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  • Tuesday, 14 Nov, 2017,
  • by Greyhound Racing Victoria

Ready 2 Race greyhounds put in an impressive show in heats ahead of Saturday’s auction

Greyhound Racing Victoria’s Ready 2 Race heats have seen an impressive collection of greyhounds who will be up for auction at this Saturday’s sales.

Star Hunter, Rosco, and Kalani Amy are just three of the greyhounds to stand out with impressive wins in Monday’s heats at Bendigo.

LINK: Video of Monday’s heats available here.

The finals will be held this Saturday November 18, giving interested owners one more look at their potential purchases before the auction commences at 3pm.

All greyhounds involved in this series are bred in Victoria and aged between 16-28 months of age, meaning they are at or near the beginning of their racing careers. By purchasing a greyhound at the 2017 Ready 2 Race sales you will be in the running to share the $46 million in prize money distributed throughout Victoria each year.

Last year’s Ready 2 Race sales have inspired plenty of success stories, none more so than the Peckerheads syndicate – a group of first time owners who won $25,000 two weeks ago after their R2R purchased greyhound Crook Me Kindly saluted in the Northern Districts Cup in Shepparton.

The syndicate purchased the Colin Burton-bred son of Barcia Bale and Sprite Lee for the bargain price of $3500 at last year’s auction. Last week’s win takes Crook Me Kindly’s total prizemoney to $32,525.

After the group of nine former school mates from Catholic College in Wodonga ran a successful punters club throughout 2015 and 2016, they decided to register as greyhound owners and form the syndicate. They put their earnings together and, upon following advice from a family friend, Nathalia greyhound trainer Michael Ellis, they headed to Greyhound Racing Victoria’s annual Ready 2 Race Sales at Bendigo last November.

Syndicate manager Jordan Thorneycroft said the journey of greyhound ownership had been a bonding experience for the group, as well as a profitable venture.

“We were initially going to spend our winnings on a trip away together, but then we decided to do something more meaningful with our money. We considered a horse but quickly decided a greyhound would be a better option,” Thorneycroft said.

“Michael told us that before purchasing a greyhound to race we needed to have a plan in place for the dog’s life after racing, and my mother offered to keep our dog as a pet once its racing career is over.”

GRV’s Acting General Manager Racing Scott Robins said recent boosts to prizemoney meant there were now more opportunities for Victorian greyhounds of all ages and abilities.

“A lot of trainers who have had high break-in standards for the greyhounds they bring into their kennel would do well to re-think that strategy,” Robins said.

“Traditionally, dogs have had to run a certain time, be able to run a certain distance or be under a particular age before some trainers will take them. And that’s been fair enough as trainers have wanted to be sure that their dogs will have no trouble getting a start and that they are competitive enough to have a reasonable chance of earning a financial return.

“However, with fewer dogs in the system it is about to become easier than ever to gain a start and to win races here in Victoria.”

The top eight prize money earners from the 2017 Ready 2 Race sales will be eligible to compete in the $7,250 Ready 2 Race Mid-Year Final (425m), to be held in July 2018 on Bendigo Cup night. Further, an $18,000 Ready 2 Race Final (515m) will be held for the top eight prize money earners at Sandown Park in November 2018.

WHERE: Bendigo Greyhound Racing Association. Lords Raceway, McIvor Highway, Junortoun.

WHEN: Replays of Monday’s R2R heats are available on ready2race.grv.org.au.

Finals and auction held on Saturday 18 November. The Ready 2 Race auction will commence at 3pm with greyhounds auctioned inside the venue in lot order. All greyhounds will compete in six-dog fields prior to the auction from 12pm with racing to conclude at 2pm.

For further information on GRV’s 2017 Ready 2 Race Greyhound Sales call (03) 8329 1185 or email [email protected].

Greyhound Racing VictoriaGreyhound Racing Victoria

Greyhound Racing Victoria

GRV regulates the sport of greyhound racing in the state of Victoria under the Racing Act 1958 (Act), which includes setting standards and ensuring they are met by participants.

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