The Government and GRNSW were spruiking that it was about regional racing and how it will help those places, but I agree with you. Go figure. Im not swallowing it hook, line and sinker.

Where are all our dogs ?

Thought it was about making money for the GAP. If so you make more money the more nominations you receive.

Who ever come up with this rule I would love to see them put there hand up and say we stuffed up. But no that will not happen

Re "This race is not about regional racing".

Well, without denying the validity of your other points, this is precisely what it is all about. You are making a greyhound industry comment but the effort is being mounted entirely for political reasons - and fairly hastily, too, which is why all the errors and omissions are present.

The Lib/NP government has historically done well in the bush. Its only recent shortfalls have been on the North Coast where environmental groups proliferate (Nimbin, pot, etc). But they got a big scare when the mob turfed them out in Orange - not just due to greyhound supporters but due to opposition from fair-minded people and small businessmen who were horrified at the principle of wiping out a whole industry.

With an election six months away, you can bet your shirt that cabinet has made a list of key programs to push to ensure they retain or regather all their bush seats. City seats are dicey anyway so they badly need a near-100% result in the bush.

That why the heats - and the cash - are being distributed around the bush. "Forget the ban, we are really nice folk".

Discussions about whatever else you might do with the cash are irrelevant. The Minister is running this show. He wants votes and he wants applause for publicising welfare reforms - hence the GAP provisions.

You, me and others hope that the Million will generate lots of flow-on programs to cement the greyhound image amongst the public. Sadly, that is unlikely to happen. First, GRNSW does not know how to do that and, second, they have not got the money. Our only hope is that local (bush) clubs take up the challenge but they are hamstrung for finance, too.

Assume so...straight out final...???

Like Rob stated earlier there could have been a condition for second entry draw but with priority going to first chance noms.

EXTERNAL LINK

yeah check out sat night fields..

Buying them votes Bob. Or so they think.
I firmly believe this race will only be a one off.
I don't think it will happen again beyond 2018.

I hope I'm wrong. I might have a dog ready for it next year. :-)

I already answered your basic questions - see above post.

The controlling authority has always been subject to the whims of the Minister, despite claims about staying at "arm's length", and irrespective of the colour of government.

They have a toy to play with and will use it whenever it is helpful to do so. Or chuck it out of the cot if they feel like it.

The trick is to demand a separation of powers - ie Minister to intervene only in very special and very limited circumstances, greyhound authority to be established as a separate corporation with commercial disciplines (as with many other primary industry bodies).

Governments get away with effective controls over racing primarily because they want to protect the public and its betting habits and also to maximise tax income, or perhaps to thump the racing manager when he does nasty things - as happened with greyhounds pre-WW2 (a Royal Commission) or after live baiting. Setting up the off-course TAB in the 1960s had the same motives.

The oddity is that casinos, pokie palaces and lotteries have freedom to do what they see best for their shareholders - albeit they are otherwise subject to government oversight (but not management). Racing does not have that freedom, nor does it have much commercial discipline.

The outcome is that those other forms of gambling have been growing at a much faster rate than the three codes of racing. Racing used to supply 50% of the gambling dollar; now it is only 10%.

Coupled with greyhound racing's habit of shooting itself in the foot, this is why there are not more millionaire trainers and why government is reaping less tax income than it might under a more progressive regime.

Baird does not like gambling (although he is now in a job where they do nothing but - at Westpac) while Grant has an obvious distaste for greyhounds. The NSW RSPCA chief stood on the same platform with Baird, even though the RSPCA has no brief to ban racing (welfare yes, but racing no). The Greens roared their approval of the ban, relying on an injury rate which is much smaller than on football grounds every weekend.

The majority of the public does not support greyhounds or greyhound racing because we have never bothered to explain it to them. The Million Dollar race is of some help but it will end pretty quickly unless it has follow-up. Even now, it appears only on the racing pages which most people do not read.

But Toole will keep telling you he is all about welfare and the GAP. There are votes in that but not in racing.

All that is why a revolution is not only desirable, but essential.

What about the run of Miss Splendamiro, hey!?
What a magnificent bitch!

Benali!...29.29 coming from an awkward box then destroys them!

Yes, all blood pumping riveting stuff!

By some accounts the track upgrade is a great success too!

Yes, yes, yes...much to rave about.

With all respect to Timmy I do miss my vino slugging mate.
One of a kind and near impossible to come close to.

Anyways, glad the mob is ecstatic and soaking in the atmo.

Tally ho.