We doubt if the GRNSW corporate PR machine will remind people of the disturbing history of live baiting at Wentworth Park.
Remember, it was not until 1979 that live baiting — in which live possums, cats, chickens, piglets or rabbits are tied to mechanical lures to “blood’’ the greyhounds — was banned under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Live baiting, greyhound racing and Wentworth Park have been inextricably linked over the decades. Greyhounds trained on small mammals would be taken to race at the Sydney track. Here are some standout moments:
- Stephen Lambley will face court on 16 October 2026
- 2015 McHugh Inquiry described “gruesome” process of blooding greyhounds
- 2013 inquiry found use of guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, kittens and possums
- GRNSW ignored complaints and tip-offs
- A live rabbit was put into catching pen at Wentworth Park after a trial
- Caged rabbits were found near the bull-ring of Harry Sarkis – he said they were for eating
- “Jeff the rabbit man” was well known at a major trial track
- Top trainer Ken Howe said a “live kill” was essential to make a fast greyhound
MORE GRUESOME DETAILS
Stephen Lambley
His greyhounds raced at Wentworth Park.
GWIC disqualified Lambley in May 2025 as it investigated “animal welfare breaches”.
In February 2026, 7News reported he faced four charges of live baiting involving a possum to be used as a lure to train a dog. Lambley will face the courts again on 16 October, the day of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase.
Ian Rose
His greyhounds raced at Wentworth Park.
GWIC found at his kennel “an object containing animal material which could be used for the purpose of being a lure”. For good measure, he also threatened a GWIC inspector. He was disqualified in December 2025.
Casie O’Neil
Her greyhounds raced at Wentworth Park.
GWIC found she used lures containing animal material. Disqualified in April 2024.
Phillip Cowling
His greyhounds raced at Wentworth Park.
GWIC found a lure was made of fur/hair from a prepared animal skin. Disqualified in July 2021.
Ken Howe, a trainer for 35 years:
“It was common knowledge that if you didn’t give a dog something he wouldn’t go, he wouldn’t perform 100 per cent.
“And there’s only two ways to make a dog perform 100 per cent and that’s a live kill, which is illegal, or a chemical, which is illegal.
“Otherwise, there’s only one per cent of dogs that do perform 100 per cent.”
Daily Telegraph,April 13, 2000: Chief stipe was Mr 10 per cent / Drug users protected
NSW Parliament Inquiry 2013 – ‘Anything that squeals will do’
Revelations about the barbaric activity have included details about the use of guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, kittens and possums which have had their claws and teeth removed so they can’t hurt the dogs, being used as “bait” and being mauled to death in training sessions.
“I have been told ‘anything that squeals will do’,” an industry stakeholder whose identity has been suppressed said in a written submission to the upper house inquiry.
TV vet Dr Robert Zammit has backed up the claims in his evidence before the inquiry(.)
Sun Herald, November 24, 2013: ‘Anything that squeals will do’
Evidence about the barbaric practise of live animals including guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, kittens and possums being mauled to death in greyhound training sessions was given to a parliamentary inquiry into the industry in 2013.
But Fairfax Media has been told those submissions were never followed up by the state’s industry regulator, Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW). The inquiry also found there was “alarming” treatment of whistleblowers and internal critics who wanted change.
Among those trying to reveal the horrific crimes was celebrity TV vet Rob Zammit, who told the inquiry live baiting was still occurring.
Sydney Morning Herald, February 18, 2015: Greyhound whistleblowers ‘intimidated’ – Live baiting – Body failed to act
McHugh Inquiry 2015
The greyhound racing regulator in NSW had numerous warning signs that the barbaric practise of live baiting was still occurring, including a trainer advertising in a local paper that he would pay money for “live” hares, rabbits and possums.
The blatant activity in July last year followed another complaint two years earlier that a live rabbit had been taken to the Wentworth Park race track in Glebe and put into a catching pen where it was killed by two greyhounds after they had finished trials.
Sydney Morning Herald, February 21, 2015: Trainer used local paper to source live bait – Greyhound racing – Warning signs missed
Commissioner Michael McHugh delivered his opening statement in Sydney and said the practice by which greyhounds are “blooded” was gruesome.
“The bait animal, which may include live rabbits, piglets and possums is typically tied to a mechanical lure and hurled at speed around the training or trial track, while a greyhound is released to chase and catch the animal,” he said.
ABC, 10 Jun 2015: Greyhound racing inquiry: Live baiting is cruel and barbaric, commissioner says
Harry Sarkis (still racing at Wentworth Park)
Excerpts from Special Commission of Inquiry into the Greyhound Racing Industry in New South Wales
(McHugh Report, Volume 1)
Mr Harry Sarkis
3.171
Mr Harry Sarkis told the Commission he had been a licensed public trainer of greyhounds since 1977.
3.172
In evidence, Mr Sarkis was questioned about live rabbits he acquired at Appin greyhound race track. He admitted collecting a crate containing live rabbits from Appin race track on 31 August 2010 when he was trialling his dogs. He said that he did not know the name of the man who supplied him with the live rabbits. He said that “[h]e was just there selling rabbits.” Mr Sarkis said that, when GRNSW and the RSPCA turned up at this property shortly after he acquired the rabbits, they were in a cage near his bull-ring. Mr Sarkis told the GRNSW and RSPCA officers that the rabbits were for eating.193 The officials confiscated the rabbits, but not the rabbit cage.
3.173
Mr Sarkis was questioned about a further occasion, in June 2014, when a GRNSW officer attended his property and found a rabbit in a cage. The rabbit was confiscated. Mr Sarkis told the Commission, and the GRNSW officer in June 2014, that the rabbit was for his grandchildren to look at when they visited him. Mr Sarkis said the GRNSW officer did not confiscate the rabbit and he, Mr Sarkis, later ate it.
3.174
Mr Sarkis gave evidence of buying live rabbits from people at race tracks. He said it was a common practice for people to turn up outside the greyhound race tracks offering to sell live rabbits.
3.175
Mr Sarkis was questioned about a handwritten message on a cupboard door at his property (a photograph of which was in the possession of the Commission) that said “Jeff The Rabbit Man” followed by a telephone number. Mr Sarkis told the Commission that the rabbit supplier at Appin race track had given him the number so Mr Sarkis wrote it on his cupboard door. He said, however, that he had never phoned ‘Jeff the Rabbit Man’.
9.247
….Furthermore, in respect of live baiting, for example, there was an industry code of silence. Many participants told the Commission that live baiting in the industry was widespread, yet none of them took any steps to inform GRNSW. Live rabbits were being sold to trainers at Appin Trial Track. It did not require any imagination to guess what the ultimate purpose of these sales was, yet no one brought it to the attention of GRNSW.
1.54
The evidence before the Commission also suggested that the practice was effectively condoned by many industry participants who may not themselves have engaged in the practice. The Commission heard evidence that, at the Appin track during trialling sessions, an enterprising vendor sought custom from trainers attending these trials by offering live rabbits for sale. Given the persons to whom the offers were made, it is easy to draw the conclusion that the rabbits were being offered as live baits for training greyhounds and that those attending the Appin track knew it. Witnesses also gave evidence of persons who were in effect door-to-door salesman offering live rabbits for sale to trainers. Yet none of the many participants in the industry who must have been aware that live baiting was prevalent in the industry appears to have made any attempt to bring the matter to the attention of GRNSW, or NSW Police, in a formal way. This is a telling indictment of the culture of the industry.
3.109
The Commission heard evidence of persons being involved in supplying live rabbits for use by greyhound industry participants. In some cases, this was done while public trials were being conducted at Appin, a registered greyhound racing track, with an enterprising vendor seeking custom from trainers attending the trials. That such conduct could occur at a public training track indicates that even those who did not participate in live baiting must have known it was going on and took no action to stop it. Witnesses also gave evidence of persons coming to the properties of greyhound trainers and selling them live rabbits, usually at about $10 per rabbit.
They were, in effect, door-to-door salesmen of live rabbits for trainers. This appeared to have been a not uncommon occurrence.