Launceston greyhounds gains extra meeting in new Tasmanian greyhound racing calendar
The Tasmanian greyhound racing calendar for 2023-24 has been released and will see a noteworthy continuation of the transferred meetings from Devonport, casting the spotlight on Launceston as it takes the lead in hosting 31 of these engagements.
In contrast to the previous racing year, this represents an upswing of four additional meetings, thus reinforcing the prominence of the city in the racing panorama.
Indeed, the celebrated Launceston Cup will reprise its traditional slot on Monday night on January 29 2024.
The Ladbrokes Chase, a racing fixture that was a Devonport race series, has been rescheduled to January 2024 at Hobart, with its heats primed to kick off on Tuesday January 2, and the final showdown on the evening of Thursday January 11, nine days after the heats.
Launceston will once again serve as the backdrop for the Tasmanian National Sprint and Tasmanian Distance Finals, lighting up two Thursday nights on Sky 1, on August 3 and August 10 2023.
To allow for the installation of the SafeChase lure system at Hobart, the southern city will stage a single Monday night meeting on the 14th of August 2023.
Hobart's racing activities will enter a temporary hiatus, with a 10-day intermission scheduled for the installation of the new lure.
Looking ahead to Good Friday 2024, the March 29 Hobart meeting will come to life as the venue for a dual code meeting in conjunction with the Tasmanian Turf Club. This gathering promises to keep spectators riveted, with eight greyhound races programmed to unfold.
In a divergence from convention, the Boxing Day meeting, typically pencilled in for Launceston, will instead occur on the subsequent day, Wednesday December 27, as a Sky 2 Twilight meeting.
Launceston is scheduled to race the Monday night meeting on February 26 2024, the week of the thoroughbred Launceston Cup.