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JONATHAN KAY |
Weblog: Our chief correspondent on the topical issues
Upbeat news proves the tough have got going
LITTLE doubt that the past month or six weeks have been the best in terms of good news in greyhound racing for a long, long time.
Almost every day, certainly weekly, there seems to have been a new initiative announced and I suppose my personal favourite has to have been confirmation that Racing Post Greyhound TV was to launch this coming Friday, December 9.
Now I have to declare an interest here as I’m scheduled to appear occasionally on the long, thin studio couch – not as uncomfortable as I’d been warned it was I have to say! – alongside the likes of Errol Blyth, Darrell Williams and Jason Barrasford in the coming weeks.
But I’ve always been an advocate of regular televised greyhound racing because I just don’t believe any sport can survive without such coveragethese days, let alone one which is reliant on punter-interest.
People want to see a run for their money and, although many will still go to tracks to sample the atmosphere especially on big occasions, I hope and expect the firms whichhave teamed up under the Racing Post Greyhound TV umbrella – Ladbrokes, William Hill, Coral , bet365 and Betfair – to see vastly improved turnover which can only be good for greyhound racing in the long-term.
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays attract a large ‘social’ percentage of track attendance so, as stadium chiefs Gordon Bissett [Ladbrokes], Joe O’Donnell [Hills] and David MacDonald [Coral] have all said, the fact that live racing will be available in homes once again does not have to be a win-lose scenario but can be win-win.
Of course, it will be nice to find a winner or two ourselves along the way and I’m particularly looking forward to Friday’s launch when Errol Blyth is due to hold my hand through a cracking night’s racing when the Coral Essex Vase semis at Romford will be the highlight, although it’s going to feel somewhat fraudulent sharing commentary duties with the great man as is the plan.
Now how does it go? “Westmead Hawk, oh . . . my . . . GOD!”
So far as the racing action has gone the past few weeks, the Bags Track Championship isreally taking shape ahead of grand finals day at Monmore on December 23, with just one qualifier remaining in each region.
Perry Barr on Tuesday seems the Midland group come to a conclusion with Monmore having recovered from a slow start to head the aggregate scores meaning they should not miss out on their own party two days before Christmas. Either Hall Green or Swindon will join them.
After that it’s Nottingham on Friday for the denouement of the Northregion which looks between Belle Vue and Newcastle with Sheffield having just dropped off the pace after a poor leg at Newcastle on Saturday when they ended up a runner short, while Poole look too far behind in the South to take advantage of their home leg on Saturday where it seems a case of whether Hove or Crayford accompanies Romford into the final.
The race for the Trainer of the Year title remains intriguing with Chris Allsopp having taken over favouritism for the first time withHills – 11-8 with Hills as I write on Sunday morning – courtesy of Brittons Empire winning the Jem Racing Super Paws at Poole and Charlie Lister (out to 5-2) having missed out on a possible Category One bonanza when Boher Paddy had tosettle for third behind Mill Bling Bling in the Betfred Eclipse decider at Nottingham.
Mark Wallis (7-4) is still very much in contention and any of the three protagonists could be ahead following the williamhill.com Oaks final at Wimbledon on Thursday which Lister probably has to win with either Silverview Perky or Boher Princess to keep his challenge credible.
Kelly Macari isn’t going to win Trainer of the Year, or finish in the top six for that matter, but what a campaign the Sunderland handler has enjoyed in 2012 with Mill Bling Bling now a triple Category One champion after that Nottingham Eclipse success.
There is clearly some secret to her huge success from an extremely select squad, though whether it has anything to do with the rather tacky ‘Bling’ labelled underwear she wore to parade the winner as she claimed after this latest victory is open to doubt. It’s certainly not a boast I’ve heard anything of the like of from Mr Lister before!
Finally, and with reference to the excellent blog from Hills’s Lucy Rhodes here last week, I can sadly confirm that the title of world champion Christmas Cracker puller now belongs to Dolores Ruth, who proved unbeatable in that regard at a superb Greyhound Writers’ Association luncheon in London last week.
I’m advised that she’s had a fair year as a greyhound trainer as well . . . .
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@jkgreyhounds
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