Casino Now A Major Greyhound Racing Hub
Greyhound racing could well overtake beef production as the icon of Casino, with the sport booming in the town.
Casino breeder and trainer Margaret Dwyer said ‘greyhound racing in Casino is like Beef Week' for the town.
“It's certainly booming, I've never seen anything like it,” she said.
“I can't believe the number of nominations in Casino, it's pretty hard to get a start there.”
Secretary of Casino Greyhound Racing Club, Bruce Knight, said the Northern Rivers region, and Casino in particular, ‘produces 15 to 20 per cent of the State's greyhound population'.
“The Casino Club receives more nominations per meeting than any other greyhound club in NSW,” he said.
“Casino is one of the strongholds in the State.”
The amount of talent in the Casino area has meant the first Blue Paws Super Series has been an exciting one, with four heats held for the final tomorrow night.
“While some other clubs have struggled to get the four heats for the series, the Casino Club had no trouble thanks to the prolific breeding that has taken place in the area,” Knight said.
Owners of dogs in the Blue Paws series had to register their dogs in the program before noting their potential, but with the series offering owners extra incentives for wins and places in special Blue Paws events, it was worth the gamble for Dwyer.
“Heavens above, yes!” she said.
“It costs money to enter for the Blue Paws, but you get the extra prize money.”
And with two entrants in the Blue Paws Super Final, favourite Surin' Sal and younger starter Mad Max, Dwyer is hoping to win the $5000 prize money on offer.
“Whatever dog leads around the first corner will win, and I'd like to hope it's my little one,” she said.
“I reckon there wouldn't be one dog in the race that can't win – they are all very good dogs.”
Having such a lucrative event in Casino means the race is a ‘very, very good' one for breeders and trainers like Dwyer.
“It's an honour for Casino, a real feather in their cap,” she said.
“They always get good crowds at Casino and the take at the TAB is very high.
“It's very good; it will make nearly everyone register their pups for Blue Paws.”
The Blue Paws Super Series final will be held at Queen Elizabeth Park in Casino from 2.14pm tomorrow.
Courtesy : Amanda Sproule, Northern River Star