Protests Held Over Injured Greyhounds in Wentworth Park’s Million Dollar Chase Race

A massive crowd ‘peacefully’ protested the Million Dollar Chase on the 18th of October, urging members of Greyhound Racing NSW to put a stop to racing greyhounds and give Wentworth Park racetrack back to the community.

Last Friday, a large group of activists led by Animal Liberation gathered at Wentworth Park in response to the growing animal cruelty and abuse faced by racing greyhounds at the Million Dollar Chase.

‘The world’s richest greyhound race’, held its final headline races at Wentworth Park racetrack and resulted in the injury of two greyhounds that required several veterinary checks after the race incident. The aforementioned incident involved  three greyhounds taking a rough tumble. Although nobody at the race was alarmed, the commentator did point out the “carnage”.

The supposedly luxurious event took place after Premier Mike Baird’s reversal of the previous greyhound racing ban nearly eight years ago.

Numerous notable figures were present at the rally like Speakers Kobi Shetty, Greens MLA and Member for Balmain, Mehreen Faruqi,  NSW Greens Senator, Emma Hurst, Animal Justice Party MLC, and Lynda Stoner, CEO Animal Liberation. 

Addressing concern for the dogs’ well being during the race, Senator Faruqui described the Wentworth Park track as “one of the most deadliest tracks in the world.”

She also added that since Premier Baird’s backflip on the ban, “Nothing has changed in NSW in this cruel, callous,and barbaric industry, despite all the fake promises by the industry. There’s been survey after survey, poll after poll, every year, that shows more and more people want this industry to be shut down for good.” 

Research gathered from stewards’ reports by Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds shows that since greyhound racing was brought back in 2016, 33 greyhounds have died on the track with 32 more dying from critical leg injuries sustained during the race, at Wentworth Park.

Well over 2,300 greyhounds have suffered injuries from racing on the track. 

So far this year alone, four greyhounds have died from racing at Wentworth Park racetrack, making it the most deadly track in all of NSW.

Just recently, nineteen greyhounds were badly hurt in the race qualifiers to find ten greyhounds that would compete in the 2024 Million Dollar Chase Final.

— by Naomi Lawrence