Greyhound racing looks set to continue in the Southern Highlands, with the Moss Vale club being rated one of the best in the state by the sport's governing body.
No decision on the closure of country tracks has been made by Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) though its chairman Percy Allan has invited all clubs to meet with his board next month to discuss their future, following the release of club rankings as part of an ongoing review of the industry.
The rankings, formulated through the application of various criteria and weightings, have increased Moss Vale Greyhound Racing Club president Des Bentley's optimism that Moss Vale Showground will remain a venue for dog racing and not be cut from the itinerary.
Though the track's condition and image is considered to be among the six worst in NSW, overall the Moss Vale club is ranked 11th out of 40.
With one track in Moss Vale's zone expected to get the chop, Bentley believes the rankings have made Nowra the firm favourite.
Dapto, Appin and Bulli have all rated better than Moss Vale - third, sixth and ninth respectively - while Goulburn is listed 15th overall. Nowra is 39th.
"We've come through quite well, I think we're safe," said Bentley, who confirmed the club would hold discussions with GRNSW.
"We're very happy with the ranking and it should ensure our survival.
"We've always been confident because we've never had trouble getting nominations or people through the gate - but we're even more confident now."
In addition to track condition and image, criteria taken into consideration in producing the state rankings included club finances and operations (in which Moss Vale ranked third) plus accessibility and industry and community participation (in which Moss Vale ranked fifth).
After the rankings were made public, on Friday, Professor Allan said it was important for clubs to discuss with his board "not only what they see their future to be in the greyhound racing industry, but how best to implement the reforms that are necessary to confront the problems that are hampering the development and viability of the sport."