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Auckland Greyhound Racing Club Inc

 

Preferred Box Draws

In May 2022, GRNZ introduced Preferred Box Draws (PBD) nationwide in C1 Sprint races.

The purpose of PBDs is to reduce racetrack collisions between greyhounds during the initial stages of a race, i.e. in the run to the first turn.

Injury statistics for the first quarter of the 2022/23 season show that the rate of serious injuries, fractures and falls in PBD sprints are significantly lower than in random box draw sprint races.

The next step is to consider extending PDB to all races. To facilitate this, AGRC has agreed to trial on behalf of GRNZ PDB on all sprint races (excluding Group Races) for a 10-week period.

Winning boxes and betting statistics will be monitored during the trial.

 

What is Preferred Box Draw

This means that greyhounds nominating for a PBD race will each be designated with an official Early Racing Trait (ERT) and the Box Draw for these races will be strongly influenced by the distribution of ERTs in the field.

There are seven possible ERTs that a greyhound can be designated and they are:

  • Determined Railer (DR)
  • Railer (R)
  • Straight Railer (SR)
  • Straight (ST)
  • Straight Wide (SW)
  • Wide (W)
  • Extra Wide (XW)

Any greyhounds designated “DR” will be drawn into the inside boxes, next outside them will be those designated “R” and so on with the outside boxes going to those designated “W” and “XW”.

 

Post-Race Revision of ERT Designations

GRNZ has appointed an ERT Panel. After each PBD race, at least two members of the panel will review the Early Racing Traits of the greyhounds and make a decision as to whether; a greyhound retains their pre-race designated ERT or has their pre-race designated ERT amended.

As well as each greyhound’s racing trait up to the first corner, the ERT panel will also take into account each greyhound’s trait at the first corner, so Railers that veer out at the first corner may be amended to Straight Railer (SR) and Wide runners that cut left at the first corner may be amended to

All amendments made to greyhounds’ ERTs are updated on the Schedule of Current ERT Designations published on the GRNZ website.

 

Feedback

The AGRC would appreciate your feedback on the PBD Trial. You can submit your feedback to robert@greyhounds.co.nz