Expanded Festival of Fire to heat up Angle Park in December
Now in its fourth year, the Festival of Fire is back and bigger than ever in 2024, with a new event added to the two-week year-end celebration of South Australian greyhound racing.
This year’s series will see The Ember added to the Festival of Fire program and will offer our short course specialists a terrific opportunity to take part in the newest and most exciting fortnight on the South Australian racing calendar.
Run over the 342m distance, the Ember will see our best 16 nominations take part heading towards a $10,000 final as part of the Festival of Fire finals nights on Thursday, December 19th.
The Festival of Fire is a year end celebration for the local industry, which provides fantastic opportunities across the entire spectrum of racing classes, now across all four distances at Angle Park, the home of SA greyhound racing.
Once again, the ‘Festival of Fire’ series will provide opportunities for the best 48 nominations for the 530m trip, the best 16 nominations over 595m and the best 8 nominations for a 730m event.
There will also be heats and final of a restricted event (0-5 wins) running from Saturday morning to Thursday night which will provide a separate opportunity for that category of runner. There will also be a 530m Time Graded event for those greyhounds that rate towards the end of the Time Grading table.
The Festival of Fire series will commence on the race night of Thursday December 12, continue into the Saturday morning timeslot (December 14) and then culminate in 6 finals and a special stayers event carrying a collective purse in excess of $110,000 the following Thursday night (December 19).
Conditions –
• Greyhounds must be SA trained.
• Greyhounds must be in South Australia as of midnight 1st November 2024 to be eligible (greyhounds that have not had their first training amendment lodged that are in SA at this time will be eligible). For those greyhounds that have left the state prior to this date however are considered SA based on the Nationals criteria of 76 days out of 150 days prior to close of nominations for each event will be eligible but still must be SA trained for the series.
• All races will be Non Penalty
THURSDAY 12TH DECEMBER
THE ASHES (530M) – Best 16 Nominated – Selected by the GRSA Grader – No Reserves – Maidens Ineligible – Maximum of Two Heats – Guarding applies for Heats
Heats Thursday 12th December (Open City A Prizemoney)– Final Thursday 19th December (1st $20,000, 2nd 5,800, 3rd 2,900)
THE INFERNO (530M) – For those greyhounds not selected for The Ashes and not selected for The Flame. Best 32 Nominated on Time Rating with Reserves – Maidens are Ineligible – Maximum of Four Heats - Selection of Heats will be Guarded and Separated under normal Heat and Final rules. If same Time Rating most race wins go in and then most prizemoney go in and then by Graders Discretion).
Heats Thursday 12th December (Grade 5 City A Prizemoney)– Final Thursday 19th December (1st $12,500, 2nd 3,650, 3rd 1,825)
THE FLAME (530M) – Lowest Ranked 32 Nominated on Time Rating – With Reserves - Maidens are Ineligible – Maximum Four Heats Guarding Applies. Selection of Heats will be Guarded and Separated under normal Heat and Final rules. If same Time Rating greyhounds with the least race wins go in then the least amount of prizemoney go in and then by Graders Discretion. Greyhounds must have had atleast one race start over 455m or further in the last 3 months prior to close of nominations to be eligible.
Heats Thursday 12th December (Grade 6 City A Prizemoney) – Final Thursday 19th December (1st $10,000, 2nd 2,900, 3rd 1,450)
*Reserves may be the same for Inferno and Flame, preference if a scratching will be given to Inferno series. The Grader reserves the right to formulate the Reserves as required with the view to providing opportunities for all greyhounds where possible.
THE BONFIRE (595M) – Best 16 Nominated – Selected by the GRSA Grader – With Reserves – Maidens Ineligible – Maximum of Two Heats – Guarding applies for Heats
Heats Thursday 12th December (Open City A Prizemoney) – Final Thursday 19th December (1st $15,000, 2nd 4,400, 3rd 2,200)
Remaining events determined by nominations received for other events.
*If All Heats Are Taken Then GRSA Will Allow Any 730m Greyhound Nominated For This Night To Solo Trial In Preparation For The Blaze On Thursday 19th December however GRSA will also program a Stayers event at Angle Park on Saturday.
SATURDAY 14TH DECEMBER
THE SPARK (530M) – Best 64 Nominated (0-5 Wins Only) – Selected by the GRSA Grader With Reserves – Maidens are Eligible – Maximum of Eight Heats – Guarding of Heats apply (Greyhounds are not Eligible if have a race start on Thursday 12th December).
Heats Saturday 14th December (Open City B Prizemoney) – Final Thursday 19th December (1st $10,000, 2nd 2,900, 3rd 1,450)
(NEW EVENT) THE EMBER (342M) – Best 16 Nominated – Selected by the GRSA Grader – With Reserves – Maidens Ineligible – Maximum of Two Heats – Guarding applies for Heats (Greyhounds are not eligible if have a race start on Thursday 12th December).
Heats Saturday 14th December (Open City B Prizemoney) – Final Thursday 19th December (1st $7,000, 2nd 2,000, 3rd 1,000)
Remaining events determined by nominations received for other events if required.
THURSDAY 19TH DECEMBER
THE BLAZE (730M) – Open Event– Selected by the GRSA Grader – With Reserves – Maidens Ineligible
Thursday 19th December – Best 8 (1st $10,000, 2nd 2,900, 3rd 1,450, Unplaced $400)
Finals – The Ashes, The Inferno, The Bonfire, The Flame ,The Spark and The Ember.
Remaining events determined by nominations received for other events.
GRSA reserves the right to vary conditions of heats as required based on nominations