The highest number of greyhounds ever placed into homes as pets, major injuries at their lowest rate, and a year-on-year financial turnaround of more than $18 million, highlighted a great year of benchmarking results for Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW).
During FY2024-25 GRNSW also conducted a record number of races, had the most starters ever compete, and recorded the third highest wagering turnover in its history.
“GRNSW is very proud of the results from the last financial year,” Chief Executive Officer Steve Griffin said. “The outcomes which the organisation and the industry have been able to achieve over the last 12 months again clearly demonstrates that we are on the right trajectory for a thriving and sustainable future.
“What is very pleasing is that in FY24-25 a total of 2,897 greyhounds were Pet Placed through GRNSW pathways. This represents a 3.6% increase on the previous year’s record figure of 2,794.”
Significantly Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) Pet Placed 1,635 unique greyhounds either domestically or overseas to the USA and Canada. While this number is still to be ratified by the Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission (GWIC), it represents a 30.5% increase on the number of greyhounds reported by GWIC as retirements to GAP in FY23-24.
“FY 23-24 was a very challenging year for the organisation particularly with a softer wagering market across all Australian racing codes, and GRNSW was heavily impacted recording a loss of $16.7 million,” Mr Griffin said. “But I am delighted to be able to report that while we are awaiting final figures and an audit to be conducted, the organisation is now forecasting a $1.9 million profit for FY24-25.
“It is credit to the entire organisation that we have been able to turn the financial situation 360 degrees and get back on track as we are about to embark on our Industry Future Blueprint.”
The Greyhound Care Scheme (GCS) and work on track safety and greyhound welfare, continued to deliver improved outcomes for greyhounds seriously injured while racing. The measurement of catastrophic injuries per 1,000 starts is a standard industry metric, and in FY24-25 it was 0.15 per 1,000 starts – the lowest since records commenced in 2015-16.
This past year saw a 27% (16 in total, down from 22) reduction year-on-year and a 76% (down from 66) reduction on the figures from two years ago.
In FY24-25, 1,269 race meetings were held made up of 14,241 races and 103,641 starters. These were new highs in each category, surpassing last year’s records of 1,244 meetings, 14,003 races and 102,622 starters.
Racing in FY24-25 was held at 22 tracks - 19 TAB and three Non-TAB, with NSW’s premier venue Wentworth Park hosting 102 meetings, 1,075 races with 7,597 runners.
Wagering turnover climbed in FY24-25 to $2.8 billion, the third highest turnover on record behind only the $3.1 billion of the Covid year of FY21-22, and $2.9 billion in FY22-23 which had a Covid flow on effect. This year’s result is up on last year’s $2.67 billion of wagering turnover.
The year’s wagering results equates to turnover of more than $198,200 per TAB race.
“It is very pleasing to see such results right across the industry, but we cannot - and will not - bask in our successes,” Mr Griffin said.
“That is why the industry as a whole, through key stakeholders, clubs, administrators and participants, worked together at the recent Industry Future Summit to assemble the Blueprint which we released last week.”
The Blueprint contains a number of new initiatives set to deliver a thriving, inclusive, transparent and sustainable industry, including Racing Footprint Optimisation, Public Syndication, Time Based Grading, and substantial improvements to the Pet Placement Programs.
“The Blueprint was put together by the entire industry with the shared vision to make our sport even greater, and following the good results across the organisation and industry in FY24-25, we can now set our sights about bringing the Blueprint to life and invigorating greyhound racing in NSW,” Mr Griffin said.