Australia’s first ever National Straight Track Championship for greyhounds will take place over late July and early August in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, with the Healesville Greyhound Association hosting the Grand Final on 18 August 2019.
Sponsored by SEN, the Championship will showcase Australia’s best straight track racers with $50,000 in total prizemoney; which includes an inaugural GRV Grand Final bonus of $14,500 to be distributed throughout first, second and third places.
Queensland’s Capalaba Greyhound Racing Club, the Murray Bridge Greyhound Racing Club in South Australia and Victoria’s Healesville Greyhound Association will each host state heats and finals with the top three placings from the QLD and SA Finals joining Victoria’s 1st and 2nd place getters to race for the National title.
The Grand Final winner will also receive entry into heats for the Group 3 Healesville Cup, which now carries $67,000 in total prizemoney.
Greyhound Racing Victoria’s (GRV)’s CEO Alan Clayton said Victoria is proud to host the first National Straight Track Championship.
“This will be an exciting part of Victoria’s safe racing program that is expanding the importance of straight track racing in the state,” Mr Clayton said.
“The National Straight Track Championship combined with the Healesville Cup delivers a strong straight track schedule in Victoria.”
“GRV is very pleased to work with Healesville Greyhound Association to develop the inaugural Championship and that Australia’s two other straight tracks, Capalaba and Murray Bridge, have embraced this great new event on the national greyhound racing calendar.”
South Australia’s Murray Bridge Club is about to start racing on their new straight track which is a part of their dual facility that incorporates a straight track.
“Greyhound Racing South Australia (GRSA) is enthusiastic to explore more interstate partnership opportunities like this that create a more vibrant racing calendar,” GRSA CEO Matt Corby said.
“Straight track racing offers real benefits in terms of safe racing, more opportunities for our greyhounds and appeal to the wagering audience.”
In November 2018, Racing Queensland converted Capalaba to a TAB venue and elevated the Capalaba Cup to Group 3 level prize money.
“The National Straight Track Championship strengthens the presence of straight track racing in the national calendar as a safe and exciting form of racing,” Brenton Scott, Greyhound Strategy and Development Manager for Racing Queensland said.
“Queensland looks forward to participating in the inaugural event, and the opportunity to host in the years to come.”
Like the National Sprint and Distance Championships, the National Straight Track Championship will annually rotate between different states with Capalaba to host the 2020 Grand Final followed by Murray Bridge in 2021.
