By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
SANDOWN Park greyhound race course – the epicentre of Victoria’s greyhound industry – has lost two major sponsors over the live baiting scandal that has rocked the greyhound racing industry.
Macro Meats and Schweppes, which have sponsored major races such as the Shootout and Bold Trease at Sandown Park, pulled their sponsorship of greyhound racing nationwide last week.
In a statement on Thursday, Schweppes announced it was withdrawing from the industry “as quickly as possible“ after being “shocked and appalled“ by last week’s relevations.
Sandown Park racing manager Michael Floyd said the venue, like many others across the state, has endured public criticism after Four Corners aired footage of greyhounds chasing and mauling live rabbits, possums and piglets bound to lures at Tooradin Trial Track.
Mr Floyd said the club, which has by several revenue streams such as pokies, dining and function-hosting, would not be as badly damaged by a mass-pullout of sponsors as other greyhounds clubs would be.
All races went ahead as planned last week.
Mr Floyd said the “disturbing” and “unjustifiable” actions captured on camera smeared a “fantastic” majority in the industry.
“Greyhounds people are some of the best people you’d ever meet.
“It’s important we don’t tar everyone with the same brush.”
The core of the industry were not the big-money professional trainers but the “hobby trainers” whose “dogs come home and sit on the couch” after racing, he said.
“Before this week, greyhound racing in our state was the strongest in Australia. In terms of prize money, Australia is the strongest in the world.
“When we get through this and changes are made, we will be the stronger for it.”
Mr Floyd didn’t suggest what changes were necessary, deferring to the outcomes of four inquiries launched into the scandal last week.
He was confident the racecourse, which isn’t used for training, had not been the setting for live baiting.
The venue hosts premier events such as the world’s richest groundhound-staying race the $250,000 Sandown Cup – won by Sweet It Is, a dog trained by Devon Meadows-based Darren McDonald.
Mr McDonald was one of the trainers identified as taking part in live baiting in footage shown on the ABC current affairs program.
Last month, Sweet It Is was crowned Sandown’s Greyhound of the Year.
Racing Minister and Keysborough MP Martin Pakula said offending trainers ought not to profit from live baiting.
He said Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) should reclaim prize money from those trainers who used live baiting if it was legally possible.
Mr Floyd said it was up to GRV to decide on whether trainers found guilty of live baiting would have to return prizemoney.
Mr Pakula said on Tuesday last week: “Today is not the day for me to be expressing full confidence in GRV”.
“I think it’s fair to say, and they acknowledge, there’s questions to be answered as to why it wasn’t picked up sooner.”
He said the future of the industry – which comprises about 3000 full-time equivalent jobs and was worth at least $100 million – was being put in “great jeopardy”.
“The Victorian people quite rightly will not tolerate this type of behaviour in the greyhound industry.“If it doesn’t get its ship in order, it’s facing very dark days ahead.
“The investigation ought to leave no stone unturned. Now is the time to stamp it out and run those people out of the industry for good.”
Under the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals Act, those convicted of live-baiting faced fines of more than $30,0000 and potential jail terms.
