Kennel cough restrictions ease although the impact on greyhound field sizes continues at Hatrick

The impact of kennel cough on field sizes at Hatrick Raceway is expected to ease in the coming weeks.

The huge impact that the current outbreak of kennel cough amongst greyhounds is having is clearly illustrated by the eight races which have been carded for this evening's Hatrick meeting.

Kennel cough is a viral infection that spreads rapidly between greyhounds with symptoms and the associated impact very much like human influenza.

Not all greyhounds in a kennel are impacted by kennel cough and that has led to an easing in restrictions, which potentially will see race fields not being as severely affected as seen over recent weeks.

Infected kennels have been subjected to a racing stand-down lasting for as long as 10 days from their last known infection.

However, that edict has now changed. Any greyhounds within an infected kennel who remain symptom-free for 10 days from the first known kennel infection can resume racing.

That means symptom-free greyhounds from the powerful Lisa Cole kennels can return to racing from next week.

It's a later meeting start to racing than normal this evening, with the first race set down to be dispatched by the starter from the 305m traps at 6.31pm.

The main event is the race 6 open class 305m sprint which mainly features locally based trainers.

Melissa Olden has five sprinters engaged in the dash with Criminal Justice and last Friday's 17.76s 305m winner Life Is Good looming as her leading prospects.

Richard Waite produced Elusive Alibi for his 17.87s 305m win last week and he is seeking to serve up a repeat dose.

Veteran local conditioner Freddy Kite will watch his charge Sedgebrook Lover attempting to swoop around the outer from his eight-trap draw. He has previously featured from the wide trap.

Foxton trainer Angela Turnwald will try to prevent a locally prepared post-race podium clean sweep with her open class debut sprinter Yasawa Lights. He holds the quickest winning 305m time in the field at 17.57s, which he delivered in his easy last start win. He will hop away from trap seven.

The third race features the maiden graded stayers who will contest their 645m event. Taranaki trainer Peter Clark provides four of the contenders with Bigtime Ava and Big Time Abbi leading his charge.

His daughter, Mellissa, will be looking to upstage her father with Oh Miss Jordie from her trap-one draw.

Adding interest to the race is the Olden-prepared Young Dumb Broke who is making her staying debut. A competitive effort is expected from her.