The fall-out from Towcester’s move into administration has continued throughout the day.
One of the first into the breach was Star Sports director Ben Keith with a pledge to cover the costs of operating the stadium, “for two weeks, to allow everything to be sorted out.
“Of course it is vitally important that the is no delay in getting racing back at track as soon as is possible and I will be speaking to a variety of interested parties in order to help make that happen.
“My first thoughts go of course to the welfare of the dogs that train at Towcester, and all the staff who have worked so hard, for so long to make events like the Derby such a success.
“Towcester is a leader in welfare and support for the dogs, the owners, the trainers and the sport itself. It is important for al of us who care about the sport to get behind it.”
With unconfirmed reports that prize money is six weeks behind payment, GBGB managing director Mark Bird has authorised the release of a £35,000 trainers assistance fund.
He said: “This is a sad day for everyone connected to Towcester and for greyhound and horse racing as a whole. I very much hope that the administrators quickly find new owners for the tracks and we will be willing to work alongside any potential owner to help this happen. In the meantime we will be doing everything we can to support the trainers and owners impacted by the news. An extraordinary GBGB Board meeting will take place on Friday to look at what else can be done for Towcester and as to the future of the Derby and other major competitions”.
GBGB director and trainers representative Pete Harnden is asking any trainers who require assistance to make direct contact with him.
Meanwhile Henlow boss Kevin Boothby has confirmed that his track is to take in eight Towcester trainers.
In addition to Mark Wallis as previously reported, the Towcester refugees will include Derek Law, Seamus Gaughan and Nick Savva, who are all returning, plus Jon Blencowe, Heather Dimmock, Ernie Gaskin and Chris Joyce.
Boothby said: “As a dog man, I am sad that they industry has lost such a great showpiece stadium for the Derby. From a personal point of view, which is how I also have to see it, it puts us in a position that I was hoping to be in, in six months time.
“We have been inundated with enquiries and we will sit down tomorrow to consider where we stand, but I obviously have to be loyal to my existing trainers first.
“The one thing that will definitely happen is that we will see a big boost to our Sunday afternoon opens. We will have more quality dogs, and hopefully some more sponsors as a result of what has happened today.”
Derby winning trainer Kevin Hutton is cutting short a trip to Ireland after hearing the Towcester news on Wednesday night.
He said: “We are heading back to base after everything that has gone on. We have had five offers today with contracts for other tracks and we will consider them over the next couple of days. Our options include easing back on the kennel strength to reduced the graded numbers.”
Hutton is owed around £15K in prize money but did get paid out following Dorotas Wild Cat’s Derby win.
He said: “Thank goodness that was paid a few weeks ago. We had already credited the owners with last month’s prize money off their kennel bills. Without the Derby money, life would have been very difficult.”
Despite an personally emotional roller-coaster of a year, with the track closure following the Derby win, and the kennel-break in, Hutton feels particularly sad for the industry in general.
He said: “You looked around at the staffing levels and the number of people attending and you knew that something like this could happen. But it is a tragedy for greyhound racing. It was a wonderful track. The people at Towcester had a vision of the direction in which they wanted greyhound racing to go and they tried so very hard to deliver it.”
