Maitland Greyhound Club will host back-to-back programs on Wednesday and Thursday following successful repairs to the damaged track but this kind of sequence will not continue beyond next month.

Greyhound Racing NSW this week released their race date allocation for 2015-2016 with Maitland to lose their Wednesday meetings and revert to Thursday only. 

Part of this shift from the state governing body includes increasing the weekly Thursday meetings from 10 to 11 races when allowed by nominations.

A total of 51 race meetings are planned for Maitland next season with one Friday night, the group 2 Gold Cup on April 8.

The latest changes come into effect from July 1 with Maitland’s last TAB C meeting scheduled for Wednesday, June 24.

Meanwhile, Maitland Greyhound Club sponsorship and promotions manager Fred Robertson said participants had relished the chance to be back racing for the first time since the Gold Cup on April 17.

“We are back and racing,” Robertson said.

“And it’s not a bad sort of meeting either.

“Normally Wednesdays can be a bit slower than Thursdays, but this one is a little bit different. 

“I think the trainers are just keen to have a run at Maitland again.”

The track at Maitland Showground has undergone repairs after suffering extensive damage in last month’s superstorm and flooding. 

Robertson said an estimated 1350 tonnes of sand was used in completely replacing the former surface.

However, the club is still ­waiting on parts to fix the 16 power boxes on the inside of the track. These work the lights, ­timing devices, starting boxes and electric bunny.

This means that this week’s and next week’s race meetings at Maitland will be held during the day. 

Robertson said the Jason Mackay-trained Richmond winner Smart Missile (race seven, number two) was his best bet of the day.

First race jumps at 1.35pm

Racing continues at Maitland on Thursday with a 10-race meeting from 12.21pm.

In other greyhound news the Group 1 Peter Mosman Classic heats at Wentworth Park are less than a fortnight away.