Greyhound Racing NSW is excited and delighted to announce that legendary Australian rock band the Hoodoo Gurus will perform a concert on track at Wentworth Park on TAB Million Dollar Chase Grand Final night, October 18.
Already the biggest night in the greyhound racing, where one dog will win for their connections the $1 million first prize, today’s announcement ensures the event will be a highlight on the racing calendar this Spring.
While the night will see the sport’s fastest dogs, and its latest millionaire crowned, welfare remains a high priority for GRNSW, with all proceeds from tickets sold for the evening going to the Greyhounds As Pets NSW program, the charity arm of GRNSW, which rehomes dogs after their racing careers have finished.
The significance of the Hoodoo Gurus returning to perform at a greyhound track will not be lost on their many fans, or anyone who grew up with their music in the 1980s.
It was 35 years ago when the band had their first major hit, ‘My Girl’, and the film clip accompanying the song featured a greyhound named My Girl, and her ‘trainer’, Hoodoo Gurus’ lead singer, Dave Faulkner.
“When we made the video for our first hit single, ‘My Girl’, we thought it would be fun to turn it into the story of a greyhound trainer and his dog,” Faulkner explained.
“Ever since, people thought I wrote the actual song about a dog – I didn’t … but the fact people thought I did shows that the film clip was memorable and touched people.
“Now, decades later, the Hoodoo Gurus are finally coming full circle by playing at Wentworth Park on a night which will benefit Greyhounds As Pets, a program that re-trains dogs once they finish racing in order to give them a fresh start as family pets.
“It’s going to be a fantastic night of racing and rock and roll for a very good cause.”
The TAB Million Dollar Chase series has visited 14 regional venues over the past five weeks, with dogs qualifying for the semi-finals of the series to be run on October 11 in the city. A week later, the event will come to a thrilling climax with the Grand Final – the world’s richest greyhound race – run at Wentworth Park on October 18.
The evening now has a major addition off the track, after the last race.
“This is a fantastic announcement for greyhound racing and is the icing on what will be the biggest night the sport has ever seen,” GRNSW Chief Executive Officer Tony Mestrov said.
“You don’t have to have lived in the 1980s to have heard the song My Girl, which, along with other Hoodoo Gurus’ hits, still receive regular airplay on radio today.
“And of course it wasn’t that long ago when their hit, ‘What’s My Scene’ became an anthem for rugby league with the ‘That’s My Team’ campaign.
“To have an iconic Australian band such as the Hoodoo Gurus perform on TAB Million Dollar Chase Grand Final night is a massive coup.”
Tickets to the TAB Million Dollar Chase Grand Final and Hoodoo Gurus concert are just $20, with proceeds going to GAP NSW. Tickets go on sale today at www.milliondollarchase.com.au.
