Charlie Lister OBE is threatening to take legal advice over not being invited to take part in the GAIN Trainers Championship meeting at Towcester on Saturday March 24 writes Floyd Amphlett.
The meeting is traditionally open to the six highest points scoring trainers in the Trainers Championship. The Newark handler finished fifth.
After announcing details of the sponsor and six participating trainers on this site on January 20th, we received an email from former GTA Chairman Ricky Holloway stating “Charlie Lister is not going this year and has been replaced by Liz”.
However, it wasn’t until today that Lister himself discovered that he had been replaced by Liz McNair.
He said: “I saw a piece in the Racing Post and couldn’t believe it. I contacted Dave Houfton at the GTA who said I had told by his wife Jane that I wasn’t taking part. I did have a conversation with Jane and said I wanted nothing to do with the GTA but I didn’t withdraw from the Trainers Championship.
“I know I didn’t take part last year but I fully intended to do so this year. After what has happened though, I am sick of it.”
GTA Secretary Dave Houfton said: “I am very sorry that Charlie feels the way he does. There appears to have been a genuine misunderstanding. There was the original conversation with Jane, we sent Charlie an invitation which he doesn’t appear to have received, he hasn’t trialled any dogs at Towcester and he didn’t take part last year. Altogether incorrect assumptions were made.
“I spoke to Chris Page (Towcester Racing Manager) and he shared the view that unfortunately what has happened – has happened. It would be unfair for Liz and Rab now to be told that they aren’t taking part.”
Towcester’s Head of Greyhound Operations Mick Livesey said: “This is the first I have heard of this. It is very disappointing but we will speak to the GTA and make a statement in due course.”
