“Back in those days I thought that getting a contract at Hove was like a golden ticket. So when Peter Miller phoned and said ‘the job is yours if you want it’, I really thought I’d made it.”
For every day in the spotlight, there are hundreds of even thousands that take place away from the bright lights as trainers and staff travel thousands of miles for the ever ravenous off course betting industry.
When 11-1 chance Chelms Cub crossed the Towcester winning line just ahead of kennelmate Clongeel Ozzie in the Hunt Cup, it was the first time that the photographer’s lens had focused on Jason Heath since Sporting Ranger’s Kent National Hurdle win in 2018. And that was a year after 8-1 chance Tyrap Draggi had landed the Regency at his home track.
In fact, Chelms Cub was something of a cast-off as Jason explains.
“I spotted him after he had won his first race at Tralee in 28.58 when he was called Seomra Bolger. I was interested because he was owned by PJ O’Connell who I’d had dogs off before. PJ had bought him as a sapling from Liam Dowling and advertised him on the greyhound-data website. Unfortunately we were outbid by Lee Harris.
“The dog joined Nathan Hunt and then went to Paul Young and in the end they decided to move him on. When we saw him being advertised again, I suggested to Matt Hughes and Steve Eason that we should go for him. We paid £8,000. I don’t know what he was sold for previously, but he was advertised for more than double that previously.”
For a dog who Jason describes as ‘naturally clumsy’, Cub’s win was well earned. It came in his fourth Category One Final in less than three months.
Jason said: “It is a case of getting the distance right for him so he can lead. If he gets behind the field he tends to run into the back of them.”
It is now 14 years since Jason took the call from the Hove Racing Manager and almost a decade earlier when he cut his teeth working for the, then Portsmouth, trainer Graham Holland.
(By coincidence, it was only after being contracted at Hove and enduring umpteen journeys from Dorset, that Graham Holland decided that BAGS racing wasn’t for him and he headed off to Ireland.)
Jason said: “I spent between eight and ten years working with Graham and then joined Tony Lucas with the understanding that I would take over when he retired. That didn’t work out and I was offered a job with Lance and Pam Burford.
“But before I decided, I asked Peter Miller whether leaving would kill off my chances of getting a Hove job. He assured me it wouldn’t. It was only ten months later that he phoned and offered me the job based at Roy Towner’s old kennel and I didn’t hesitate”
Jason later moved to Mark Lavendar’s old range near Gatwick and gradually built up the kennel strength to a peak of 108 dogs. But like many handlers, Jason is reducing his commitments.
He said: “We are now down to 80. Staffing is a major problem. I have five full time staff and two part time but even if you can find good people, by the time you have paid wages, you are no better off for having the extra dogs. I realise that I am fortunate to be at a track like Hove, but the benefits between the bigger and smaller tracks is far less than it was.
“Costs are going through the roof for all comodities and prize money isn’t increasing. Being at Hove, most of our dogs have owners; it must be even tougher for the trainers who don’t.”
Jason still enjoys his chosen profession and despite five race meetings per week, he still manages to find time to rear and school pups.
He said: “I have 22 currently schooling, including 17 for Nic Jeal. I start them off at Jeff Sealey’s track in Bicester and then finish them off at Hove. Thankfully the track are really good in helping me to qualify them. Overall, we have plenty of young dogs coming through.
“I also have a litter by Good News out of Westmeath Pearl and another by Ballymac Inspeed out of Droopys Alina in the paddocks. I must say that the GBGB initiative to waive the retirement bond for British breds makes a big difference. There is enough cost getting 10 pups to the track without another £200 a time.”
CHELMS CUB leads Havana Lover (t6) and Clongeel Ozzie (t2) at the first bend in the Stadium Bookmakers Hunt Cup Final Photo: © Steve Nash
