Here's a cut and Paste from GRV Website.

CITY SPEED
Friday 29 July, 2011

Sandown sprint times to register 2 to 3 lengths quicker than before

New starting boxes were operated for the first time at Sandown Park last night over the 515 metre race distance.

The new boxes are more accurate in terms of recording race times than ever before, as the timer is now started by the lid rams rather than the starting box handle with the old metropolitan boxes.

As a result, times are going to be around 2 to 3 lengths quicker than was previously the case.

“The old system meant that the timer is triggered just prior to when the lids actually open, whereas with the new boxes the timer begins in line with when the lids open”, said GRV’s Racing & Infrastructure Manager Mark Dooley.

Race times are now more accurate over
Sandown's 515 metres journey.

Greyhound Racing Victoria is in its third year of a Starting Box Replacement and Reconditioning Plan and has installed 13 new or reconditioned sets of starting boxes at Victorian tracks over the last 12 months.

“The Meadows is next on the agenda with their boxes due for replacement in September 2011 and I would anticipate a similar scenario at The Meadows with their race times. GRV is planning for all of Victoria’s tracks to have new or reconditioned starting boxes installed by early next year”, Dooley added.