MEDIA RELEASE

A review of the National Racing Rules (NRR) occurs each year, with any subsequent recommendations, where deemed appropriate, adopted by the GA board.

The application of NRR provides for greater uniformity throughout Australia and minimises the need for jurisdictional based local rules. In this regard, the integrity of greyhound racing is critically dependent on NRR to ensure consistency for trainers and jurisdictional controlling bodies.

Accordingly, Greyhounds Australasia (GA) today announced amendments to the National Racing Rules (NRR) effective from 1 January 2009.

The NRR amendments were adopted after extensive consultation with the National Chief Stewards, the Australian Greyhound Racing Association, the Australian Greyhound Veterinary Association and the GA Rules Sub Committee.

The most significant amendments to the National Racing Rules are:

• The word “drug” is to be replaced by the phrase "prohibited substance", to be consistent with other codes of racing.
• Deletion of “GAR58” given that hurdle racing no longer occurs in any Australian jurisdiction.
• Amendment to “GAR71 Unsatisfactory Performance”, to now allow a right of appeal.
• Inclusion of “GAR86(ah)”, making it an offence if a registered person or person associated with greyhound racing, associates with a disqualified person. (Note, this rule is generally already in operation by most controlling bodies as a local rule. Also, it will still be at the discretion of the controlling body if they offer any exceptions under this rule.)
• Inclusion of “GAR105(A)Reportable Disease”, allowing a controlling body to declare an infectious or contagious animal disease to be reportable. (For example - this rule would have been enacted by thoroughbred jurisdictions when Equine Influenza first broke out).

Greyhounds Australasia Chief Executive Officer, Craig Taberner said today, “The process to amend the National Racing Rules is an exhaustive one, involving many key personnel and I would like to express my gratitude for their involvement.”

It must be recognised that respective State legislation pertaining to individual jurisdictions may prevent the total adoption of all of the NRR. In these cases, individual jurisdictions will adopt Local Rules (LR) to provide for such legislative requirements which shall take precedence over the National Rules.

Participants are reminded of their obligation to keep abreast with amendments to the rules of racing and for more information are advised to contact their respective jurisdictional controlling body.

Craig Taberner
Chief Executive Officer
Greyhounds Australasia
Ph: 03 9548 3500
E-mail: admin@galtd.org.au