Greyhound racing’s ground-breaking Pink Diamond series will be bigger and better in 2022 thanks to a number of key enhancements including a boost of almost $300,000 taking total prize money and bonuses up to $1.175 million.
A regional series open exclusively to greyhounds bred in Victoria, the Pink Diamond will again cater for race dogs of various abilities over a range of distances and venues before culminating in a bumper finals night at Warragul on Friday 17 June.
Here’s what we can look forward to in 2022:
– A significant uplift in lower grade prize money on Pink Diamond Finals night.
– All 12 feature finals on 17 June to be elevated to ‘Listed’ status and carry minimum first prize money of $25,000.
– Introduction of fourth place prize money and breeder bonuses.
– An extra week of Rank-restricted events due their popularity in 2021.
– Inclusion of a Memorial race on Finals night to honour former champion breeder, the late Karen Leek (pictured).
GRV Chair Peita Duncan said the Pink Diamond – which will again incorporate three $75,000 to-the-winner finals – is the pinnacle for greyhound breeders in this state.
“The Pink Diamond is the flagship event for Victorian breeders and is the most unique, prestigious and richest regional series on the Australian greyhound racing calendar,” Ms Duncan said.
“All 12 events will once again have breeder bonuses attached, which gives the series a point of difference and rewards the people at the grassroots of our sport who work tirelessly to breed and rear these amazing athletes.”
KEY DATES IN 2022
Thursday 9 June: Heats night 1
Friday 10 June: Heats night 2
Friday 17 June: Finals night
*Maiden and Rank-restricted events to run across three weeks starting the week beginning 30 May.
In the lead up to the 2022 Pink Diamond series, GRV will again offer up its ‘Pink Rug’ promotion, with every victorious greyhound wearing the pink number eight rug on Victorian tracks between May 1-29 to earn an additional $250 in prize money (50% to trainer and 50% to breeder).
Furthermore, Victoria’s 11 provincial tracks will each host one Vic Bred race during March, April or May across various grades/distances carrying an additional $10,000 in prize money.
Heats of the 2022 Pink Diamond series will be conducted at Geelong, Shepparton, Ballarat and Bendigo in the lead-up to finals night at Warragul.
Pink Diamond finals night is being moved to Warragul in 2022 as part of a rotation following a sensational opening season at Bendigo last year.
