The state racing ban could cut the deepest yet across the greyhound industry.
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Tasmanian training great Anthony Bullock has dogs at his Exeter kennels that can expect never to race again.
Posh Amber has been one of the first casualties, forced to retire after 130 starts for 30 wins and 71 places plus more than $65,000 in earnings.
More than a month into government action against three racing codes, Bullock said the ban hurts the shorter lifespan of greyhounds.
"We have a shorter time frame for our dogs for racing at our top," he said.
"So a lot of our dogs in the last two to three months, it's their peak time for racing as in their peak of their ability.
"While we have pups sitting here doing nothing, who should be getting ready for racing, we also have the dogs bordering on retiring to go to a retirement home now.
"Harness and turf can turn theirs out and get them ready in three months, which is probably not a big time in a horse's life, but taking three months in a peak time of a lead greyhound is."
The government extended the ban last week until May 15, but panic is starting to set into the industry should a meeting on Friday between both parties not resolve the impasse over strict protocols.
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Bullock is arguably feeling it more than most for the 75 greyhounds on his books.
"If it goes any longer than June, I will probably have another 10, 12, even 14 dogs retired because it will be a waste of time getting them back up," he said.
"You're going to lose a percentage of your dogs because of the fact of their age group."
The dogs need to run trials first before returning to race to gather times and form.
"We won't know until we get them back to track if we've got the same dog we were first left with."
Bullock expects to return to regional racing first to stop the coronavirus pandemic.
That could test the depth of talent at Mowbray without the best taking on the best.
"It will make it difficult for some trainers because I'm probably the leading trainer in the North and Ted Medhurst is in the South, and the rest of them will have to take us on," he said.
"They're going to be on a hiding to nothing."
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