What Is Pre-Training?

Pre-training is the final step in a greyhound’s education before it starts its racing career, and occurs after your greyhound has been broken-in, and has returned from spelling.  Pre-training usually involves the greyhound moving into race kennels and trialling (chasing a mechanical lure on a track) approximately once a week.  As your greyhound comes to the end of the spell after breaking, you will need to gradually increase the fitness level of the greyhound to ensure he is ready to get back into work.

The purpose of pre-training is to prepare a greyhound for racing by:

• Re-enforcing what your greyhound learned during breaking-in – i.e. exiting the boxes & chasing a lure with 100 per cent commitment
• Familiarising your greyhound with a variety of tracks it is likely to race on
• Familiarising your greyhound to racing against other greyhounds – starting with one other greyhound and gradually moving up to a half field of four greyhounds as the greyhound’s skill and ability increases.
• Building your greyhound’s strength by gradually trialling over increased distances
• Building your greyhound’s fitness levels so that he/she can cope with the physical demands of competitive racing

FINDING A PRE-TRAINER

There are a number of professional pre-trainers around the state. As the governing body, Greyhound Racing Victoria is not in a position to recommend pre-trainers, however asking your breeder, local club manager, or breaker for a recommendation may point you in the right direction

If your greyhound is showing reasonable potential during breaking-in then you may be able to source a trainer who will undertake your greyhound’s pre-training.

COST OF PRE-TRAINING

It is reasonable to expect to pay about $80-$100 per week for pre-training.