The programming of races will now be prepared two months in advance to assist trainers to identify racing schedules for their greyhounds and the May and June programmes have now been finalised and approved and are available on our website www.tasracingcorporate.com.au.
The Grading and Programming Sub Committee and the Greyhound Reference Group has continued to evolve the programming and the following major changes around programming have been adopted effective from 1 May 2017:
- With the funding of the Reverse Order of Choice races to full penalty races, these will be conducted approximately once per week only.
- Qualifying Trials over the short sprint will be introduced at Launceston. Launceston will conduct Short Sprint Qualifying Trials only.
- A maximum of three Short Sprint races will be called for on any program.
- If the races called for in the forthcoming programmes are not filled then the races to provide 10 races on the program will be scheduled in the following order:
- An additional Mid Distance race (for the grade of the race called for)
- Grade 1, 2 and/or 3 – Sprint
- Grade 6 – Sprint
- Mid Distance Race
- Grade 4 – Sprint
- Grade 5 – Sprint
- The grades for Mid Distance races being called for will be Maiden/6, Grade 5 and Mixed 4/5.
- The conditions of Feature Events in respect to heats of a Free-to-All series over the mid Distance or Distance have been amended. The amendment will mean that if heats of a Free-to-All Mid Distance or Free to all Distance race are not held and there are seven or more nominations, a Free-to-All race will be scheduled for those greyhounds over the distance of the heats. In addition, in the case of a heats and final series, if there are 7 or more greyhounds nominated, the field for the final will be selected from those nominations.
The division of races by number of wins for Grade 4 and 5 graded events is not yet available due to unforeseen programming difficulties with the OzChase system.
The programming will continue to undergo review and development and Trainers are encouraged to provide comments and/or suggestions for improvement to their GRG members to assist in this development process.