The 2019 Coursing season is underway following their Catch onto Coursing meeting last week at Longwood.
National Coursing Association Victoria (NCAV) President Peter Craig joined Simone Fisher this morning on Talking Greyhounds to discuss what lies ahead in the 2019 Coursing Season.
“Last week was our Picnic meeting for the year and we saw quite a few new faces that hadn’t tried coursing before,” Peter Craig told Simone Fisher on RSN’s Talking Greyhounds.
Coursing has become a popular tool for trainers who are looking to give their greyhounds a change of scenery.
“Last year we found that nominations were up 15 percent because people are looking for alternatives for their dogs to get that chase instinct back.”
“Tomorrow is a great example at Benalla, we have a 12-event program; two of them are for Veteran dogs that have never won Coursing, so most of them will be first timers.”
“What you are going to see over the next couple of weeks is most of these dogs will go back to the track and I dare say with a fair bit of success, especially those who coursed well over the three events on Sunday.”
This Sunday’s meeting at Benalla gives preference to greyhounds who have never coursed before.
“By giving maidens preference we can kick off the season and give a few dogs a chance to see how they go coursing,” Peter Craig said.
“People are looking for alternatives for their dogs and not only just to smarten them up on the track, but to also see how they go because there is a big carrot at the end of the season in the Waterloo Cup.”
Last years Waterloo Cup winner Bear Left was a greyhound who had never Coursed before.
Prize money for Coursing meetings are now in line with Level 3 meetings, which means it makes a day on the Coursing track worthwhile.
“Greyhounds are racing for $825 to win a Maiden event and down to defeated semi-finalists, so as long as you win the first course there is some money on top of travellers money.”
“You have to be there at 9am to have your ID card checked, with coursing starting at 9.30 and usually finishes around the 4pm mark so it is a day out the Coursing and a great family day.”
