THE Queensland Greyhound Racing Club (QGRC) has defended its first year overseeing the State’s premier greyhound racing facility, with chairman David Nugent pointing to improved finances, increased racing opportunities and lower injury rates as evidence the club is moving in the right direction.
In a year-in-review address released ahead of the club’s upcoming Special General Meeting, Mr Nugent said the board had spent its first 12 months stabilising the business after inheriting significant financial challenges following the merger of the former Albion Park and Ipswich Greyhound Racing Clubs.
“My sole motivation is to make this venue successful as a greyhound racing club with its three tracks, its gaming room and its food and beverage offering,” Mr Nugent said.
Mr Nugent said the board inherited a deficit of about $2.7 million, with another loss forecast for the current financial year.
The board however secured a 20 per cent increase in ongoing operating funding from Racing Queensland after successfully arguing the original funding model underestimated the costs of operating Australia’s busiest greyhound racing venue.
Mr Nugent said the club had significantly expanded opportunities for participants during its first year.
Compared with previous operations at Albion Park and Ipswich, trialling opportunities increased by eight per cent, creating an additional 1800 trial slots, while race meetings increased by 26 per cent and the total number of races by 28 per cent.
At the same time, the number of abandoned races fell by 40 per cent.
“So more racing, less lost races,” Mr Nugent said.
“It means more opportunities for participants and more prize money, more appearance fees.”
He also said injury rates across the venue had fallen by 19 per cent, despite increased racing and trial workloads.
Mr Nugent acknowledged the club had faced ongoing challenges maintaining the venue’s three sand tracks during an unusually wet year.
He said the tracks would undergo a scheduled rehabilitation program from August 10 in partnership with Racing Queensland after 12 months of continuous use.
