Coventry: been closed for greyhound racing since Boxing Day

  PICTURE: Steve Nash  

Progress being made in bid to re-open Coventry

THE possible return of greyhound racing to Coventry, which has been closed since Boxing Day, has moved a step closer with the news that former Reading boss Martyn Dore this week concluded a lease deal with stadium owner Avtar Sandhu.

Dore said: “I’ve done the deal with Mr Sandhu and all the relevant forms have now gone to the GBGB. It’s a case of waiting for them to process everything – they are saying that this a new racecourse starting up again rather than one re-opening but I hope the fact that everyone I’m bringing in is, or has been, licenced before will help speed things up.

“I’ve spoken to Irene Haselwood [area stipendiary steward] and she’s told me of a few little things that need doing. I also plan to go there next week with Jeff Sealey, who set the track up in the first place, to go through everything with him.

“We aren’t missing much not racing just now, but it doesn’t want to drag on too long. I’ve spoken to most of the trainers who were there and they are happy to wait for the time being, though you can’t ask them to hang on until the summer or anything like that.

“Hopefully we can get everything sorted with the GBGB pretty soon, get the track in good order and then start trials within the next month or so. That’s what I’m looking at.”