Greyhound Betting: News in brief

General / Editor / 01 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

The Irish Derby looms as the campaign to re-open Walthamstow continues...

College Causeway remains favourite for the Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park after another crowd-pleasing performance in Saturday's quarter-finals.
Heading towards this weekend's semi-finals, Pat Buckley's dog also boasts the only unbeaten record in the event and crosses swords with Shelbourne Aston, whom he beat into third on Saturday, in the second semi.

For trainer Buckley, it was a mixed night. Slip The Lark won for him, but the kennel suffered a real blow after Killahan Phanter, a leading contender for outright honours, broke down on the dash to the first bend.

Bubbly Totti, whose recent four-bend exploits included a third place in the Select Stakes behind Barnfield On Air and Ninja Jamie, set the standard in the heats of the Carlsberg Tetley St Leger at Doncaster on Friday.
The semi-finals take place on Friday.

Larkhill Bird, last year's winner, is likely to have run her last race and will head to the breeding paddocks when she breaks down in season after elimination.

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The next major step in the campaign to reopen Walthamstow will see the new owners of the Chingford Road site meet with solicitors and members of the 'Save Our Stow' consortium. The meeting has been scheduled for September 17.

Vacant possession of the land, which housed the famous old stadium built in 1933, was passed from the Chandler family to a consortium headed by London & Quandrant, Yoo Capital and KW Linfoot plc on today.

L&Q are the housing development arm of the consortium and it is intended to build affordable housing on the site. However, no planning permission has been granted and plans are yet to be submitted.

The SOS campaign has offered to buy the land and will also submit plans for affordable housing, but as part of a super-stadium in the area to provide not just housing but leisure amenities for the local community - and a state-of-the-art greyhound venue.

SOS campaign leader Ricky Holloway has enlisted the help of former Irish Greyhound Board supremo Paschal Taggart and architect of a number of the impressive Irish stadia, Seamus McCloskey, to help with designs and plans for the new venture.

Holloway also has on board Ian Lavery. The head of the mineworkers' union, Lavery is a keen greyhound fan and owner. A few years back, he was a member of the team which saved Brough Park, now Newcastle, from development.

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Entries for the Betfair 62nd East Anglian Greyhound Derby close on Thursday. The 462m annual this year offers a first prize of £20,000 and will be featured live on Sky for the first time.

The first round takes place on Wednesday, September 10; the second round on Saturday, September 13; the semi-finals on Thursday, September 18, and the final on Tuesday, September 23.