C Class TAB Greyhound Racing Introduced In NSW To Accomodate Sky Racing2
Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW) today released the racing schedule which will fill four new timeslots following the March 30 launch of SkyRacing2.
An updated version of the TAB Grading Policy was also released, which caters for the new ‘TAB C' tier of racing.
The Sky Racing2 schedule uses existing Non-TAB meetings and converts them to TAB C status.
The schedule runs until June 30, after which a new full-year calendar will take effect. GRNSW is currently undertaking a period of consultation on the TAB race date calendar proposed from July 1.
GRNSW has committed to staging up to eight additional meetings per week as part of the Sky Racing2 changes. Four timeslots – being Thursday Day, Saturday Twilight, Saturday Night and Sunday Day – are being taken up immediately, with the remainder set to be introduced over the next six to twelve months.
The three month schedule for each new timeslot is shown in full below. Amendments to the Non-TAB schedule are also being made to accommodate Sky Racing2.
The TAB Grading Policy has been amended to reflect the introduction of TAB C racing. Grading of TAB C meetings will essentially fall in to line with the current TAB system which treats each track and distance separately.
The updated policy will be effective for all meetings graded on or after Monday 29 March. A brief summary is of the policy is available below.
Importantly owners and trainers should note that nominations for the new TAB C tier of racing will be taken centrally by GRNSW by fax or online only. No phone nominations will be accepted. Full nomination closing details are listed on the GRNSW website.
GRNSW Chief Executive Brent Hogan said the launch of SkyRacing2 later this month will be a watershed moment for the sport.
“The launch of SkyRacing2 provides GRNSW with an unprecedented opportunity to take TAB racing to new regional markets, capitalise on the wagering returns to the sport and expand our existing customer base.
“When all eight additional meetings are in place over 400 Non-TAB meetings will have been put to work to earn revenue for the NSW greyhound industry. This allows us to continue the prizemoney growth of recent times with a further $1.3 million injection, taking 18 month growth to $6.3 million.
The schedule for TAB C meetings on Sky Racing2 for April – June:
** Denotes meeting is a fully funded TAB meeting
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Thursday Afternoon
- April 1 – Dubbo
- April 8 – Dubbo
- April 15 – Dubbo
- April 22 – Dubbo
- April 29 – Dubbo
- May 6 – Dubbo
- May 13 – Dubbo
- May 20 – TBA
- May 27 – TBA
- June 3 – TBA
- June 10 – TBA
- June 17 – TBA
- June 24 – TBA
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Saturday Twilight
- April 3 – Bathurst
- April 10 – Bathurst
- April 17 – Bathurst
- April 24 – Nowra
- May 1 – Bathurst
- May 8 – Bathurst
- May 15 – Nowra
- May 22 – Dapto
- May 29 – Dapto
- June 5 – Richmond **
- June 12 – Dapto
- June 19 – Dapto
- June 26 – Dapto **
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Saturday Night
- April 3 – The Gardens
- April 10 – The Gardens
- April 17 – The Gardens
- April 24 – The Gardens
- May 1 – The Gardens
- May 8 – The Gardens
- May 15 – The Gardens
- May 22 – The Gardens
- May 29 – The Gardens
- June 5 – The Gardens
- June 12 – The Gardens
- June 19 – The Gardens
- June 26 – The Gardens
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Sunday Afternoon
- April 4 – Wagga
- April 11 – Nowra
- April 18 – Wagga
- April 25 – Dubbo
- May 2 – Wagga
- May 9 – Wagga
- May 16 – Wagga
- May 23 – Dubbo
- May 30 – Wagga
- June 6 – Wagga
- June 13 – Wagga
- June 20 – Nowra
- June 27 – Dubbo
NSW TAB Grading Policy – At a Glance
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TRACK CLASSIFICATIONS
- Category A – City – Wentworth Park (Saturday & Monday), Sandown (Thursday) The Meadows (Saturday) Albion Park (Thursday) and Cannington (Saturday)
- Category B – Other TAB meetings held at City tracks around Australia, TAB meetings held at various venues in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand.
- Category C – TAB C meetings held at various tracks throughout NSW including Canberra, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand.
- Category D – All non-tab meetings throughout Australia.
- See Grading Policy for comprehensive listing of tracks.
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DISTANCE CLASSIFICATIONS
- Sprint – All races at a distance up to 564 metres.
- Distance – All races at a distance of 565m or further.
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GRADING BASICS
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Maiden
- A greyhound is permitted to win one (1) maiden event only and thus becomes 5th grade.
- To be eligible to compete in a TAB maiden event at any Category A, B or C meeting a first start greyhound must have completed a Performance Trial or Qualifying Trial.
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Category A – City meetings
- In regards Wentworth Park, Saturday and Monday meetings are considered as separate entities.
- Upon winning one race in each grade a greyhound progresses to the next highest grade.
- Upon achieving two Category A wins a greyhound becomes a 4th grade dog at all City and TAB venues in NSW or 3rd grade at Category C tracks.
- Whilst ever a greyhound is graded as 3rd grade at Wentworth Park – Saturday it cannot be
graded lower than a 4th grade at a Wentworth Park – Monday
.
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Category B – TAB meetings
- A greyhound can win two 5th grades over any one distance at the same track before progressing to 4th grade, then advance to the next highest grade after one (1) win in each grade over that same distance.
- A greyhound can move to another distance at the same track in the category of meeting and distance and commence the same sequence until it either;
- Wins two (2) Category A races, within a respective distance classification or;
- Ten (10) Category A and B races combined within the respective distance classification; whereupon it becomes a 4th grade greyhound at all Category B tracks in that particular distance classification.
- Category C – TAB C meetings
- The same principals apply as per Category B except;
- One (1) Category A win elevates a greyhound to 4th grade at category C over a respective distance classification.
- A combination of six (6) Category B & C wins elevates a greyhound to 4th grade within the respective distance classification.
- Two (2) Category A wins or a combination of ten (10) Category A and B wins elevates a greyhound to 3rd grade at category C within the respective distance classification.
- A greyhound nominated for a Category C meeting cannot be graded lower than its Category B grade at a particular track and distance.
- Wins at Category C meetings will not affect a greyhound's grade at a higher Category of meeting.
- Category C and D meetings are to be considered equal when grading Category D non- TAB meetings.
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Drop Back – Category A, B and C
- A greyhound drops back one grade after two unplaced runs (non-consecutive) over a particular distance at the same track and in the same category of race meeting.
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Order of Merit
- Greyhounds are drawn in the following order where-ever possible:
- Top grade down
- Greyhounds with preferences
- Greyhounds with the highest point score from the remaining
- Reserves are the required number of greyhounds with the next highest point scores.
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Compilation of Fields
- Greyhounds are grouped together within their respective grades based on the highest to lowest number of wins in the relative Category or higher Category, then on total wins, then point score etc.
- When mixing grades the greyhounds eligible with the highest number of Category wins of the lower grade will be drawn against the greyhounds of the higher grade.
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Heats or Special Events
- Preferences are not given consideration when drawing heats or special events.
- Greyhounds are drawn highest to lowest grade and then points.
- Heats, qualifying trials and semis are drawn at random by lot.
- Guarding
- Guarding of owners and/or trainers shall only apply:
- To a race whereby all runners drawn to contest the event have a total of four (4) wins or less; or
- Heats, Semis etc. of a race series whenever possible unless advertised to the contrary.