Joint English Derby sponsor Ben Keith, of Star Sports, is backing the decision of the ARC Greyhound Operations Director Rachel Corden to stage the competition at the appropriate time, with October looking the likeliest option – writes Floyd Amphlett.
Keith said: “I have spoken today to Rachel who is angry and upset about this talk from some greyhound people about possibly running the Derby behind closed doors at Towcester. We have only been back racing for a week and are in a position whereby Boris Johnson still hasn’t told us what we will be able to do next week. Yet they want to arrange a Derby for next month.
“Any other speculation is both waffle and also has become very upsetting and pressured for Rachel, who as I say, is running many dog-tracks now, with changing government guidelines every 5 minutes.
“I really believe that she is keen to stage the competition at Nottingham and will do everything she can to make it happen, probably in October. It should be staged in front of a crowd, which will give me a chance to get some of my money back and for us to promote the game.
“If Rachel came and said there is no option other than to run it behind closed doors in July, then we would do that. But it would be for less money and it would be very disappointing for the event if people can’t go.
“I hope to sponsor the Derby for the rest of my life, and that may be at Towcester one day; a track that I love. But at the moment, they haven’t even staged a race meeting.”
