Trainers call for run-on lure rule changes as dogs fail to chase
Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Mark Delbridge believes he was “a bit robbed” after Krystal Bale’s path to a possible first place was taken from her at Sandown last Thursday night.
In a chaotic Grade 5 race which had the greyhound racing world talking, the two-year-old bitch was taken out on the straight by Counterpunch for Lyn Smith, subsequently coming third.
Delbridge’s youngster led at that stage and looked destined for a first or second-placed finish.
But instead of venting his anger towards Smith and her fellow two-year-old after the fifth race on the program ended, the veteran conditioner lamented the current rules in place.
Presently across Australia, greyhounds are not allowed to chase any form of cooked meat or dead animal matter after sweeping changes were brought to the industry following the live baiting saga of 2015.
This is greatly affecting many dogs and their ability to effectively chase lures on race days, according to Delbridge.
“You’ve got to please the Greenies, but it is getting harder and harder,” he told Australian Racing Greyhound.
“That’s why there are a lot more dogs being given away now.
“You can’t do anything with the dogs anymore.
“It makes my life harder. You’re not allowed to use sheepskin.
“You can only give them squeaky toys, which doesn’t cut it when you want your dogs to chase.”
Because of these current conditions, Delbridge believes dogs can easily lose interest on race days.
This can easily lead to them marring other dogs on their way to the finish line, as seen in a shocking race five on the program at Sandown last week.
And as a result, the Victorian trainer has concerns about where his sport is now headed.
“A lot more dogs are fighting or failing to chase,” he said.
“I do feel a bit robbed. I probably could’ve won, I suppose. I would’ve run first or second – not third.
“The dogs have got worse because you’re not allowed to do anything with them anymore.
“You were allowed to use dead rabbits. That kept them interested.
“There are a lot more dogs not chasing, playing around and fighting.
“It’s getting harder to get dogs to chase because you can’t do what you used to be able to do.”
In an ugly race, Counterpunch received a 28-day suspension from Sandown Park and must perform a satisfactory trial before any future nomination will be accepted.
Krystal Bale underwent a post-race veterinary examination and was found to have shin soreness to the left fore, a left wrist sprain and a left monkey muscle injury.
A period of 14 days away from racing was imposed.
Zipping Dixie was also charged with marring Noah Charles on the first turn, with trainer Luke Adams pleading guilty, and his runner suspended for 28 days at all tracks.
Noah Charles underwent a post–race veterinary examination and was found to have a right monkey injury.
A five-day stand down period was imposed.
And Cardigan Girl (fell on the first turn) underwent a post–race veterinary examination and was found to have a fracture to the right hind tibia and fibula.
A stand-down period for 90 days was imposed.
Sandown Grade 5 515m – Queen Lina (30.17) – Krystal Bale 3rd
Delbridge was also disappointed to be ordered to stand down Krystal Bale for a fortnight.
“The vet said give her 14 days. My opinion is I don’t think there’s anything wrong with her,” he said.
“She was running up and down (on Friday morning). She said something about her monkey muscle and wrist.
“Now I can’t race her for 14 days. You can’t overrule the vet.
“I reckon some of the stewards go overboard with some of the injuries.”
It was Counterpunch’s first marring offence for Smith in his 28th start, but Delbridge did not have an issue with his opponent.
“This dog for Lyn Smith had never done it,” Delbridge said.
“It did a proper job of it and put me out of play.
“I didn’t have a go at her – that is part of racing. But I was pretty p… off because I was either going to win or run second.
“It was lucky I ran third. If I ran fourth I would’ve been really p… off.
“They (greyhounds) don’t get rewards (on the lure) like they used to.”
Meanwhile, this year’s Million Dollar Chase-winning trainer Brendan Pursell has called for greyhound racing authorities around Australia to at least consider dogs finishing on lures.
This way, he believes they can feel they get some form of reward for their efforts, even though today’s lures have no meat matter on them.
If run-on lures are used during less-lucrative midweek meetings, it would give trainers the option of sending their dogs there or opting not to.
“It’s not about having to finish on it every start – it’s about giving us the option,” Pursell said.
“My opinion is that once a month, every track should have a run-on lure.
“If you want to go there, you go there. If you don’t, you don’t.”
Like Delbridge, Pursell believes greyhounds losing interest in chasing is now becoming more commonplace at race meetings.
“A lot of the times now they’re just going through the motions,” he said.
“There’s nothing for them at the end.”
The length of Sandown Park’s catching pen is also a concern for Pursell.
“They changed Sandown’s catching pen – they made it real long,” he said.
“What we found there is a lot of them are starting to play up before the line because of the catching pen.
“They all learn to play up as they’re getting into the back of the catching pen.
“The Meadows is a lot smaller, so they’re thinking about pulling up without getting hit.
“Sandown is an extra 50-60 metres, and I reckon they’re thinking about who they’re going to grab before the line.
“It’s terrible, and the powers-that-be are not doing anything to help it.”
Pursell is adamant run-on lures are safe.
“Since I’ve been at (Rob Britton’s property at Lara), we would’ve run 300 dogs on the run-on lure at Geelong,” he said.
“I’ve seen Jeff Britton doing it, and the worst we’ve ever had was a spike wound.
“Why do we send our dogs to NZ? Because they use run-ons over there, and they have 70-80 starts over there.
“The run-ons have always been there. People don’t complain about them because they don’t know any differently.
“That many dogs go to NZ from here, and it’s only because they have run-on lures.
“It’s not because they have weaker racing.
“Just to stop these things from happening, we really need a run-on lure once a month just to give us an option.”
Pursell has also seen first-hand the benefit run-on lures can provide for greyhounds, and the subsequent rewards for trainers and connections.
He says greyhounds can remember the thrill they get from finishing on an arm in their previous race, which only gives them an incentive to chase harder in their next race.
“The industry is booming, but there are just a few things they (authorities) can do for us, so we’re not going there thinking ‘will my dog chase?’” he said.
“The biggest thing I don’t understand is if you go through the Geelong run-on lure, Jeff Britton puts a heap on them.
“And the next week they win or run second. They just improve out of sight.
“I know we’ve done it and we’ll have dogs go to The Meadows the next week and they’ll win.
“No doubt, they’re thinking they’ll catch it at the end. It revs them up a little bit.”
As a result, Pursell would like to see metropolitan tracks try run-on lures at their meetings, even if it is just once every four weeks.
He added the industry could only benefit from these kinds of changes.
“If they can also do it on the city tracks, it will help us and allow us to go further ahead,” he said.
“Just once a month – there are 10 meetings there a month.
“You don’t have to go in it if you don’t want to. There are plenty of other race meetings around.
“I’m not saying do it on Topgun night – just do it at normal meetings during the week.
“If I want to put five or six on the run-on lure, I’ll do it then.”
Run on lures can cause more trouble with injuries on track if not done correctly. Will they help a bone chaser? If a dog fails to chase it’s not interested in the lure anymore. The integrity bodies will not turn back the clock. The simple reason as we have no say in those board meetings as participants anymore. That’s what makes it harder and more frustrating than ever before.