With GBGB likely to expound on their open race policy, post Coronavirus, at some stage today, we thought it would be worth considering the options? writes The Editor.
The unknowns are many. The biggest is, when will crowds be allowed to return and can tracks justify staging major events behind closed doors?
It doesn’t appear to phase horseracing which is provisionally preparing for a July Derby.
Much will surely depend on greyhound racing’s broadcasting options. Will they be restricted to slots on RPGTV? Will the channel switch to HD?
More intriguing, given this brave new world, will SIS or ARC look to do exclusive deals? For example, the William Hill St.Leger only available on the William Hill internet channel?
Might Towcester – who are hopeful of eventually being able to race with a socially distanced crowd – look to resurrecting their Gold Cup?
With all of this in mind, we asked some of the leading open race kennels to nominate their six priority competitions for the rest of the year.
Needless to say, all lists were headed by the English Derby.
It is also clear that patience is wearing thin.
Rab McNair said: We have three pups out in the paddocks and until there is some clear guidance on open racing, we won’t be looking to breed any more.
“Some aspects of this don’t affect me directly but I feel for other trainers. If Ireland is ahead of us in putting on major competitions, a lot of our best dogs will be put on transporters and we may not get them back.
“As for not allowing trainers to travel for open races, That wouldn’t make any sense either. You can’t just judge it by the length of the journey. Did trainers have any say in this?
“As for the choices, I wanted to include a major puppy event. Monmore has already taken place but with so many pups missing out, it might be fairer to make it a juvenile event.”
Ernie Gaskin said: “The Derby, Oaks and St Leger are vital. We have to accept that there will be prize money cuts this year, if tracks aren’t willing to run these races they must give them up to someone who will.
“We must have a few one off opens as soon as it’s considered safe to allow top class dogs to run as it’ll be very difficult to grade certain dogs without them being big odds on.”
Mark Keightley said: “It is more a case of, who can run them? Rather than which comps we would like to run, based on what you touched on, regards the financial implication. So I would think initially, until things improve the bookmaker sponsored competitions we have in the calendar at their own tracks would be the most feasible. Even if they are maybe not all our first choices.
Patrick Janssens said: “No open racing you might as well not start again. Owners and trainers will disappear and don’t tell me them bookmakers don’t have the money to sponsor some off these races.”
Mark Wallis said: “Had so many owners moaning about the lack of communication from the statements put out by the GBGB with next to no mention of open racing.
“It seems like they and the promoters are only interested in securing the bookmakers money and not thinking of the sport overall, even if their hands are tied behind their backs a bit
“At least give the owners who spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on trying to buy champions a bit of thought! If the promoters weren’t so greedy when it comes to grabbing the bookmakers money and being so self interested they would see the bigger picture!
“I don’t really think it’s a case of what competitions we can put on but more a case of spreading open races and comps over regions, keep the very big comps centrally (Nottingham, Towcester, Perry Barr) and try and cater for all distances.
“Before they do that find out what appetite (money)each promoter/sponsor has available for opens/comps to start say from July 1st with a new comprehensive last 6 months of the year calendar, travelling can then not be an issue (we know so many trainers travel 2-3-4 + counties just for graded racing!)
“And if they do this for fuck sake find an intelligent group of trainers and owners to involve discussions about the best way to implement any decisions, after all we are the ones that will be the ones providing the service.
“Of course we are behind closed doors and owners won’t get to watch them live but make sure the key events and opens have maximum exposure with the likes of RPGTV, online and the press get the message out to the national press to say ‘hey look at these great dogs that are competing’
“Get the GBGB to promote to make the dogs the stars!”
OUR SIX PREFERENCES
Jimmy Fenwick: 1. English Derby, 2 Oaks, 3 St Leger, 4 All England Cup, 5 Puppy Classic, 6 TV Trophy
John Mullins: 1 English Derby 2 St Leger 3 Yarmouth Derby 4 Nottingham Sprint 5 Champion Stakes 6 Monmore Gold Cup
Patrick Janssens: 1 English Derby, 2 St Leger, 3 Oaks, 4 Romford Puppy Cup, 5 Essex Vase/Champion Stakes, 6 Gold Cup
Rab McNair: 1 English Derby, 2 St Leger, 3 Oaks, All England Cup, 5 Produce Stakes, 6 a major juvenile competition
Finally – the thoughts of one of the contributors, who preferred not to be identified, but who makes an interesting point.
“My immediate thoughts about this whole situation , putting aside the comp thoughts , is yet again the biggest winner out of this poor situation we find ourselves in is BETFAIR. Absolutely no positive input towards our sport financially at all. It was born out just before we stopped racing. The market turnover at least tripled if not quadrupled in most cases at all tracks
“It is now that we should be insisting not asking them to put their hand in the money pot and contribute . Forget the extra commission they shall receive. It’s the 40% premium charges that will increase dramatically and no doubt BETFAIR shall streamline that rule to ensure the maximum return.”
(It is only fair to point out that Betfair are reputed to be the biggest significant sponsor of RPGTV – Ed)
GBGB is expected to issue further guidelines on a return to racing, including open racing, within the next few hours
