FORTY years in greyhound journalism and I cannot remember being at such a low ebb.
In the early 70s the sport was buzzing. More than 50 tracks in the UK were treating us to some great action.
Brilliant performers such as Patricias Hope, Jimsun, Myrtown, Balliniska Band and Lacca Champion were thrilling the public and crowds of around 30,000 regularly attended Derby finals, which were run on lush turf at White City, London.
We were also drenched in publicity, thanks to the Greyhound Express, The Sporting Life, Sporting Chronicle, Greyhound Owner and Greyhound Magazine, while the Mirror, Mail, Express and Sun gave dog racing brilliant extra national coverage.
Inevitably, the opening of betting shops in 1961 was gradually starting to eat away at crowd levels.
This hungry off-course threat that would, over the years, lead to half of our stadiums being devoured was still not being treated seriously.
. . . and the dream is to stage the Derby next year
THE best news to hit greyhound racing in goodness knows how long has been confirmed by Harry Findlay, whose bid to re-open Coventry has been given the green light by the GBGB with the granting of a licence by the ruling body.
“When I got that licence in my hand yesterday it was like a dream come true, we are now ready to rumble and the plan is to stage our first meeting on Sunday evening, 20 May with a ten-race all open card.”
Coventry’s Brandon Stadium stopped trading in December 2009 and has remained dormant greyhound-wise ever since but Findlay pledges the track will come back in style. “This is for the benefit of owners, trainers and the public and greyhound racing in general,” said the flamboyant new promoter.
“We don’t want anything to do with BAGS racing, have told the GBGB that we won’t be seeking any grants, a system which I consider wrong, and will go with this under our own steam in a bid to make what is a great track the best in the country.
They demand immediate negotiations...
IN a climate where the number of licenced trainers has suffered a year on year fall of 108 (over 10%), continuing the recent trend, there is now evidence that there are resources available to help trainers who are in financial difficulties.
Recent initiatives such as the owners’ bonus scheme and the Bags track championship are welcome but only benefit graded trainers. One group who have not benefitted are open race trainers.
Quality open racing is now seen as a means of driving turnover with an increasing presence at Bags meetings, RPGTV, and Sky Sports. For example:
* Ladbrokes have recently declared “the quality of racing (Racing Post Greyhounds TV) has been quite exceptional and boosted turnover.”
* William Hill talks of a six-figure boost to turnover at Newcastle on a recent Sky meeting.
* Coral have stated “our on-line and telephone business has seen great upturn.”
* Betfair: “RPGTV has made a very encouraging start in terms of the positive impact it has had on turnover.” Betfair regularly match over £1m per evening.
* Bet365 “we have so far seen excellent levels of business on the RPGTV programme, with turnover exceeding our expectation.”
But venue and sponsor yet to be confirmed...
MARCH fast approaches but there is no firm indication thus far over the venue and timing for the TV Trophy, a standing order for live coverage on Sky Sports and one of the most eagerly-awaited greyhound shows on the box.
The delay has consequently seen a number of trainers expressing concern about the event, traditionally staged in the first half of the year, either in April or May, actually taking place.
However, there was reassuring news yesterday from the show’s producer, Dave Lawrence, that the competition will go ahead and a September slot is looking favourite.
“There is every intention on the GRA’s part, and ours, to stage the TV Trophy and it would be helpful if a would-be promoter would come forward with an offer to put it on while we would also like to hear from a potential sponsor,” he said.
Sunday night specials to continue...
SITTINGBOURNE’S big and much appreciated (especially by trainers) effort in putting on top class racing during their experimental Sunday night BAGS meetings paid off handsomely yesterday when BAGS informed the Medway town track that they are keen to continue with the meetings through to 18 December.
At a time when promoters are experiencing tough times attendance-wise it is excellent news for Sittingbourne, who will now be on three BAGS meetings a week until the end of the year. They threw a considerable amount of their BAGS income at Sunday night prizemoney and have got the reward they deserve.
“This is what we’ve been aiming for and been working hard at,” said racing manager, Jess Packer, yesterday. “We pumped a lot of money into prizemoney and it’s worked for us, it’s very good news for the track.
Bookies to consider options to extend experimental Sunday evening meetings...
THE experimental Sunday evening BAGS meetings at Poole and Sittingbourne have been given a one week extension for this Sunday, thus giving the bookmakers’ fixture compilers the option to continue Sunday evening racing indefinitely at the two venues.
BAGS are due to hold a meeting this week to decide whether or not to push on with the meetings and a yes vote would be great news for the two tracks, but all will depend on the feedback they are compiling and assessing from betting shops.
The meetings were initially introduced as a suck it and see experiment and the encouraging news is that “due to demand from some bookmakers” – BAGS terminology, not ours – the meeting will go ahead and a decision made at their London offices within the next couple of days.
IAN LAVERY MP more than echoed the sentiments of practitioners everywhere when interviewed by Richard Birch in the Racing Post this week in that commentator's Inside Track column.
A greyhound fan all his life and proud part-owner of the Harry Williams-trained Blue Artisan, Lavery was responding to the usual salvo of questions that Birch regularly fires at his 'guests' and it was the poser which asked 'what one thing would you change about greyhound racing?' which prompted a stern response.
Given his head, the Right Honourable Gentleman could have filled the page on the subject but nevertheless he went to town on this particular question.
THE news last month that greyhound racing would be receiving only around £6 million from the off-course Fund levy from betting shops this year is sure to put pressure on prizemoney. However, cutting prizemoney has done much to damage the sport over the years. In fact, greyhound promoters need to change their mindset and priorities if greyhound racing is to move forward. Low prizemoney has driven fed up greyhound owners away from the industry and is destroying the fabric of the sport.
John Coleman, with over 50 years experience of working in the sport, today in the Racing Post shares his fears for the future of Greyhound Racing.
Reading the recent story regarding Belle Vue's apparent uncertainty over staging its Scurry and Gold Collar due to lack of sponsorship made me really question just where it had all gone wrong. Belle Vue was the track where Greyhound Racing began on July 24 1926 - effectively sinnalling in the start of the GRA. Over the next remarkable years, the company, sustained by the popularity and financial success of its Greyhound Racing activities, quickly became one of the leading entertainment groups in Britain.
Offering its equity to the public, GRA saw its shares become a hit on the London Stock Exchange. Within a few years of openining at Belle Vue, other company tracks opened in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.
The total soon rose to 9 and they became synonymous with enterprise, immaculate presentation, imaginitave promotion, lively publicity and large crowds.
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