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Post by SALFORD GIRL on Nov 3, 2017 11:47:16 GMT
TAKEN FROM THE RACING POST - FRIDAY 3/11/17..
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Post by SALFORD GIRL on Nov 6, 2017 18:56:39 GMT
TAKEN FROM THE RACING POST MONDAY 6/11/17..THE MONDAY COLUMN BY MR PAUL BROWN... All that glitters may not be gold for greyhound racingTHE MONDAY COLUMNWE’RE at that time when people start to look ahead to next year. In greyhound racing’s case many involved in the sport have been looking ahead for quite some time and scratching their heads in bafflement when wondering what the future holds.
The Racing Partnership, part of Arena Racing Company, has been battling with SIS to become the main greyhound player, with the result being that from January next year we will have two competing greyhound services going into the betting shop estate.
However, I’m struggling to see how this surfeit of racing makes any sense. It just does not appear sustainable long-term and, surely, the combatants realise that.
Of course, those seeking to effectively control the greyhound industry – and that’s not the GBGB – have access to all the betting facts, charts and figures to possess a far clearer insight into the funding of greyhound racing than I possess, so they must see it as a battle worth winning.
It can only be a fight to the finish, though, with both seeming willing to take short-term financial hits in their attempts to become last man standing.
When two rivals with deep pockets are willing to throw money at the sport it does show how much they value it, and probably how the industry has undersold itself ever since it started mainlining on Bags.
The upside, obviously, is that tracks are receiving a big boost, resulting in long-suffering greyhound trainers (and hopefully their kennelstaff) getting a slice of the action. It must feel to some as though they have stumbled upon a poor man’s version of El Dorado if the rumours of golden hellos, handcuffs and retainers are true.
Even owners, who I’ve often been told must regard commitments to paying bills as the costs of enjoying a hobby, are now seeing run money rising. Henlow is a good example of spreading the love.
The major issue is just where all the runners to fuel this sudden glut of meetings are going to come from.
Sales meetings in Ireland are apparently seeing low-grade dogs snapped up who previously would have been left alone – fodder for the soon-to-be relentless wheel of racing – but even then there are unlikely to be enough paws on the ground to fuel both the rivals’ needs for too long.
After all, the breeding industry in Ireland has long been on a downward spiral and, although a financial imperative will surely turn it around, it can’t happen instantly. It’s the old cliche of turning around an oil tanker – possible but very slow.
The rivals appear confident the numbers can be found, so working on the assumption that only one of the media groups will be left standing in due course, where will that leave the game, and more pertinently those who have become used to the cash that has accompanied the shoot-out?
If the breeding industry does manage to reverse the decline and start pumping out litters, what will happen when, as seems likely, that demand halts as swiftly as it arose?
It doesn’t take much of a stretch to see the welfare problem that could result, especially if the extra cash on offer fails to lure owners back.
With trainers now owning many dogs themselves, and having to take on extra to keep up with the racing demands, there will be an awful lot of ex-racers needing homes. With the beady eyes of the welfare lobby already more firmly fixed upon the sport than ever before, there can be no shortcuts in that direction.
One industry player outlined to me that “money will be on offer for a while but things will get back to normal once it all shakes out”.
The opinion was offered openly and probably without even the realisation it was quite eye-opening and chilling to those of us who have an enthusiasm for the game.
To him it was simply a matter of paying as little as possible for what I hate to hear referred to as ‘the product’, even if that’s what it is to those who hold the purse strings.
There may be short-term winners in this rights scramble but you have to fear for the long-term.
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Post by BVADMIN on Nov 8, 2017 14:01:38 GMT
Towcester will be racing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from January but will also continue with their Saturday morning meeting – and all with boosted prize money. Track boss Kevin Ackerman also revealed that they were thwarted in their attempt to secure the Laurels writes Floyd Amphlett.
The Northamptonshire racecourse have announced that they finally signed their new media rights deal earlier this week which will give their owners and trainers long term security.
Although sprint prize money has increased, there has been an increased emphasis on improved benefits for the standard and stayers races. Other changes include switching the Saturday morning meeting to six-runner fields and prioritising Saturday evening for the major open race competitions.
That could have started as early as this December when the track offered to stage the Laurels as a category one event with £10,000 to the winner.
Ackerman said: “I spoke to Clive Feltham and told him we were interested but he explained that he had already agreed with Joe O’Donnell (ARC) that they had first option.
“Best of luck to them, we will have plenty of other events to keep us busy. My only observation would be this – when events are of such huge historical importance to the industry, and category one competitions, if a track decides not to stage them, would it not be in the sport’s best interests for them to be handed over to the governing body? That way, it would be up to the tracks to bid the best package.
“But I want to make it clear, that is not a criticism of Clive Feltham, who did exactly that with the most important event of all, the English Derby. Nor is it any type of swipe at Newcastle. Many people will feel that the calendar for top class events is already too Southern based. But I think the principle is important.
“Certainly horse racing would its major races as sacrosanct. Maybe greyhound racing has become a bit brainwashed by the bookmakers into believing that graded racing is paramount, when in fact, graded racing relies on its prestige events for the continuation of breeding and ownership.”
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Post by SALFORD GIRL on Nov 10, 2017 13:02:50 GMT
TAKEN FROM THE RACING POST - FRIDAY 10/11/17
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Post by BVADMIN on Nov 13, 2017 10:39:40 GMT
TAKEN FROM THE RACING POST - MONDAY 13/11/17
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Post by SALFORD GIRL on Nov 13, 2017 11:39:47 GMT
This is a very good article by Dave Clark in today's RP.
It is a worry about the loss of greyhound racing on the TV in 2018. This needs sorting out as soon as possible.
Another thing I would like to see is all track publishing what prize-money they intend to pay owners next year at there tracks.
Payment to the trainers tracks employ is another topic but to be honest not an owners concern we only buy the greyhounds and place then in there care for racing.
It's good to see Towcester and Henlow put out in the open what prize money will be available at there venues in 2018.
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Post by BVADMIN on Nov 16, 2017 9:16:59 GMT
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Post by SALFORD GIRL on Nov 21, 2017 13:58:30 GMT
TAKEN ROM THE GREYHOUND STAR WEBSITE: greyhoundstar.co.uk/doncaster-top-heat-170/DONCASTER TOP HEAT WINNER TO GET £170Doncaster have announced a huge increase in prize money as they join the SIS service from January writes Floyd Amphlett.
Top heat A1 will be £170, though since the track stages so many opens and A1s are rare, it might be easier to compare the A2s which will also leap from £40 for a win to £140. All beaten greyhounds will be paid £40.
Win prize money: A1 – £170, A2 – £140, A3 – £130, A4 – £125, A5 – £115, A6 – £110, A7 – £105, A8 – £100..
General manager Yvonne Freeborn said: “The kennel strength is rising by the week and we on track to have the numbers for the new year.”
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Post by beanster on Nov 21, 2017 14:07:34 GMT
Well they have certainly put a marker down.
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Post by BVADMIN on Nov 21, 2017 14:17:26 GMT
Well they have certainly put a marker down.
THE TIME HAS COME NOW FOR EVERY TRACK IN THE COUNTRY TO COME CLEAN AND LET ALL OWNERS AND TRAINERS KNOW WHAT'S ON OFFER IN JANUARY 2018..
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