Greyhound racing’s community series, the TAB Great Chase, is taking new shape in 2015, with increased prize money at a lottery-style Grand Final sure to bring The Meadows to capacity in late October.

The TAB Great Chase has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Victoria’s disability sector since it began 12 years ago, and the 2015 series – to be run throughout October – will remain largely the same from a racing perspective.

However, the involvement of the organisations that care for the intellectually or physically disabled – of which there is around 150 – is changing.

Here’s how it now works…

– The groups are again invited to their local Victorian racetrack to be part of a Community Day, where they receive VIP treatment including complimentary catering and merchandise. However, unlike in previous years the Community Days will not be held in conjunction with the TAB Great Chase heats.

– Rather than being partnered with a particular greyhound throughout the duration of the series, groups are instead matched to several greyhounds in specified races at their Community Day (only), with points allocated based on how their greyhounds perform on the day. The three groups with the most points on the Community Day will win prize money as specified below.
.
– All groups that attend a Community Day at their local racetrack are invited to the TAB Great Chase Grand Final at The Meadows on Wednesday 28 October and, should they attend, they then go into the draw to be matched to one of the eight Grand Finalists.

– All eight groups drawn out at the Grand Final will win an amount of prize money correlating with their greyhound’s finishing place (as specified below), with the organisation matched to the winner to receive a massive $10,000 (up from $5,000).

The changes to the community aspect of the TAB Great Chase are designed to eliminate the imbalance that sometimes occurs with regard to the number of greyhounds contesting heats at particular tracks compared to the number of groups located in that region.
[divider] [/divider]

.
TAB Great Chase ‘Community Day’ Dates & Info: Click Here
.

The 2015 TAB Great Chase ‘Community Days’ kicked off at Shepparton on August 20.

2014 TAB Great Chase Grand Final Recap:

[youtube youtubeurl=”osWujOQ_iVA” ][/youtube]