RICHARD DEVENISH
Peterborough trainer Richard Devenish has decided to scale back his training operation, and with partner Dilys Steels, will concentrate on breeding and rearing.
He said: “The second batch of graded prize money cutbacks have hit the kennel hard. We have always relied on owners and they just don’t want to know anymore. Peter Band was one of our biggest owners and he said he has had enough.
“When we started out at Peterborough in 1983, Rex Perkins was paying us £10 per runner. It is now £20 plus the fiver BGRF money and that is with betting shop and RPGTV contracts.
“We used to have a minimum of 30 racing dogs. We are now down to 15 and having spoken to some of the owners, I can see that number dropping dramatically.
“I will keep my licence for those dogs we still have, but hopefully have a handful of our own open racers in the future. I am not the only one who is fed up. I was talking to . . . .(one of Peterborough’s biggest kennel owners) last week and he is also planning to pack it in.
“It has become impossible to make a living as a trainer, and to be quite honest, I think the spirit of greyhound racing has gone.”
Richard and Dilys’ ‘Glatton’ pups have built a reputation for rearing top class greyhounds, track and coursing, for over 40 years and on the plus side for British breeding, they are now prepared to rear pups for other people.
They currently have two young litters for sale. They are both by Confident Rankin (sire of Clares Rocket, Clonbrien Prince and Ballyanne Sim – to name but three) out of litter sisters Tea For Tess and Thameside Bound (Head Bound-Milliesupreme).
The pair ran second and third in the BGBF Oaks with Tess also winning the BGBF Puppy Oaks at Romford.
The dog pups are very competitively priced at £1,200 and the bitches are £1,000.
Anyone interested can contact Richard or Dilys on 01733 840534
Just decided to run this pic – because we like it – Ed
