There has been overwhelming excitement following the announcement on Friday that the 2020 Star Sports/ARC English Derby is to go ahead at Nottingham in October, with another 11 competitions lined up.
Derby ante post favourite Ice On Fire is due to have his first solo back on Tuesday.
His trainer Jimmy Fenwick said: “When you asked at the start of this lockdown what event was it most important to run this year, the answer was always ‘The Derby’.
“It was far from certain it would happen so this is brilliant news that will give everyone a lift. There has been far too much negativity, particularly with tracks closing. This gives us something to look forward to.”
Rab McNair said: “This is just brilliant. All our open racers trialed at Central Park last night and I couldn’t be more excited to have the chance to get them racing again.
“Hove as always been one of my favourite tracks, we love going there, and the Sussex Cup is a great competition, I will have several for it. I will also switch King Axel to six bends for the Regency. I also plan to go to Romford for the six bend competitions.
“I was one of the first to moan when I thought open racing wasn’t being seen as a priority, and I will be one of the first to speak up for the people who have made this happen. So many people have a pop about the bookmakers, but look how Ian Smyth has come good again.
“In terms of the Derby, at this stage I hope to have at least six runners. In my mind, it wouldn’t have happened without Rachel Corden pushing it. I don’t know the ARC people, but you always get the impression that horses are their priority.
“Thankfully Rachel is the one making their greyhound decisions now and she knows how important the Derby is to owners, trainers and breeders.”
The British Greyhound Breeders’ Forum has welcomed yesterday’s announcement.
Speaking for the BGBF the chair Liz Mort said: We are delighted that the Derby will go ahead this year, even if in a slightly different form. We are all having to make changes to be able to continue doing what we love in this strange Covid climate, sadly we can no longer expect things to be the same as they were – the important thing is that we adapt and make racing possible.
‘I’m especially pleased because of course we will still be sponsoring a British Bred stake final on Derby night at Nottingham – the ‘Westmead Legacy in Memory of Natalie Savva Stakes’ over 500m will showcase British Breeding on what will still be the most important night of the year for greyhound racing in the UK!
‘Now that Open racing has been given the go-ahead we are working hard with the GBGB and the tracks to plan in our British Bred series of competitions and I hope we can give some dates for these very soon!’
Champion trainer Mark Wallis said: “When you look at how many businesses are not going to recover and how many people are out of work, everything from pubs and clubs to the airline industry, you have to admire how GBGB have got us back racing. We are one of the first sports to be operating again.
“I lost six dogs to Ireland, but even since the announcement was made yesterday, one of them will be heading back. I have taken some stick from people saying ‘he is only pushing for open racing because he has the top kennel’. That is bull. More than 80% of my dogs are graders. But without these open racers, people will stop breeding and there will be no dogs in a couple of years time.
“But even now, there are people moaning. ‘The Derby will only be £50K’, ‘It will only be for 96 dogs’. Just get a life and be grateful that the sport still exists.
“We had at least eight lined up for the Regency before the shut down, and hope to have the same number again. Fingers crossed Romford can get their Friday night opens running shortly. I realise that there will be issues on numbers, but most of the visiting trainers would be entering at least four or five dogs, and there might be a need for them to leave after their races and others book in. I am sure there would be a way.
“As far as the Derby is concerned, I have no problem with it being 96 dogs. I would suggest that it is done on times, just like the Springbok. If trainers have long enough to prepare, they have no excuse. They might hope to win a trialstake in a decent time, but if things don’t go well, be prepared to give the dog a solo. If you can’t make the 96 with enough preparation, you shouldn’t be there.”
Harry Findlay said: It’s great new, it’s so important that the Derby takes place and with Martin Cruddace at the helm at Arc I always made it a short price, its not very often you get the chance to praise the Bookmakers but they kept the possibility of the Derby taking place alive by correctly declaring that all Ante-Post bets would stand if the Derby took place at Nottingham in 2020 and as this isn’t the first year that The Derby might not of taken place without Ben Keith’s support he clearly deserves to be singled out
Trainer Graham Holland said: “I am delighted that something has been worked out. Providing there aren’t any issues with traveling, we will definitely be coming, with at least half a dozen runners. Possibly more.”
So how do you feel about the runners being qualified on time, like the Springbok?
Holland said: “For a start I think 96 is a perfectly good number for a Derby. As far as the timing is concerned, that might present a problem for us. The English Derby will come very close to the end of the Irish Derby and we might not have enough time to get a fast time in.
“We could have a situation whereby a dog wins the Irish Derby but wouldn’t be able to run in the English Derby because he doesn’t have a qualifying time. Personally, I would suggest that if you did qualify dogs on trials, there should be some wildcard spaces left open for dogs who weren’t able to get a time, for one reason or another.
“These are unusual times and it would be a shame to have top class Irish runners – mine or other trainers’ dogs – not able to enter.”
