By Star editor Floyd Amphlett
“He is a really good guy who puts so much into racing. He will make a good piece for your website.”
The insight of Big Kev Hutton.
Tony & Mary with Headford Harry
The plan was to call Tony Brealey a couple of weeks ago, but he and Roger Cearns had a dog in the Golden Jacket Final.
Two owners, one stone?
Sure enough, Razl Rolex landed the final. Roger Cearns was typically entertaining and his interview made for a great audio.
Now. Tony. Tony? Tony? Nothing.
Oh God, probably somebody I’ve inadvertently upset.
(I am quite prepared to upset people but hate doing so by accident)
But then late on Sunday afternoon . . .
“Hi Floyd. Sorry for the delay. Was at Crayford yesterday then Oxford in the evening. Bicester schooling track this morning. Runners at 4 tracks 4 trainers yesterday winners with all.”
It is one thing to buy expensive dogs. This industry has some very wealthy owners. But like Brendan Keogh, Simon Senyk, Kevin Boothby and the MWD’s Mike Davis, Tony Brealey’s interest in greyhounds goes way past the occasional visit to the podium and TV interview.
In ownership terms, Tony Brealey is a comparatively new kid on the block. He is also a successful businessman.
He said: “In 2006, I was working for a large company in the aerosol and liquid products business. The company wasn’t very successful and was up for sale.
“I could see considerable potential but the Plc weren’t prepared to invest so we approached them for a management buy-out. They agreed and I can remember going home and seeing the look on my wife Mary’s face when I told her that we had to raise £4.5m.
“Anyway, we managed it and we made a big success of it. The company has continued to make increasing profits, year on year. Last year and the year before were record years.
“Fast cars and fast greyhounds”
“We have now transferred the ownership of the company to a trust to be shared by the employees, with myself as managing director. I also own the buildings and it is the rent from that that allows me to do what I do.”
Although Tony Brealey has only been an active owner for six years, his interest in greyhound racing goes back very much further and his love of animals is lifelong.
He said: “I’ve always been surrounded by dogs. For many years I was actively involved in flyball and reached the British Championship Finals in 2010. I loved it.”
A North Midlands boy, Tony is based in South Derbyshire, there is a strong connection with Burton Albion FC, owned by his cousin Ben Robinson and where Tony is a regular visitor.
Wife Mary is a Leicester City fan – with her favorite player being Jamie Vardy.
(Tony bought her a signed Vardy football boot for Christmas which is proudly displayed alongside many greyhound trophies)
Tony said: “But if anyone asks, I tell them that my obsessions are greyhound racing and cars.”
(He owns a number of sports cars – motto ‘fast dogs and fast cars’)
He fails to mention, photography. Which he is very good at.
Unbeknown to us, we have even published several of Tony’s pictures. There are more featured in this article.
Tony the photographer – action shots from Oxford
To most of the industry, Tony Brealey is known for his Coppice prefix, named after his home.
But his most famous and successful hound was the Kevin Hutton trained Signet Denver, bred by Big Kev.
Tony said: “I’d had dogs with Kevin and Donna back to 2018, Headford Ranger (Steel City Cup) and Headford Zidane who broke a front leg in the Henlow Puppy Derby. Thankfully, we managed to save him and he is living out a lovely retirement with people who live near the kennel.
“When the Magical Bale/Forest Natalee litter were born, I enquired about the dog who turned out to be Signet Goofy but Kevin said ‘I’ve already put a couple aside with you in mind. Which one do you fancy?’
“Apparently, when they were trying to dream up names they had been listening to Otis Redding and John Denver music. I told Kev that I wasn’t keen on Otis Redding, but I did like John Denver. That’s chance for you.”
Fortunately, this was a raffle where they were all winning tickets. Denver’s wins included the 2022 Laurels and Produce Stakes. His career ended prematurely with a broken hock in the same year’s British Bred Derby Final.
Apart from Denver and Headford Ranger, Tony has also landed the Grand National with Coppice Fox, one of five Ricky Holloway trained winners on Saturday.
Jimmy Fenwick with the Tommy Shelby litter
The Brealey commitment to greyhound racing has continued to grow. He now has roughly 70 racers spread between four trainers.
The biggest group (37) are with Jimmy Fenwick at Newcastle. There are 26 with Kevin Hutton, including stud dog Denver, seven with Ricky H, including interests in Dazl Rolex, Razldazl Amanda and expensive Irish purchase, Scaglietti. Plus one runner with Mark Russell at Perry Barr; Coppice Ebby who completed Saturday’s winning quartet.
A significant number of the racers are young. They include Coppice Ella and Coppice Saphire who both contested the recent Northern Puppy Derby Final.
Tony said: “I would expect both of them to progress as they get older. Ella, who also ran very well at Oxford, definitely wants further than 480 and may go to Towcester. Saphire is only a September puppy.
“Jimmy also thinks a lot of Coppice Gracie who he tried to get into an open at Nottingham on Monday but there were only two entries. We would like to go for the British Breeders Stakes. I just hope that it takes place.”
In addition, Tony owns a litter of eight pups by Aussie sensation Tommy Shelby out of Coppice Belle who have been reared by Jimmy Fenwick.
There are more pups with Claire Conley, near Swindon. They include another litter of seven by Tommy Shelby out of Coppice Mary. There are four pups by Signet Denver out of Not Too Late, and another four youngsters bred by Glen Lynas and Jill Sutherst; two out of Witton Derecho and two out of Witton Razl.
Also with Claire are three pups by Explosive Boy out of Bravo Kiss and four Irish bred youngsters.
Tony said: “I know Jimmy thinks the world of the Tommy Shelby litter. They are absolute stunners. I managed to get a third straw and I gather he is speaking to her owner about the possibility of using it with Bellmore Sally.”
A picture from the ARC Northern Puppy Derby Final showing Coppice Saphire (T1) and Coppice Ella (T6) – taken by the proud owner. Insert is a pic of a younger Coppice Ella with Tony.
While there might be a world of difference between the worlds of manufacturing and greyhound racing, it would be remiss of my not to ask Tony for his views on greyhound racing as a business/industry.
He said: “There might be more in common than you would imagine. For example, when it comes to drug testing, our industry is extremely tightly regulated.
“I see greyhound trainers facing enquiries as the result of a urine sample sent to a laboratory and no chance of a second sample for themselves. Yet we often get different results from a sample sent to two different laboratories.
“As an industry, aerosol manufacturing has had to face a lot of harsh, and regularly inaccurate news coverage. We have had to learn to manage our PR very efficiently.
“In general, I see very little positive action coming out of GBGB. The only time that they contact me is to find out what has happened to a particular dog.
“There is no encouragement from them for me to become an owner. I see no coherent plan for marketing and no investment in the industry.
Meet Coppice Frank – named after Tony’s father. Now 39 kilos and running A1 Oxford. “Do you want some?”
“Last year, my company invested over £m and we will get that back and more in growth. Where is the investment in dog racing? I don’t see any. GBGB seem to have no commercial plans whatsoever.
“As far as the tracks are concerned, the prize money is nowhere near enough. I don’t expect to make money from greyhound racing and I can afford what I spend. But the return is simply too low. There is no incentive to become an owner. No wonder the industry can’t attract owners.
“The way many of the tracks treat owners is not encouraging . I will spend £30K on a dog and have to pay £2 for a racecard to watch it run.
“I have had some poor experiences with catering at tracks. Disgusting inedible food. At some of the tracks, the trainers turn down the food and go to outside catering or bring food with them. Is that anyway to run a business?
“When I go to Burton Albion, even if the sporting result doesn’t go the way I want it to, I can be guaranteed some fabulous food and a great experience.
“At some of the tracks there are no trophies or jackets for big races. It honestly feels at some of the tracks that they don’t want you there. You are an inconvenience. They have had to put on staff because you are going to turn up and they would really rather just take the money from the bookmakers.
“When your dog gets injured, they might offer to pay for the vet’s bill. Who is going to replace the dog? When Signet Denver was injured we were told that they would pay his vet’s bill but we would have to retire him, and of course, it would have been the end of a breeding career.
“I wasn’t having that and told them what they could do with their money. Is that really a sensible way to treat someone who is prepared to invest in the industry?”
”I would like more support as an owner and a good starting point would be a review of prize money.
“A national owner member benefits card that could be used to gain free or reduced cost access across all GBGB licensed tracks, This would prevent the long explanation when trying to watch an open dog at a track other than your home track.
“I would like to see better catering and maybe even franchising out that side if tracks want to focus on the racing. Every other sport seems to have this sorted ironically offered by outsiders.
“It would also be nice to have some owner days organised at tracks with the opportunity to meet other owners, trainers and discuss best practice in the industry. In my day job I love networking and you learn so much from others doing the same as you.
“I sincerely hope that things change for the next generation of owners or I fear the industry will not survive.”
As Tony is also prepared to acknowledge, not all tracks are equal. Given the potential future difficulties for his dogs and trainers by naming the offenders, which are the good ones.
Tony said: “If I was picking out three, they would be Hove, Romford and Crayford. They seem to go out of their way for owners. They do so much and are always so busy. I think Crayford must have been operating to capacity on Saturday. They made such a fabulous job of it.”
So, on balance, is there a possibility that ‘the Coppice man’ might follow the likes many owners and exit the industry entirely disillusioned?
Tony said: “I have been pretty fed up a couple of times and thought about it . . . .but then before you know it, you’ve bought your next dog.”
The Tommy Shelby/Coppice Belle pups enjoying the sunshine.
