Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) has announced a modification to the new Hot Weather Policy that will now mean that Travel and Starters’ Fees will be paid to Trainers for each greyhound drawn to race at a meeting which is cancelled or abandoned due to hot weather conditions.

GRV announced in December that greyhound racing or trialling cannot be conducted at racetracks where the predicted temperature is 38 degrees Celsius or greater (down from 40 degrees Celsius).

This decision has resulted in a number of race meetings being cancelled so far this summer, with Trainers and Starters Fees to now be paid retrospectively for all meetings cancelled since the new Hot Weather Policy was introduced on 26 December, 2015.

Trainers will receive a payment of $70, plus an additional $10 for each greyhound they train which was drawn to compete at such meetings.

GRV and its clubs have also received regular contact from participants in recent weeks regarding the circumstances surrounding particular race meetings that go ahead as scheduled and are deemed as ‘Heat Affected’.

When is a race meeting deemed ‘Heat Affected’?

Race meetings at which the BOM forecast maximum temperature is 32 degrees Celsius or greater are deemed ‘Heat Affected’.

What does it mean when a race meeting is deemed ‘Heat Affected’?

1.       Trainers are able to withdraw any of their greyhounds without penalty prior to the appointed scratching time.
2.       The use of barking muzzles are prohibited for both travel and kennelling.
3.       Kennels will open 30 minutes earlier than normal.
4.       Kennel temperatures to be monitored and recorded.
5.       Trials after the last race are to be cancelled.

How do Trainers know when a race meeting is deemed ‘Heat Affected’?

This information appears in the ‘Calendar Changes’ section at the bottom of the feed of GRV’s data and operations portal, FastTrack. From February 10, 2016 this information also appears in the ‘Important Announcements’ section in FastTrack. It is important that trainers regularly visit FastTrack to keep abreast of this information.

GRV’S HOT WEATHER POLICY