Earlier this week the horseracing authorities issued a blueprint for the early resumption of racing with a provisional date of May 1.

I understand that GBGB has its own plan in place, but have chosen not to go public with it yet. A wise decision in my view.

I can’t see the Government being impressed with any sport even hinting of jumping the gun when they are still trying to impress the necessity of maintaining social distancing and ‘flattening out the curve’.

But it is surely a case of ‘when’, not ‘if’, they are given the green light?

Just as they locked down in stages, surely the same thing will happen in reverse? So, racing behind closed doors to start!

Ironically of course, the track who could arguably race already is the one that still hasn’t been licensed – Towcester.

With close to 200 dogs and nearly a dozen staff living on site, they would need a minimum number of additional staff and could be racing within a week. A couple of stewards in the judges box and paddock, plus a vet of course. Compare that with a horse meeting with more runners with staff, jockeys, ambulances etc etc.

With its own TV studio and satellite link, Towcester could broadcast its races onto the internet or satellite TV. With its tote equipment, it could co-mingle with the public both home and abroad.

Take that on to the next stage. Imagine the anticipated Saturday night full open race meetings.

In my view, Towcester are unlikely to be contracted to the betting industry (or RPGTV) on Saturday nights. The main reason is, SIS shareholders LadbrokesCoral will not be keen to offer the prime betting office fixtures at the expense of their own four tracks.

Nor would there be on-course bookmakers. Kevin Boothby would actually control his own racing, the broadcasting of live pictures and his tote.

I realise that for many, the prospect of a track opening without bookies is unimaginable. Well I believe, that with ‘industry formulated SPs’, we will be thinking the unthinkable on a range of subjects.

I can already hear: ‘The greyhound owners won’t tolerate it, they won’t be able to get a bet on.’

My first response would be, ‘how much could they get on before the shut down?’

Secondly, surely the answer is ‘seeding’ the tote pool?

In other words, there are companies out there who will seed each race, let’s say to the sum of £50K, for a small fee. They then electronically fix the pool so that no matter which greyhound wins, they will get a return of £50,100. And onto the next race.

By the time you have international money being bet into the pool (I believe SIS have partners in 57 countries), it would be a far more robust market than three bookmakers working to a 20% margin.

Ironically of course, greyhound racing’s greatest opportunities may come before crowds are readmitted to major sports events.

Trainers are keen to see the new Towcester circuit which has been extended by 16 metres by moving the inside rail outwards.

So how does it compare with the other tracks?

As the table shows, it is the third largest circuit in the country, some 13 metres shorter than Hove but virtually identical to Central Park.

It certainly will deserve its place among the ‘best galloping circuit’ club.

I understand the motives behind the Greyhound Forum’s call for a moratorium. I think I can put their minds at rest.

Even without the Coronavirus pandemic, British breeders were unlikely to breed more than 200 litters per year. Since 98% would use sires located elsewhere, and the vast majority are based in Ireland, the likelihood of matings taking place at all is negligible.

As for the Irish, the Irish authorities have no authority to stop breeders producing pups. But given the uncertainty, I can see a lot of smaller breeders being cautious.

Despite the concerns of the welfarists, there are probably only three significant commercial breeding operations in Ireland – we don’t breed indiscriminately like puppy farms. Although I expect them to keep breeding, they too will have one eye on young schooled pups filling their limited racing kennel facilities.

Besides, from the time that a bitch comes into season until the pups are born is nearly three months. In two years time we won’t be questioning whether be bred too many pups, but too few.

Loving the feedback from some of the recent stories.

This one comes from ex-Hall Green/Coventry/Wimbledon RM Simon Harris who wrote: “Enjoying reading all the Savva stuff. Just a small anecdote about the great man. He didn’t always get things right.

“I remember on one occasion probably in the 90’s whilst at Hall Green we had some minor open races on a Monday which Nick had got a couple of runners down for.

“He rang in the morning to ask if I could fit him a trial in before racing which we duly obliged, later at kennelling the kennelhand arrived and weighed the trialer in.

“However a long period of time passed with no sign of the two runners so I trudged off to find the kennelhand and said where’s your runners?

“He replied ‘what runners? Nick just said at 3pm to take so and so to Hall Green for a trial. He never said anything about any runners’

“I would of loved to be a fly on the wall when the kennelhand got back to the kennels. I wonder who got the blame.”

I could have anticipated that Tony Smith’s mention of the late great Geoffrey De Mulder would lead to more ‘Geoffreyisms’

For those who never met the great man, Geoffrey was a superb trainer. How good? He was the man that Nick Savva envied for the condition of his dogs.

But Geoffrey was also a true character of the game and great entertainment. A Yorkshireman to his roots, think Geoffrey Boycott, with a half measure of Freddie Truman and a dash of Harvey Smith.

Sheffield trainer Harry Crapper and Geoffrey were great friends and Harry’s former head man Warrick Pinder wrote: “Myself and my boss Harry Crapper were weighing dogs in on the old racing paddock at Sheffield. We had a few days earlier won the Coronation Stakes at Wembley.

“Geoffrey was also weighing in and came up to Harry and said loudly in it that familiar accent ‘Well done Harry, winning that Coronation Stakes’
“Harry was genuinely chuffed and replied ‘Well thanks Geoff, cheers’
“I thought that was the end of it. What a nice thing of him to say ‘well done’. Anyway a few seconds later, Geoffrey roared back: ‘I’ve won it eight times you know’
“It was typical Geoffrey and probably only he could have got away saying it.”

 

There are so many Geoffrey stories and I would love to run a few of the funnier ones.

In my experience, no one tells a better Geoffrey story than his former kennelman Tony Meek, who also does a cracking imitation.

“Now then, sunn. . . . .”

So if Meeky can be persuaded to share a couple. . . ?

I remember Paddy Sweeney telling me how he came to visit Geoffrey’s kennel at Meriden for the first time. Geoff was still helping out his father Joe and Paddy finally took up the invitation to visit them.

Paddy arrived at the kennel and could hear people screaming at each other at the tops of their voices. As he got closer to the kennel, he heard running. Suddenly Geoffrey appeared and the corner running at full speed and being pursued by Joe who was hurdling four-letter abuse and hurling milk bottles.

Joe spotted Paddy, stopped running (throwing and cursing) and greeted Paddy like nothing had happened. Paddy never did find out what the issue was.

Just everyday tale of Yorkshire folk?

I was reminded of Geoffrey when I was given a piece of advice by a mate was was also bred in God’s own county.

“Never ask a man if he is from Yorkshire. If he isn’t, he could take it as an insult. If he is, he will have told you already.”

Thanks for all the feedback on the site. I’m trying hard not to make it seem like ‘all our yesterdays’.

But with nothing currently happening and nothing planned, there is an inevitability about looking backwards and not forwards.

As you can see from the Googleanalytics graphic though, doggie folk are taking the opportunity to catch up with stories and features that might have passed them by when racing was on the agenda.

Here is the shortcut link to the archive.