Greyhound racing to cease at Harold Park

Press, 12 November 1985, Page 53

Greyhound racing to cease at Harold Park

By

ALEX McMILLAN

Because of economic difficulties, greyhound racing will cease early next year at Harold Park, Sydney, after more than half a century at that venue.

The New South Wales G.8.0.T.A., which has conducted racing at Harold Park since May, 1927, decided recently to move to nearby Wentworth Park, where the New South Wales National Coursing Association currently races. With the long awaited opening of the magnificent Neville Bailey Grandstand at Wentworth Park e xpected early next year, it seems likely that the move could be a forward step for the sport in Sydney, with 104 meetings now to be held at Wentworth Park in 1986. While the decision of the G.8.0.T.A. to leave Harold Park will mean a loss in rental to the New South Wales Trotting Club of approximately $385,000, the move will be advantageous financially to both greyhound associations. It is estimated that the N.C.A. would have been required to pay more than $500,000 to the Wentworth Park Trust next year, but, with the G.8.0.T.A.’s move, each association will now have to find only $288,000 each next year. The N.C.A. has been experiencing a particularly profitable year, with T.A.B. turnovers averaging $665,422 in the first six months of this year, compared with an average of $588,588 for the same period last year. An extensive “clean-up” of the sport in Sydney by the Control Board is attributable for the increase, with 34.22 per cent of races at Wentworth Park in the period being won by win favourites, with second win favourites winning a further 25.35 per cent of the races.