An open debate!
Over the last few days, I have had the chance to talk with several owners in the sport about the recent discussions around the merger with ARC/Entain and something that was highlighted in the latest Monday column in the Racing Post regarding their commitment to top class racing. Now, I know I have been vocal on social media, but I think it is important to look at why owners and trainers of these dogs we feel so disconnected.
Firstly, this is not about bashing any particular journalist but a limit of 280 characters on Twitter just doesn’t seem to get the point across in the way intended and is often viewed as a vendetta against an individual.
Now that’s out the way let’s have a look at the Category two Grand Prix scheduled to be ran at Sunderland throughout April. As part of syndicate who own Blue Tick George, we are looking to take our chance in this competition but when you look at it why would we bother, and this is the thought of several owners. Before any competition, as owners and indeed trainers we must look at whether it is financially viable to enter our dogs and we are no different to that.
Our trainer is based in Peterborough so for the competition we will need at least one trial at the North East venue. A quick Google map tells me that it is a travelling distance of 217 miles or 3hr 45min one way – all in all a 434-mile round trip with a member of staff for 8 hours. On that basis we are looking at £60 (maybe a bit more) in fuel plus a member of staff for 8 hours each time. Conservatively, that is £60 x 4 journeys (trial + 3 rounds) plus a staff member for 32 hours @ £10 an hour, takes us to £560 before the dog even touches a track.
Let us look at the competition then, firstly we want to consider if our dog were to win every heat and the final and that would return £3,450, minus costs we’d take home a tidy profit of £2,890. Not a bad little earner if you achieve the maximum potential return. What happens if we were to win two rounds but then finish down the field in the final, perhaps 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th? For winning two rounds we would get £450 and for the final it would return £100 so a total of £550 a loss of £10.
Hang on, you’re probably thinking, I’ve just won two rounds of a Category two competition and finished third in the final and I’ve actual lost money? Yes, I am afraid you have.
This brings me back to where I started of why owners and trainers of these dogs we feel so disconnected. When this is happening, how can we justify buying top class dogs? The attitude by some has been well it was nothing last year, count yourself lucky. I ask you, as an owner of a dog which costs many thousands of pounds, are we that lucky?
Not only does David make some great points, there are a few more angles that might be considered. He has agreed to join me on a Zoom meeting when we can reflect on these observations and consider the wider implications for owner in general with a particular emphasis on open racing – Ed
