DONCASTER, ASKERN, AND SO MUCH MORE FOR THE WATSONS

We are just 14 months away from one of the biggest greyhound industry shake-ups in decades. On December 31 2023 the media rights deal that broadcasts racing from the four Entain tracks to SIS, and onto the betting industry, will come to an end. Racing from Crayford, Hove, Monmore and Romford will switch to the ARC service. To put that into some perspective, at present SIS broadcast 53 greyhound meetings per week, including four from Central Park which will cease at the end of next month. Roll on a year and SIS/RPGTV also lose the 22 Entain meetings including many of the most lucrative slots in the racing week – notably Friday and Saturday night.

The recent opening of Oxford will fill some of those slots but there is still a significant shortfall. It is the industry’s worst kept secret that the Watson family are, or have been expanding their portfolio, to add the last independent/flapping track in England, Askern.

It is also true, and by their own admission, that the Watsons are a very private family ‘we do our own thing’ and do not court media exposure. Fortunately, Doncaster boss Robert Watson agreed to update us on the latest development

So what exactly has happened? – asks Floyd Amphlett.

 

The major story is the confirmation that the deal to buy Askern, less than a ten minute car journey from Doncaster, was completed back in September, and Robert has a firm timetable for the return of racing in almost exactly a year’s time.

Rather that just talk about his plans, we took a drive to where the old stadium is firmly behind lock and chain. I hadn’t visited the place since it was run by Douggie Flint with an inside hare with the starting traps in chutes. But it was a pleasant surprise; the track itself looked in good nick. The circuit had also changed since I was last there but it looks fair, despite its slightly flat bends.

Robert said: “To be honest, the agreement to buy it was reached a long time ago, but the deal was only completed a couple of months ago. I have spoken to Richard Brankley (SIS) and we will be looking to re-open roughly next November, to enable us to be ready for the January.

“It is only a small track but very safe and was popular with the local dog men.  The track is very wide, perhaps too wide, so we may bring the hare rail in a small amount. We will also move the winning line, at least 20 metres, possibly more, depending on where we locate the judge’s box. We need to bank the bends and I think it will be quite similar to Romford and a great option for dogs who find the Doncaster 483m too tough.”

Rather like the situation at Henlow and Suffolk Downs, the Askern model is based on not being open to the public. Apart from the bungalow on site, all the other buildings will be flattened and a new GBGB specification kennel block built.

Robert said: “We will have a canteen area for the greyhound trainers and the gates will be open but the bigger meetings, and the evening meetings, will take place at Doncaster where we can accommodate a crowd.

“If we control the areas that are visible to the cameras for the betting shops, we can make it look quite smart. But at the end of the day it will mainly be the track that will be visible and that will be completely rebuilt with new running rails and double bar outside fences, fresh sand, and a new hare rail.

But Askern is only half the deal. As is also common knowledge, the Watson’s have also bought Ron Thompson’s yard, which is an immediate neighbour of the Doncaster track and here too the plans are spectacular. (Ron is still on site with half a dozen horses with an agreement that he can stay as long as he chooses).

Robert said: “It is 28 acres and as I think Ron would be the first to admit, it is looking a bit tired. But the scope is fantastic. We already have Ken Bowman and Lee Macmanus training from Analese’s old kennels. But there are immediate options, within the next couple of months, to convert other stables for upto 104 greyhounds, plus scope to build more. There are virtually unlimited paddocks that just need to be tidied up plus a gallop and a pool to swim the dogs that Ron used for his horses.”

At this point it might be worth explanding a little more about Robert Watson.

At 33, he is the youngest track operator in the country, but spend five minutes in his company and it is obvious that the guy knows his stuff. As a kid, he was being taught the intricasies of the racing office by the late great Barbara Tompkins. He left school (several years before he ought) to work with well known flapping man Trevor Evans training Ted Watson’s greyhounds. Between then and now, there is nothing about running a greyhound stadium that Robert hasn’t mastered.

Of course, Robert is part of a bigger dynasty. Dad Ted has owned a string of high quality hounds over the year, one of the best known being the Lister trained Northern Puppy Derby winner Redbrick Stuart. Robert’s mum still has a kennel at the track and nephew Jimmy Gaskin is making inroads as one of the bright young open race trainers on the circuit. Even Robert’s seven year old twins already have their chores in preparing for a race meeting.

Make no mistake, Robert Watson is a grass roots dog man and his eyes light up when he explains his real passion about the stables site.

He said: “I want to breed ten litters a year there eventually. We’ve had a couple of litters recently and we’ve got some potentially good brood bitches. There is more than enough space for all the paddocks and also a huge gallop.

“There is a list of greyhound men who are keen to train but just don’t have any kennels. We will have openings here for Doncaster and Askern with some trainers already asking for dual attachment. I also plan to build a block for the retired dogs so we can keep the whole thing in-house.

“This is a massive project that will take a lot of time and money, but I really believe in what we are doing. I don’t agree with the people who say that greyhound racing is finished. My plans are based on racing still being around in 15 years and am prepared to invest towards that.”

So what of Doncaster? Like most modern tracks, it ticks over nicely. They stage four meetings per week, and although only two of them would be attended evening meetings, everything was absolutely spotless for public consumption with a healthy whiff of cleaning fluid and disinfectant. It is the track though that takes priority.

Robert said: “That is my responsibility. It isn’t an easy track to keep right because the water table is so high. We had to get a sand that is very good at draining and it has worked. We’ve had a few heavy downpours recently and the track has taken the water no problems at all. In fact we had an inspection by the STRI people and the guy told me that it was one of the best surfaces he had seen.”

Over the years, there is no job within the stadium that Robert hasn’t mastered, including grading. But with RM Andrew Morley currently on compasionate leave, it is Jack and Sarah Saunders, formerly of Belle Vue, who are running racing matters. Their tutor was a certain Bob Rowe (you might have heard of him!).*

Robert said: “Some of Jack’s grading has just been outstanding. There is so little crowding at the bends and lots of tight finishes. You wouldn’t always realise that the grading is as tight as it is if you were to look at the betting. I really don’t understand how these industry odds work. We’ve had instances recently of two dogs running against each other. One has beaten the other, and for no reason I can see, when they meet again, the bookies want to make the beaten dog favourite. It makes no sense.”

On the track, Doncaster welcome back the open racers this month with the BGBF British Bred St Leger starting next Wednesday.

Which leads to the question, why was there no Doncaster St.Leger this year?

Robert said: “I applied to run two £8,000 competitions at the same time with the supporting card to be a full card of £1,000 finals. But we didn’t even receive an acknowledgement from GBGB.”

*The track are still looking for someone with racing office experience to add to the team both in the short and longer term with Askern.