Greyhound Betting: News in brief

General / Editor / 11 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

Dino set to join new owner, Walthamstow latest and more...

Blonde Dino, winner of Tuesday's Steel City Cup final at Sheffield, is expected to leave the kennels of his former trainer John Mullins and join new owner Ricky Holloway.

Previously owned by Mark Currell, the man behind the 'Blonde' prefix is scaling back his large string of greyhounds, but will retain several top open-racers plus litters on the ground.

For Mullins and Currell, Blonde Dino won the 2007 Midland Puppy Derby, this year's Dundalk International and was third in the Derby at Wimbledon.

Campaigners attempting to re-start racing at Walthamstow will present detailed plans for the stadium and surrounding area to the local council this week. A rally at the Waltham Forest Council offices last Friday sparked some lively scenes in the glare of local media with SOS (Save Our Stow) campaign leader Ricky Holloway calling on council leaders to preserve the "iconic" stadium, which closes for racing last month.

Holloway said: "There is not even a cinema in the area, and this is supposedly where just a few miles down the road they are staging an Olympics. At this rate, there will nothing in this borough for people to be entertained.

"We are offering affordable housing, a super-stadium for greyhound racing which will take the sport one step ahead of Ireland, plus a host of local leisure amenities, including a multiplex cinema and ten-pin bowling alley.

"The money is in place to buy the land back from the housing association and its partners who bought the track from the Chandler family. All we need is the support of the local council and for them to put pressure on the new owners to sell to us. It can be done."

Midway Skipper was quickest in the semis of the Yorkshire Leger at Doncaster on Friday, the Golden Jacket finalist relishing the testing conditions as Henry Chalkley's home-bred reeled in Bubbly Totti.

The Yorkshire Leger final, and supporting gala card, takes place this Friday.