♫ Another Saturday night and we ain’t got no greyhounds ♫

An industry wide runner shortage are likely to cost Britain’s greyhound tracks significant income in the next few weeks writes Star  editor Floyd Amphlett.

The problem is highlighted by Yarmouth promoter Simon Franklin who is hoping to attract open race entries for Saturday night meetings on December 7 and 14th.

Like every track that doesn’t have a media rights contract for Saturday night, the issue is not a reluctance to fund additional meetings during the lucrative Christmas party season, it is attracting enough greyhounds to stage it.

Simon said: “We have around 265 dogs on the strength for our three meeetings (Mondays, Wednesdays, Sundays) which means there is no scope to stage additional Saturday meetings.

“We could have sold each of them three times over”

“We have scheduled those two additional meetings for mid December and are hoping that we get enough outside entries to fill the card. We have capacity for 220 in the restaurant and 90 in the lounges and they have been sold out for weeks. In fact, we could have sold each of them three times over.

“Unfortunately, our Sunday lunchtimes are nowhere near as lucrative to stage. Bar turnover is about a sixth of a Saturday night. The tote turnover is a fraction. A Saturday night meal is £36, a Sunday lunch is £17.

“It is very frustrating knowing that the business is out there but that we can’t take advantage. We have 19/20 Saturdays scheduled for next year but whether we get enough dogs to fill them is anybody’s guess.”

Of the five evening meetings on the SIS service on a Saturday night, three are from Entain tracks, the other two are ARC owned venues.

 

On a brighter note – literally – the Caister venue has invested in a signifant upgrade to its track lighting.

Simon said: “We are replacing the old 1,000 watt sodium bulbs with 700 watt LED bulbs at a cost of around £110,000. We don’t have a lot of choice, it is getting harder to replace the old bulbs.

“It is a gradual process that will take around a month to complete though the new bulbs are already fitted in the home straight.

“Racegoers can expect to see a significant improvement when it is all done. Each bulb will go from 400 lux to 700 lux. We will also be able to turn the lighting down between races which should save money and create a better atmoshere when the dogs go on parade.”

Joe’s Tuesday Tips

***6.48 Central Park – Affane Bailey (2pts) 3/1
**6.31 Central Park – Lough Biddy (2pts) 3/1
*8.47 Central Park – Ballymac Nemo (2pts) 5/2
Three graded selections this evening all at Central Park.
The nap of the evening runs in the A1 at 6.48pm. Trap four Affane Bailey has found herself in top end A1s recently behind King Stevens, Tintreach Tulip and Hollyoak Pharaoh and although this is the same grade, there is nothing of that ilk in the race and she has been given a chance here by the grader. Teachers Class and Burnpark Twinkle can fight for the lead so if Affane Bailey can turn prominent, her strong running style can see her get back to winning ways.
The next best of the evening is trap two Lough Biddy in the 6.31pm 491m handicap. Nothing in trap one means Lough Biddy is off the front here receiving twelve metres and that could be decisive. Annes Elle in trap three beat Lough Biddy in A6 by two and a quarter lengths when leading and making all, however she is starting three metres behind her rival and might struggle to clear and hold her off. Bono Free and Borna Hero in traps five and six are big players if things get messy up front by with twelve metres on the back runner, Lough Biddy is a strong running type who can use the draw to her advantage.
The value bet for the evening is in the other 491m handicap race at 8.47pm. Trap five Ballymac Nemo is receiving three metres from Glenhead Tom in trap six and seven metres behind trap two Hollyoak Doogal and trap three Chanel In Paris. Trap four Harlequin Syd, a wide runner is receiving eight metres but can give Ballymac Nemo plenty of room to close the gap on the leaders. As long as Ballymac Nemo keeps the gap between himself and and Glenhead Tom at the third bend, he is strong enough to hold off that rival late on and pick up this handicap race.

Eclipse fulfills expectation

There should be plenty of local support when the Gone To The Dogs live broadcast cameras arrive at Nottingham on Monday.

Despite shocking weather, two locally bred lads, and a Colwick Park favourite all made it through to a very class decider.

The first semi final would be dominated by three Janssens runners with Romeo Steel (T4) dominating throughout. He would be followed home by kennelmate Slick Sentinel (T6) though the hard luck story surely belonged to the white jacketed Droopys Plunge. . .

 

ROMEO STEEL (t4) wins the opening PGR Eclipse semi final from Slick Sentinel (t6). Photo: © Steve Nash

The second semi was reckoned to be the most competitve, not that the 8/13 about the red jacketed Wicky Ned would suggest as much. The Fenwick flyer duly delivered in his favourite red jacket, but it was far from a gimme with Kevin Hutton’s Antigua Kestrel holding him to under a length in the fastest time of the night.

The third semi offered Team Janssens two chances to qualify a third finalist. Romeo Command (T4), born and reared in Melton Mowbray seized the opportunity after tracking Tricky Wiggles to the first bend. It was left to Colin Wilton’s locally trained Sambar Kian (T1) to follow him.

ROMEO COMMAND wins the third PGR Eclipse semi final as the snow falls at Nottingham. Photo: © Steve Nash

Wicky Ned has been installed as the evens favourite to win the £20,000 decider despite a less than optimal draw in five. They then bet: 3/1 Romeo Command, 5/1 Romeo Steel, 10/1 Antigua Kestrel, 12/1 Slick Sentinel, 33/1 Sambar Kian

OPENS

Thursday: Newcastle ♦ Swindon
Friday: Romford ♦
Saturday: Hove