get ittogether

G R E Y H O U N D S Y N D I C AT I O N

Your guide to

syndication

S E C T I O N 1

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IntroductionRacing has lots of thrills and excitement, especially if you own a share in a racing greyhound. People from all walks of life can participate in greyhound racing, with over 2000 owners and trainers experiencing the fun and the thrill of racing in South Australia.

You do not have to have any experience to get started. The information contained in this publication will put you in the right direction. Plus Greyhound Racing SA has a dedicated Syndication Officer, whose role is to assist you in getting started.

There are lots of opportunities to get involved and share in the pool of prize money which is over $4million annually. Syndication is a great way for first time owners to get started, as you do not need to outlay large amounts to own a greyhound and the syndication process is a way to share the costs.

Greyhound Racing SA conducts racing across the State 5 to 7 times per week, with a complete racing calendar available on our website at grsa.com.au

Section 1Introduction 03

Section 2History 05Racing in SA 05Owning a Greyhound 05Creating a Syndicate 05

Section 3Purchasing a Greyhound 07SA Bred 07Get set to Race 07Is your greyhound registered? 07

Section 4Where should I race my Greyhound? 09Animal welfare policies 09

Section 5Get trackside 11

Fill your walls with winners photos and your pockets with cash

Own your own greyhound stress free and for next to nothing

Brad GullyTeam Bundy Greyhound Syndicates

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Syndication is a fun and an affordable way to enjoy greyhound racing with

your friends and family. You will neverforget the day you are at the track

to experience your first winner

Steve Messner,Manager of The Drunken

Monkeys Syndicate

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S E C T I O N 2

HistoryGreyhounds are sight hounds and have an instinctive nature to chase. The first stories of greyhounds emerged in Egypt in the times of the Pharaohs. Admired for their speed, stamina and loyalty, greyhounds were treated with reverence, sharing their master’s tent and riding on the back of their master’s Camel.

Eventually greyhounds were exported to other countries and by the 18th century greyhounds had found their way to England and Ireland and eventually Australia on the first fleet. Used for hare coursing in the times of King Henry VIII, greyhounds were then used to wager on and the first official coursing club was established in the 1800’s in England.

In the 1920’s the sport emerged in the USA in its modern form, with oval tracks and wagering.

Greyhound Racing in South Australia began in 1947 as a recreational activity and in 1971 the SA Government passed legislation to allow legalised betting on greyhound races. Greyhound Racing SA’s headquarters were then established at Angle Park and the first registered and licenced greyhound race occurred there on the 20th April 1972.

Racing in SAAngle Park is the main racing venue in SA with race meetings occurring every week of the year on Monday and Thursday nights and Wednesday mornings. There are 211 metropolitan race meets annually which is for all meets at both Angle Park and Gawler, with the pinnacle racing events being the Spring Racing Carnival held in September / October each year and the Summer Chasing Carnival, held in January. The feature race being the Adelaide Cup, which will have prize money in excess of $100,000 by 2012.

There are approximately 330 race meets every year in South Australia held at one of GRSA’s eight tracks.

Theses are:

• Angle Park

• Gawler

• Barmera

• Port Pirie

• Port Augusta

• Strathalbyn

• Mount Gambier

• Virginia

Greyhound Racing occurs nationally and SA owners can experience this racing nationwide and share in the national prize money.

Owning a GreyhoundThere are a number of ways to own a greyhound.Individual – this is where you own the greyhound outrightPart Ownership – is where less than four people buy agreyhound and divide the expenses and prize moneySyndication – is where four or more people share in theownership of a greyhound. Costs and prize money are shared proportionately by members of the syndicate.Owner Trainer – is where the owner trains their owngreyhound. An owner-trainer licence must be obtained by filling out the “Application for registration form”. You must fulfill GRSA’s competency requirements to obtain this licence. GRSA also has a DVD available to purchase at a cost of $15.00, which is a step by step guide to training greyhounds.

All owners need to complete an “Application for registration as an owner form” with GRSA. These can be found on grsa.com.au, or you can contact the Syndicate Officer at GRSA on 8243 7100.

Creating A SyndicateAs mentioned, all you need is four or more people to get started. All costs are spread between the four or more people, so you can enjoy the thrill of owning a greyhound without having to invest a large sum of money up front.

You need to appoint a Syndicate Manager. The Syndicate Manager signs all the paperwork on behalf of the syndicate and is responsible for the distribution of prize money to syndicate members. The Syndicate Manager also provides members with regular updates of the greyhound’s progress and deals directly with the nominated Public Trainer.

All syndicate members need to complete an “Application for registration of a syndicate name form” with GRSA. These can be found on grsa.com.au, or you can contact the Syndication Officer at GRSA on 8243 7100.

Information on the rules of Syndication is outlined in GRSA’s rule book which is available online at grsa.com.au or you can contact the Administration Office on 8243 7100.

I have owned many greyhounds with friends over the years. Nothing is better than watching your dog win with a bunch of mates

Ben Murphy Syndicate member of Angel Syndication

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S E C T I O N 3

Purchasing a GreyhoundEnquire with GRSA

Simply enquire with GRSA by completing the enquiry form enclosed within this booklet. GRSA can provide your details to those Public Trainers who are GRSA approved. If these trainers do not have a greyhound ready for sale, they can source a suitable greyhound on your behalf.

If you do not wish to complete the enquiry form, please contact the Syndication Officer, who will assist you with this process.

Private Advertisements

Purchasing a greyhound is readily easy. Greyhounds are often sold privately in publications such as GRSA’s weekly journal called Kennel Capers and in other industry publications such as the Greyhound Recorder and National Greyhound Form. A community pin board is also located at the Angle Park track which is updated regularly.

The Greyhound Racing industry is very friendly and there are always people on hand that will give you the benefit of their vast racing experience and offer helpful advice. Registered trainers and breeders can provide information as to which greyhounds are available, pricing, age, bloodline details and trial information and times.

SA BredGRSA has a unique program that promotes and supports the SA greyhound industry. This encourages SA Bred greyhounds, providing SA Bred races only and extra prize money for SA Bred dogs. For more information, please contact GRSA’s racing department on 8243 7100.

Get set to RaceYour Greyhound needs a name

All Greyhounds need a name and it can be a lot of fun selecting a race name for your new greyhound. You will need to complete a “Naming application form”. This form will include the markings of the greyhound, breeders signature, owners signature and six alternative name choices, along with proof of the dogs 12 month vaccination.

Once complete, you will receive the official racing papers from GRSA and the approved race name within one week.

Your Greyhound needs a trainer

If you do not wish to be an Owner Trainer as mentioned earlier, you will need to find a Public Trainer, who is required to hold a special license permitting them to train greyhounds on behalf of other people.

GRSA’s Syndication Officer can assist you with this as GRSA has a list of Public Trainers that are approved by our organisation.

Here are some tips to look at when selecting a trainer:

• Results of the trainer from training other greyhounds• Examine form guides in the Advertiser and Race

Books to see if the trainer is gaining consistent results• Experience training with syndicates

Your Greyhound has training and kenneling costs.

Once you have selected a public trainer you need to negotiate with your trainer the fees to both train and kennel your animal. Trainer’s fees do vary within the industry. GRSA recommends that you gain a written agreement between both parties.

Your greyhound will incur costs for feeding, grooming, conditioning, training and veterinarian costs.

On average a greyhound in full racing mode may cost approximately $70 to $100 per week. This cost can be shared amongst all members of the syndicate, making greyhound racing a very affordable sport.

Many trainers will split prize money, as payment for the training and kenneling costs, meaning that the up front costs are minimal, however you forgo the opportunity to take home all the prize money.

Your greyhound must be broken in

Breaking in is the terminology used for the education of greyhounds before they commence racing. Breaking in usually takes place when a greyhound is 12 months old, which involves training the dog in the racing protocol. Once complete, the dog will be trialled prior to racing.

RacingIs your greyhound registered?

Before any racing, all greyhounds need to be registered with the Greyhound Racing controlling body in the state of its birth. The greyhound is then issued its own registration certificate recording its ear brand, colour, markings and any other notable particulars. This certificate remains with the trainer who must present this certificate with the greyhound to ensure the correct identification before every race, on track.

Greyhounds must be 16 months or over to commence racing.

Syndication gave me an opportunity to get together with a few mates and get involved in the great sport of greyhound racing. Syndication makes greyhound racing very affordable for people of all budgets. I’ve enjoyed success with my first greyhound Keep Token and am looking forward to my next litter hitting the track

Dean HoffmanSyndicate member of racing dog Keep Token

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S E C T I O N 4

Where should I race my greyhound?Registered greyhounds can race any where in SA. There are 8 tracks to choose from.

Your nominated Public Trainer in conjunction with the Syndicate Manager will usually select the best tracks and distance that suits your animal.

Greyhounds must be nominated for races.

To enter for a race at any of the 8 tracks, your greyhound must be nominated, which can be done on line at grsa.com.au, which in most cases is completed by your Trainer. The Nomination Form requires the greyhounds name, ear brand, date of the meeting, track, the distance of the race, grade of the race and any other special conditions, eg: SA Bred.

Once nominated, the grading (See Grading Guidelines on GRSA website for more information) and box draw procedures take place at GRSA’s racing department. GRSA will sort the nominated greyhounds in order to determine the appropriate racing program. Once the box draw is provided, the race fields will become available on the GRSA website. These are usually available four days prior to a race meeting.

Prize Money

Greyhound racing can be a lucrative sport. The thrill of watching your greyhound and its victory can be an amazing experience. It can be a financial windfall for the owner or syndicate.

All races in SA carry prize money. There are currently 2000 registered SA participants who will share inover $4million in 2009/2010.

Prize money varies depending on the location and grade of the race. Here is a snapshot of the minimum prize monies set for 2009/2010.

Minimum Prize money levels (Grade 5)

• Thursday $2000 (Angle Park)• Monday (Angle Park) $1150/Tuesday(Gawler) $1000• Wednesday (Angle Park)/Country Tracks $700Please note: these are minimal levels only.

For feature races, prize money can be substantial. The Adelaide Cup in 2010 will be $85,000 and is set to be $100,000 in 2012.

Animal Welfare PoliciesGRSA’s animal welfare policies are strictly enforced by our Stewards as the safety and welfare of all greyhounds is paramount to our industry. GRSA has a range of policies and guidelines for the benefit of the industry and for the well being of all greyhounds.

They are all online at grsa.com.au

They include:

• GRSA Rules of Racing • Australasian Rules of Racing • GRSA Heat Policy • GRSA Veterinarian Policy • Code of Practice

Greyhound Adoption Program

Greyhounds make great pets and the Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) is an initiative designed to re-educate racing greyhounds that are no longer suitable for racing.

The program is funded by GRSA and provides a loving home for former racing greyhounds, once they have gone through a fostering process. The Dog and Cat Management Board assess these greyhounds and once approved, they can be adopted out and no longer require a muzzle.

For further information, please call 8243 7124 or visit the GRSA website and click on the GAP button.

People often ask me why would I want to get involved in Greyhound Racing. The answer is simple......Greyhound racing is fun, exciting and greyhounds have a blistering pace at around 60km/per hour, they are wonderful animals with great temperaments and you will probably never forget the day when you are at the track and your dog wins

Sean DonnellyMidway Tavern Racing

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Get TracksideNow all you have to do is get trackside. Chasers Restaurant & Function Centre is the venue where you can dine and enjoy all the excitement that greyhound racing has to offer with your syndicate team members, friends or family.

Chasers is open Monday nights (Bistro only), Thursday nights where you can enjoy the renowned Chasers all-you-can-eat buffet, and Wednesday mornings for breakfast and light meals. To reserve a table, simply book on line at Chasers.net.au

There are some perks in being a syndicate member:

• Free gate entry to Angle Park when your greyhound is racing

• Welcome letter which includes an offer to receive one free meal at Chasers Restaurant

• Discounts and vouchers to Chasers Restaurant whenever your dog is racing

www.chasers.net.au

S E C T I O N 5

55 Cardigan Street Angle Park SA 5010P O Box 2352 Regency Park SA 5942

Phone 08 8243 7100Fax 08 8268 2870

email syndication@grsa.com.auwww.grsa.com.au

www.chasers.net.au

Office hours Monday to Friday 8:30am till 4:30pm

GRSA promotes socially responsible gambling.