Items filtered by date: June 2023

Dogs and Diamonds are said to be a man’s and a woman’s best friend and next Friday night, in Warragul, both will be in winning form. Warragul Greyhound Racing Club will host this year’s coveted Sportsbet Pink Diamond finals night, with prizemoney of almost $700,000 up for winning across 12 feature finals. Australia’s richest regional greyhound race series carrying $1.175m in total prizemoney, the event is open to Victorian-bred greyhounds exclusively and culminates in 12 feature finals. On Friday 16 June 16 at Warragul, as part of a five-year club-to-club rotation. Warragul’s hosting of the coveted race series is part of a five-year-club-to-club rotation, with previous events held at Bendigo in 2021 and Ballarat last year, and future events scheduled for Geelong and Shepparton in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Along with a night of first-class racing, punters can expect plenty of great track-side entertainment, free giveaways, and will have a chance to win a share of up to $12,000 in the night’s Pink Dog Promotion. Patrons on course on finals night will enjoy a country festival vibe with live music, mechanical bucking bull and a range of food and beverage packages. Gates open to the track from 6:30pm with the first race set for 7.08pm.

https://www.grv.org.au/pink-diamond/

Lorraine Finn, a renowned figure in the greyhound racing community, has tonight been awarded the prestigious
Marg Thomas trophy. This accolade celebrates Lorraine’s outstanding dedication and unwavering passion within
the greyhound racing industry.
Named in honour of Marg Thomas, a revered legend of the sport, the trophy recognises the remarkable
contributions made by women in the industry. Lorraine joins Dawn Johnston, the inaugural recipient, for her
exceptional dedication and impact on the sport.
The Marg Thomas trophy was presented at Sandown Park’s Women in Racing night, a special event that celebrates
and recognises all the women associated with greyhound racing.
Lorraine’s journey in greyhound racing began in the 1970s when she and her husband Kevin would attend the
Saturday meetings at Botanic Park Greyhound Racing Club. Her passion for the sport grew, leading her to serve as
the secretary of the Ladies Social Club at Wannon Park and later assume the role of secretary and treasurer of the
Warrnambool Greyhound Owners Trainers Breeders Association (GOTBA) in the 1990s, a position she held with pride
until 2011.
During her tenure, Lorraine devoted herself to various responsibilities including washing and ironing all the race rugs
and trainers' coats, handwriting all the kennel tickets, organising and catering the club’s picnic meets and
fundraisers, and decorating the venue for special occasions.
At the age of 81, Lorraine single-handedly runs the Warrnambool Greyhound Racing Club’s shop, dedicating 15 hours
a week to selling kibble, muzzles, supplements and mats. Lorraine volunteering ensures affordable prices for all
participants frequenting the shop at Wannon Park.
Although Lorraine was unable to attend the Women in Racing event, she did express her profound gratitude, stating,
“I am truly humbled and honoured to receive this prestigious award. Greyhound racing has been my passion for so
many years. It has given me so much enjoyment and has connected me with lifelong friends. This recognition belongs
not just to me but to everyone who has supported and shared in my journey.”
Lorraine’s selection from a competitive pool of candidates (which includes female trainers, owners, volunteers and
staff members), reflects her remarkable contribution to the sport. President of the Warrnambool Greyhound Racing
Club Robert Gore expressed his delight in Lorraine’s well-deserved recognition.
“Lorraine has been a beloved member of our club for almost four decades,” Mr Gore said. “We are immensely proud
of her achievements and her passion and dedication to the sport. Her lasting impact serve as an inspiration to us all.”

Media Contact
Francesca Carter – 0438 562 729

When Tracey Forthergill met her husband, Michael, little did she know she was signing up for more than one
lifelong commitment.
The popular Shepparton greyhound racing club veteran, and mother of four, was introduced to her beloved sport
when she met Michael, and he took her along to the races with his family.
That was in 1991. Last Saturday night, after 30-plus years in the sport, Tracey was inducted as a Lifetime Member of
the Shepparton Greyhound Racing Club, as part of its ninth annual awards night.
As a member of the club committee for nine years in the 90s and early 2000s, Tracey was a sleeves-volunteer,
working across almost every facet of the original racetrack at Shepparton Showground.
In 2014 - after taking a spell from committee life to work and raise her four children, the youngest of whom is now
26 – she was invited to rejoin the committee. She then took on president duties in 2016. It is role she holds to this
day.
“This is a real honour to be recognised,” Tracey said.
Joining her as a Life Member inductee at Saturday night’s awards, was much-loved stalwart Vic Dohnt.
Vic and his wife Joan have been revered in the greyhound racing community for 50 years; their first dog, the aptly
named Vic’s dream, winning the first race run at the original Shepparton Greyhound track at the showgrounds in
1973.
Vic and Jo were instrumental in getting the original track up and running, doing the hard yards over three to four
years to get the track up to scratch for racing.
Since then, the couple – with their two sons and daughter in tow – have raced their dogs from the Gabba in
Queensland to the most iconic clubs throughout country Victoria. The only club their racing failed to yield a win was
Tweed Heads. But even that was a night to remember, and it’s the good times the sport gave them that he
remembers best.
“This is not at all something I was expecting,” Vic said.
“It was a very great honour to have been inducted as a life member – and that the racing club of today would
remember us from all those years ago - and it brought back so many great memories.
“We were all great mates; there was a lot of competition, but we were all mates.”
Sharing the night with some of those mates, as well as a table of family, Vic and Jo relished the chance to relive the
good old days and marvel at the sport of today.
It’s people like Vic and Tracey that motivated Shepparton Greyhound Racing Club manager Carl McGrath to reintroduce
the annual awards nine years ago.
A stalwart of the sport, having first become involved as a 16 year-old, some “40-odd years ago”, Carl took the helm
of the Shepparton club 10 years ago this week, and a year later, he introduced the awards.
“This club is all about the community – both the greyhound community and the wider local community,” McGrath
said.
“We make a lot of donations to the community, especially local charities.
This year, the main beneficiary of the annual awards night is People Supporting People, an organisation which helps
provide key recovery services in times of fire, flood and other disasters in the Shepparton region.

This year’s award winners were:
- Greyhound of the Year- Mission Oasis trained by Aaron Debattista
Trainer of the Year Aaron Debattista
- Local trainer of the year Scott Stefanos
- Life Member Tracey Fothergill
- Life Member VIC Dohnt
- President's Award Tommy Stevens
- Fastest 385m Body Hack trained by Alfred Debattista
- Fastest 450m Mr. Audacious trained by Natalie Busuttil
- Fastest 650m Flaming Rush trained by Shane Drummond

Picture captions:
Picture 1 – Shepparton 2022 Greyhound of the Year Awards Night
Picture 2 – 2022 Greyhound of the Year MISSION OASIS trained by Aaron Debattista
Picture 3 – Comedian Evan Hocking with Special Guest Speaker Stevie Johnson
Picture 4 – Committee member Marien Sullivan presents trainer Shane Drummond with sash for fastest 650m run
for 2022 FLAMING RUSH with Host Simone Fisher
Picture 5 – Race Caller Matt Jones
Picture 6 – Special Guest Stevie Johnson with Host Simone Fisher
Picture 7 – Life Member inductee Vic Dohnt pictured with family
Picture 8 – President and Life Member Tracey Fothergill with Guest Speaker Stevie Johnson
Picture 9 – Life Member Inductee Vic Dohnt
Picture 10 – Tommy Stevens winner of the 2022 Presidents Award
Picture 11 – 2022 Trainer of the Year Aaron Debattista
Picture 12 - 2022 Trainer of the Year Aaron Debattista
Picture 13 – Manager Carl McGrath presents donation to Member of Shepparton Kim O’Keefe and Brett from People
Supporting People
Picture 14 – Local Trainer of the Year Scott Stefanos with Cassie Watson
Picture 15 – Host Simone Fisher with Special Guest Speaker Stevie Johnson
Picture 16 – Comedian Evan Hocking

Media contact:
Francesca Carter – 0438 562 729

It’s the most prestigious race for stayers in the country and the weekend’s 715metre Sandown Cup didn’t disappoint.
Korda came home a winner – dashing the hopes of a back-to-back win by the coveted Untapped.
First run in 1957, the cup has one of the most glorious histories in the sport – nationwide! Although the $175,000
first-place prize is eclipsed by high-profile sprint races, The Sandown Cup is a pinnacle for first-class stayers.
“This is a shining light as a race,” Sandown Greyhounds Racing Operations Coordinator Jason Adams said.
“This race carries a much higher level of prestige and magic than a lot of the other richer races.
“But that’s what it is about; it’s not about the money or the prize.”
The 2023 place getters were:
• 1st Korda
• 2nd First Picked
• 3rd Zipping Orlando
While the Sandown Cup is what Adams calls “one of the jewels in the racing calendar’s crown”, it’s just one of the
many big events planned for the Autumn season.
The next event on the calendar is the Sandown Women in Racing event, to be staged this Thursday night.
Hosted by the club for the past 10 years, the event is a celebration of women and giving the women of the sport a
great night out of racing. Guest speaker for this year’s event will be Katherine Reed.
“It’s a night we look forward to celebrating every year and we are proud to host an event that celebrates the women
who give so much to the sport – and to our community.”
Adams said there was also a serious side to the night, celebrating the lives and efforts of Judy Hayley, who lost her
battle with Leukaemia in 2012 aged 63, and Karen Leek who was tragically murdered in 2021.
Both women, who made incredible contributions to the sport and the broader sporting community, are celebrated
with memorial races in their honour.
Another highlight of the night is the coveted Marg Thomas Award, which is awarded annually to a woman who has
made a great contribution to the sport.
“We have a lot of women who give a lot to this sport and this is our chance to say thank you, give them a good night
out and enjoy a top night of racing.”

Media contact:
Francesca Carter – 0438 562 729