Selection Criteria for Group and Listed Races
PRIMARY GROUP RACING CRITERIA EFFECTIVE 1/7/2023
1. Group 1 status shall apply to established events which carry a minimum prizemoney of $100,000 cash to the winner.
2. Group 1 events must carry minimum total final prizemoney of $150,000.
3. Group event prizemoney must be allocated fairly among placegetters with winner to receive between 65% and 70% of overall final prizemoney.
1. Group 2 status shall apply to established events which carry a minimum prizemoney of $60,000 cash to the winner.
2. Group 2 events must carry minimum total final prizemoney of $90,000.
3. Group event prizemoney must be allocated fairly among placegetters with the winner to receive between 65% and 70% of overall final prizemoney.
1. Group 3 status shall apply to established events which carry a minimum prizemoney of $30,000 cash to the winner.
2. Group 3 events must carry minimum total final prizemoney of $45,000
3. Group event prizemoney must be allocated fairly among placegetters with the winner to receive between 65% and 70% of overall final prizemoney.
1. Listed status shall apply to established events which carry a minimum prizemoney of $15,000 cash to the winner.
2. Listed events must carry a minimum total final prizemoney of $22,500.
3. Group event prizemoney must be allocated fairly among placegetters with the winner to receive between 65% and 70% of overall final prizemoney.
Note: The new minimum stakes levels to be phased in over three years with full implementation by 1 July 2026.
GENERAL CRITERIA
1. Application Eligibility and GCA Racing Sub-Committee
All registered greyhound clubs in Australia are eligible to apply to the Greyhound Clubs Australia (GCA) Executive Officer to have their respective feature events classified according to these criteria.
Initial applications and any proposed status elevation or special event consideration must be done so by using the GCA Group Race Application Form.
All applications are subject to approval by the GCA Racing Sub-Committee.
The Group Race Calendar will be finalised and published annually in April. Any alterations to the events and schedule are subject to the following conditions:
(a) That any changes to Group dates proposed by a club after the calendar approval by GCA, be requested to the GCA Racing Sub-Committee via the GCA Executive Officer.
(b) The decision of the GCA Racing Sub-Committee is to be upheld by the applying club.
(c) Where a club disregards the decision of the GCA Racing Sub-Committee or changes a Group race date without advising the GCA EO, then the future Group status of the said event maybe reviewed.
2. New Events – receiving Listed or Group status
- A new event must be conducted for three (3) years meeting the relevant Listed or Group status requirements to be considered for Listed or Group status
- In the fourth year of meeting the relevant Listed or Group status requirements the event will, upon application, be granted the relevant Listed or Group status
- New events meeting minimum Group 1 stakes criteria may apply for special event status (refer to Special Event clause for details).
3. Existing Events without Listed or Group Status
Existing events without Listed or Group classification will be required to meet the same requirements as a New Event when seeking Listed or Group status (see Section 2 “New Events – receiving Listed or Group status” above)
4. Existing Group Events – Upgrading of Group Status
Existing Group classified events will, upon application, be considered by the GCA Racing Sub-Committee for the higher Group status in the year the event meets the higher status criteria
5. Events with Group status cap
The following conditions will see an event, regardless of prizemoney levels, be granted no higher status than Group 3:
• Maiden events
• Auction or sales events
• Events that are restricted to state bred, owned or trained
• Events that are being considered under the special event application will, subject to approval, be granted Group 3 status pending the special status decision
6. Age Restricted Classic Events
As part of its promotion of Group Racing GCA classifies a series of Age Restricted Events as Age Restricted Classics.
To be eligible for consideration and categorisation as an Age Restricted Classic, the said race must meet the following requirements:
• The event must be ranked as a Group 1, Group 2 or Group 3 event and meet the relevant criteria of that status
• The event, whether open to male greyhounds only, female greyhounds only or both, is to be restricted to an age determined by the state authority that will see
greyhounds that were no older than 30 months of age on the first day of the month in which the heats of the event are scheduled to be staged when dates are initially approved by GCA.
• The event must not be (a) restricted to greyhounds bred and/or owned and/or trained in a particular State or Territory or (b) restricted to greyhounds sold through a particular sale or auction or (c) require the payment of a nomination, commission or entry fee higher than $150 or (d) require a nomination fee to be paid prior to eligible greyhounds becoming 12 months of age.
• Greyhounds that have not won a maiden race will be ineligible to contest any event approved as an Age Restricted Classic within the GCA Group Racing Calendar.
GCA has classified the following events as Age Restricted Classic Events:
Peter Mosman Opal Wentworth Park
Vic Peters Memorial Wentworth Park
Maturity Classic The Meadows
Warragul St. Leger Warragul
SA Derby Angle Park
SA Oaks Angle Park
Young Star Classic Cannington
Brisbane Rising Stars Albion Park
Laurels Classic Sandown Park
Silver Chief The Meadows
Queensland Derby Albion Park
Queensland Futurity Albion Park
National Derby Wentworth Park
National Futurity Wentworth Park
New Sensation Wentworth Park
Nowra Puppy Classic Nowra
Bob Payne Sprint Wentworth Park
Ladies Bracelet Wentworth Park
Brisbane Young Guns Albion Park
WA Derby Cannington
WA Oaks Cannington
Flying Amy Classic Albion Park
7. Protected Event Status
The GCA Racing Sub-Committee is entitled to use its discretion, by invitation, to enable a Group 2 event to be ranked Group 1 irrespective of the minimum prizemoney requirement, or maintain such event as a Group 1 event in circumstances where the event has been conducted for a period in excess of 25 years.
Where the Group Race is ranked Group 1 under this clause, it will be referred to as a ‘protected’ Group 1 event. Any event granted ‘protected status’ will have such status reviewed annually by the GCA Racing Sub-Committee.
8. Special Event Status
The GCA Racing Sub-Committee may consider applications for events to receive Group ranking outside the primary and general criteria set down, provided the GCA Racing Sub Committee is satisfied with the reasons detailed in the special application.
Where the GCA Racing Sub-Committee agrees to provide a ranking outside of primary and general criteria, the event will be considered to have received ‘special status’. All ‘special status’ rankings will be reviewed by the GCA Racing Sub-Committee annually.
9. Condition of Entry Variations
Any event, which in the opinion of the GCA Racing Sub-Committee, has its conditions of entry or eligibility conditions significantly amended and which is therefore considered to be a ‘new’ event, may be classified as such and be subject to the criteria for New Events.
10. Drop in Group Status conditions for re-elevation
Should any event drop in status for whatever reason, that event shall not be elevated to a higher status until it has been conducted for a minimum period of three years and carried appropriate prizemoney for the new ranking.
Levies for Group Races
Levies apply to all Group Races which are approved by the GCA Racing Sub-Committee and included in the Group Race Calendar.
Invoices are forwarded to each club by the GCA Treasurer. The levies payable are as follows:
• Group 1 $1575 plus GST.
• Group 2 $1050 plus GST.
• Group 3 $525 plus GST.
• Listed $265 plus GST.
Future increases to minimum stakes requirements
Any future increases to minimum stakes requirements for Group status criteria after 1/7/2024 will be based on compounded CPI from that date.