As we approach the end of a hugely positive year, a four month old retirement initiative is easing the burden on Hove owners writes Floyd Amphlett.
Until now, trainers have made their own plans to re-home their ex-racers with a percentage heading to the highly rated BGOAT kennel at nearby Twineham. But with dogs charged a monthly kennel fee until a new ‘forever home’ could be found, it was an open ended commitment. Some owners were naturally cautious and the kennel was under utilised.
Step forward new track boss Brian Murphy who offered to subsidise each of the 28 kennel spaces, providing they were reserved for Hove runners.
Murphy said: “Now if an owner wants to participate, we require that the greyhound is neutered and inoculated it costs them a £200 one-off fee. But that is it. They even hand over the green form.
“There is a waiting list that is based on the actual date of retirement rather than any kennel being favoured. Of course, there is still some variation in terms of the waiting list. For example, we recently had a shortage of bitches. Any that were on the waiting list were admitted as soon as they became available. In fact, we were able to offer places to our sister tracks Crayford and Romford.
“In the four months to date, Caz (Sallis) and her team have re-homed 49 greyhounds. They run a very professional organisation in terms of sourcing the right homes, and it is working extremely well.
“It is still too early to making sweeping statements about long term trends, but it would be nice to think we could be looking at around 140 greyhounds re-homed per year.”
Following the recent announcement that the track are to discontinue with graded racing over 490m and 515m and introduce a standard graded distance of 500 metres, GBGB have confirmed that there will be no need for the dogs to be re-trialled.
Murphys said: “There are some stipulations laid down by (senior steward) Paul Illingworth. The dogs must have had four races or trials over either of the other distances including one within 29 days, but it is good news for all concerned.
“The calculations have been made for the siting of the traps; we are just waiting for a date from Gavin Smith who will carry out the work. But it should be by the end of the year.
“The Winter Derby will be staged over the new 500 metre distance but the 490m and 515m metre distances will remain for other open races. The ‘515’ in particular is part of Hove’s identity and we will continue to stage the Sussex Cup and Olympic over that distance.”
Incidentally, the plan to shift major events to a Saturday night means that this year’s Olympic will be concluded on its usual ‘post Christmas’ slot with the final on Saturday December 28.
When Hove announced plans to reserve a section of the grandstand exclusively for owners, there were some dissenters who doubted it would be used. They were wrong.
Murphy said: “The Owners Lounge has a hard core of regulars. For the last couple of Saturdays we have had 57 and 76 owners present. There is complimentary entry and they are admitted to the track from 5pm which saves them queuing. Quite a few already have their favourite places within the lounge which offers bar and betting facilities.
“On October 26th we stage another of our owners nights when there will be a free buffet and discounted drinks in the Lounge. These nights are always popular and I expect to see somewhere in the region of 110-120 owners turn up.”
