The Geelong Greyhound Racing Club will re-open on Friday, 1 December to trial an interim Finish-on-Lure (FOL) system until GRV has installed a new catching pen.
All official GRV race meetings programmed for Geelong Greyhound Racing Club (GGRC) will be conducted on the Finish-on-Lure system during the trial, which is expected to run for at least three months. Racing will only be conducted on the outside track during this trial period.
The GGRC temporarily closed its track on 31 October following several incidents.
Manager of the GGRC David Hoey said the club’s committee would work with Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) to ensure the meetings were conducted in a safe and effective manner.
Mr Hoey said this was an interim solution and the decision was based on feedback from participants, who much like the club, were eager to resume racing at Geelong.
“Everyone wants the track up and running again with no compromise to animal welfare standards. Our committee met to discuss this, and we are working closely with GRV, which fully supports our decision,” Mr Hoey said.
The FOL system has been used in Victoria in the past and is currently used in other parts of Australia and throughout New Zealand.
“This interim measure puts the safety of the dogs first while considering racing participants and enthusiasts who are eager to get back to racing on the Geelong track as quickly as possible,” Mr Hoey said.
“I know that there are participants and greyhounds who prefer the current lure system that is widely used in Victoria, but there are also participants who will be excited by the prospect of the FOL being available.
“If you have concerns that your greyhound may not suit the FOL system, then I strongly suggest that you avoid nominating to race at Geelong during the trial.”