Following a very bleak 18 months, resulting in deep depression leading to high pressure, the east coast climate has eased considerably in recent weeks with a further rises expected and a very promising long term forecast. Big prize money and trainer bonus increases – aligned to the forthcoming historic 75th Bresbet East Anglian Derby – have resulted in a huge mood swing in Norfolk – writes Floyd Amphlett.
Although Yarmouth won’t claim to have suffered as much as neighbours Peterborough, Poole or Belle Vue during Covid, the complete loss of the 2020 summer impacted heavily on a track which has always depended on its holiday season for survival.
But the weather analogies can continue as the ill wind that kept holidaymakers away in 2020 has resulted in the UK population taking its summer breaks closer to home in 2021.
Promoter Simon Franklin said: “Crowds have been exceptionally good in recent weeks – though Covid is still affecting us. We’ve had two chefs ‘pinged’ and although we have managed to keep going with a simplified menu for the restaurant, it is far from ideal.”
For local owners and trainers though, it is the double boost of prize money and trainer bonuses that has produced greater satisfaction than the average weather.
Simon said: “We had to reduce prize money last year due to a decline in income during Covid prize money. That was all reinstated at the beginning of August with some additional money also going into trainer contracts.
“We also have the additional prize money, as announced last week, along with the other ARC/GMG tracks. That starts on September 20 (right) with an average of roughly £100 per race. I would have liked to have gone ahead on September 1 but I have just spent over £30,000 buying 20-25 new dogs for some of the local trainers.”
In fact, although the top grade has increased by £105, the biggest jumps are in the A5-A7 grades which jump around £140.
Simon said: “If you add together the two sets of increases, it would work out as a cash injection of around £320,000 more than two years ago – obviously we can’t compare with 2020 because of Covid. Some of the additional money goes into retainers. We have even reduced the numbers for trainers to qualify. A trainer with as few as six dogs ‘permanently available’ will be entitled to £200 per month.”
Given the additional cash on offer, the track are relatively unconcerned about the impending opening of Suffolk Downs (Mildenhall) which is around 70 miles away.
Simon said: “We may lose the odd trainer, but we’ve just gained a Harlow trainer anyway. My understanding is that most of the Mildenhall dogs will come from Henlow with possibly a few from Harlow.”
The Bresbet 75th East Anglian Derby gets underway on Wednesday September 1 with the final two weeks later. With £15K to the winner and limited opportunities available for the Cat One ‘easy four bend’ stars, it looks guaranteed to be oversubscribed.
With that in mind, trainers are reminded that greyhounds must have trialed over course and distance in the three months prior to the event and opportunities will be limited.
Simon said: “We had planned to hold a trial session on (this Thursday) the 19th, but our vet wasn’t able to make it. We will be trialing on the 26th which is the day entries close, but we’ve pushed the entry back from midday to 3pm to allow trainers time to enter. There will also be trials before and after race meetings.”
Among the recent trialists are Janssens due Bockos Jonjo and Aussie Captain who both had sprints. Havana Class clocked the fastest-of-session, 27.87 on Monday night.
Yarmouth are looking for a new racing manager after the long serving Marcus Westgate jumped ship to join BAGS where he has already been significantly involved in the development of the new computerised form system.
