Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) has completed testing and research, and is set to launch the latest initiative of its Industry Future Blueprint, Time Based Grading.
GRNSW has been working on finessing a Time Based Grading system for several months and it was presented and endorsed by key participants and stakeholders at the Industry Future Summit in May, and was part of the Blueprint which was subsequently developed.
Time Based Grading is being introduced to further maximise racing opportunities for greyhounds, to extend racing careers, increase utilisation rate and increase turnover.
“We are pleased that we are able to now introduce Time Based Grading,” GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Steve Griffin said. “We spoke about this at the Summit and it received overwhelming support, so it was then included in our Blueprint for the future.
“The racing team have worked hard to ensure this new form of grading will not only work, but prove popular with many trainers and consequently improve our nomination flow.
“We have to always look to maximise racing opportunities for greyhounds, and I think this will prove to be a good alternative way to grade greyhounds instead of on grade, wins and points.”
The first meeting to have a Time Based Grading event will be the Mid North Coast meeting at Taree on October 4. The system will then be rolled out at Gunnedah (October 6), Muswellbrook (October 9), Taree (October 11), Gunnedah (October 13), Casino (October 14), Muswellbrook (October 16) and Richmond Straight (October 20).
Northern Rivers’ trainer and GBOTA Advocacy Manager Fiona Geary says the introduction of Time Based Grading will be positively welcomed across the industry.
“It will definitely be welcomed and there are a lot of trainers looking forward to it,” she said. “If your dog is having a bad run, they can now be graded in a grade that is similar to what times they are running.
“It’s beneficial for the greyhound, the trainer but also the owner as well who invest in our sport, they now have a better opportunity to get returns on their investment.
“You will find it will be good for their (the greyhound’s) confidence too when they are being competitive and not at the back of the pack all the time. I would hope that they can continue to improve on their times as a result of it, and continue to race and get more confident.
“I’m so glad we’re about to begin as I've been wanting this for at least the last three years, and we conducted a survey recently and the majority are in favour of Time Based Grading.”
Time Based Grading utilises a methodology that assesses each greyhounds finishing time over the last six (6) starts dropping the two slowest times, and this becomes their Time Rating.
The objective is to place greyhounds which run similar times in a field together, and races will be programmed with varied conditions for which will impact eligibility.
The Time Rating allocated to each individual start will be based on the Time Bands Table. This table includes all tracks and distances nationally.
Once every eligible greyhound has been allocated a Time Rating, the races will then be graded according to the following rules (unless under advertised conditions):
· Greyhounds will be graded from best Time Rating to worst.
· Greyhounds will be grouped together in their races based on their Time Rating.
· There will be NO guarding of Trainers or Owners.
· Reserves will be determined by the greyhounds on the lowest points that are missing out on a draw.
