Membership of European federation latest sign of progress

Greece will become the 28th member of the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation following a successful inspection visit to the Marcopoulo racecourse outside Athens.

EMHF chairman Brian Kavanagh expressed hope that Greek racing was on the path to a revival of fortunes, while the organisation's secretary general Dr Paull Khan said he had been heartened by what he had seen during the official tour in November.

He said: "I was impressed by the strides that have been made over the past year to rekindle horseracing in Greece and by the enthusiasm of all concerned to ensure this upward trend continues.

"I'm sure there is much that our federation, and its member racing authorities, can do to assist Greece in its journey."

Kavanagh added: ”We warmly welcome the Jockey Club of Greece into the region’s international racing community. I hope we are witnessing the start of an era of growth in Greek racing and a return to the popularity the sport enjoyed in that country not so long ago.”

So too does everyone involved in the racing industry in a country that continues to wrestle with a debt crisis.

Petros Zafeiris, the deputy general manager of the Jockey Club of Greece, said: "This decision is of great importance for us and supports our effort not only in keeping Greek racing alive but continuing towards a status that will permit us to actively interact with other racing industries."

Accession to the EMHF follows on the heels of an agreement reached in November between the PMU and Hellas Horse Races – a subsidiary of Greece's lottery operator OPAP – to allow the country's punters to bet into French racing pools.