Grafton On Track For April Racing Return

GRAFTON will be back racing by the end of April, long-serving club president, John Corrigan, said today.

“The plumbing and electrical work for the kennels will be completed this week and the slab will be poured next week,” he said.

“Once that is done, the kennels will be built and work will be started on the track.

“We are still on target for a restart of racing in April. And we will all be looking forward to the annual July carnival.”

But Corrigan said work on a new grandstand has been delayed.

“The grandstand is needed during construction of the track and kennels, but this has had to be put off for a while,” he said.

“We will revisit that after the July carnival. We don't want to compromise that in any way.”

Corrigan said the only thing that could delay an April return to racing was the weather.

“No one can control that of course,” he said.

He said the club was monitoring the new lure at Murray Bridge with plans to put that into operation at Grafton.

“We hope to use the new double lure that has been in operation in Victoria,” he said.

“It looks to be gaining a lot of praise from all concerned."

Racing on the new track will be over 360 metres, 450 metres and 650 metres and there will be 60 metre transitions into and out of the turns.

The $4.6 million Grafton redevelopment is set to be a huge boon for greyhound racing in the Northern Rivers.