Ninety four years ends at Wenty

A sell-out crowd witnessed the final race at Wentworth Park, marking the end of greyhound racing at the Sydney track after ninety four years as a local institution.

Trainers and owners mourn the loss

Trainer Ron Marsden, who had attended since age eight, said he was sad to see it go. John Hill, part-owner of Fearless Bandit, had come for forty five years.

“It's an iconic track, it's just got a sound and a ring to it that no other track has got in Australia so very, very sad to see it go.”

Animal rights protesters celebrate

Six thousand ticket holders were greeted by animal rights protesters gathered across the road. Greens MP Kobi Shetty said the closure was a step in the right direction for shutting down greyhound racing.

“We are here to say good riddance to greyhound racing in the city.”

A working class institution begins

Greyhound racing started at Wentworth Park in October nineteen thirty two. Early races were held on grass before a mechanical tin hare track was built in nineteen thirty nine.

Crowds of fifteen thousand at peak

A night out at the dogs at Wenty became a Sydney institution, with crowds as big as fifteen thousand people on Saturday nights watching champion dogs like Qualinor, Zoom Top and Farraflash.

Off-track betting kills attendance

By the nineteen sixties, crowds had dwindled to a few hundred with the advent of off-track betting. Historian Max Solling said attendance spiralled down and never recovered, with only five hundred people attending.

“The decline of attendance is wholly due to the TAB.”

Ban announced then reversed

In July twenty sixteen, NSW Premier Mike Baird announced a ban on greyhound racing from July twenty seventeen following animal cruelty allegations. Three months later, with approval ratings declining, he reversed the decision.

Government funds reforms

The premier agreed to give the sport one last chance and allocated forty one million dollars in government money to fund reforms after the backlash from industry supporters and protesters.

Early exit from Wentworth Park

In July twenty twenty six, Greyhound Racing NSW announced it was vacating the site a year early, though its lease did not expire until September twenty twenty seven.

“The venue no longer suited our participants who are largely located outside the Sydney basin.”

Racing moves to Gosford then Richmond

Racing will shift to Gosford on the Central Coast, with a longer term plan to move to Richmond in Sydney's north west.

“Additionally, unlike Wenty, we own the site so can never be removed from it, which is a great position for the sport to be in.”

Government funds transition

The NSW government promised ten million dollars in funding to help the industry transition. Kobi Shetty said she was disappointed the money was not spent elsewhere instead of relocating racing.

Site becomes parkland

Wentworth Park will be demolished with the Crown land transferred to the City of Sydney Council.The site will be converted into sports fields and parkland for public use, with demolition expected to start before Christmas.