelerates and the camera sweeps past her and she is seen no more. It was her 51^st and last race. She had broken her right humerus and was killed by the on course vet soon after. May Be Real was three and a half years old.

December finished, as it had started with another death. Two year old Zig Zag Kaboum was running in race 6 at Ballarat Victoria on December 31. He was slow to start then several seconds in to the race he faltered, pulled up and failed to finish. The race commentator can be heard saying he “looks to have a problem”. Zig Zag Kaboum’s “problem” was he had fractured his hock simply by racing at speed. He was killed by the industry vet after the race. Zig Zag Kaboum was the last and 119^th greyhound to be killed at the track in 2025. Stewards inspected the track at Ballarat after the race and deemed it “suitable for racing”.