The much anticipated return of the Million Dollar Chase has been announced, with Greyhound Racing NSW revealing the dates for events across the region.
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The main event will return to Wentworth Park on October 16 later this year, but several qualifiers and other regional events will again be held.
Dubbo will once again be on the timetable, with new qualifying rules guaranteeing a spot in the competition's semi-final in Wentworth to the top three finishers at each regional final.
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Dubbo's heats will take place on September 18, with the finals in Dubbo held on September 26.
In a statement attributed to Dubbo Greyhound Racing Club Secretary Courtney Norbury, the organisation welcomed the return of the Chase.
"Dubbo's excited to have the heats on the Friday and a final on September 26, last year Nangar Diva represented our region very well," Norbury said.
"They've gone on to win a number of pretty significant races following the regional final last year."
The prize money will once again turn winners into millionaires, in what was described as an 'exciting opportunity' for regional racers.
"It ensures that regions such as ours get a real shot at the world's largest racing prize," Norbury said.
GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Tony Mestrov said the importance of the prize value outweighed the concerns raised by the financial hit of COVID-19.
"Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been some concerns whether the event would take place at all, or perhaps be held with limited venues and reduced prizemoney," Mestrov said.
"While our industry and GRNSW's revenue streams have naturally been impacted during COVID-19, we have thankfully been able to continue racing during this time, and we felt being able to stage the TAB Million Dollar Chase was incredibly important to us as an industry, and for all our participants who I have been so proud of during the past four months."
With an event at the end of July and three more in August, the Dubbo track will see plenty of use in the run up to the event's formal kick-off.
"We have the three dates in August, then we race the first week of September as well, so we'll have a good lead up to allow dogs to come in and get started on the track before the regional qualifiers," Norbury said.
"We've had some strong racing recently and we've had trainers coming from all over, travelling to Dubbo which is great to see and just shows how strong regional racing is out here."
Racing begins tomorrow night at 7.05pm with ten races for the month's final event.
