TONY WILLIAMSON
Monmore racing manager Tony Williamson has written to the GBGB rules committee asking them to amend rule 90 following a dead heat in a heat of the Ladbrokes Stayers Classic on Thursday night.
The problems came in the final heat when the judge was unable to split the third placed runners Anitas Baby and Sober Cindy with a place in the semi finals at stake.
As things stand, connections of the two runners can either for a run-off, which must take place within four days, or a toss of a coin, or a drawing of lots, or even the track stewards to decides who goes through. In the event of one side choosing not to contest the run-off, which is the first option, the other runner automatically qualifies.
On Friday, Ian Walker elected to put Sober Cindy for a run-off, Richard Baker decided not to contest it with the result that the Sober Cindy was placed as reserve.
This is not the first time that Monmore have been caught out by the rule. On the last occasion that it occurred, Elaine Parker’s Candlelight Fire dead-heated with Droopys Astorish in the heats of the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby. Both connections reluctantly settled for a run-off with the result that Candlelight Fire pulled a muscle which kept him out of action for two months.
Tensions were running quite high on Thursday with the result that Williamson contacted the GBGB the following morning.
He states: “ As the rule stands, it puts pressure on connections to compete, and that may not always be in the best interest of the greyhound. Welfare should be at the forefront of any rule change for the better. Rule 90 means that a greyhound can race in a run of over 845m 685m 640m etc also a puppy over 480 640 etc within a few days of its last race and then a few days until the semi final or final which ever it may be.
“But times have changed, the breeding of greyhounds has changed and many dogs can’t recover and sustain injury after quick runs as they have no time to recover to race again. This rule, I feel and I’m sure many others would agree for the good of the sport, should just be a draw of lots or a toss of the coin for qualification in the instance of a dead heat.”
IN a bizarre twist of the tale, Mossvale Ace was withdrawn lame the following morning and Anitas Baby was back in the competition.
(Ironically for many years, and until a previous rule change, Anitas Baby would not have been allowed back into the event had she contested a run-off and lost).
