Greyhounds News: Can Bob save Stow?

Greyhounds News / Editor / 01 July 2010 / Leave a Comment

"Bob Morton brings a passion for the game but with a powerful business background, and his involvement has taken the campaign to get racing back there a big step on."

Dogs impressario could play pivotal role in London track's future, end of the road for Toomaline Jack, Sheff set for September event, and much more...

The future of Walthamstow Stadium was this week the subject of discussions between site owners London & Quadrant and businessman, and huge greyhound man, Bob Morton.

Morton, owner of the Westmead dogs largely bred and trained by Nick Savva, has emerged a possible key player in the battle to bring back racing to the famous old track. He is understood to know the company through his wider business interests, which has given those in greyhound racing confidence that a deal can be done.

It could be a drawn out affair, but with the planners seriously looking at a mixed use site for the iconic venue, greyhound racing is still favourite to return by 2011.

One source said: "If L&Q could get out they would. This has been the bane of their lives, and it's almost as if they were given assurances about viability and planning applications without any foundation - the local Waltham Forest Guardian will say as such this week.

"Bob Morton brings a passion for the game but with a powerful business background, and his involvement has taken the campaign to get racing back there a big step on."

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Toomaline Jack, who made a name for himself through the Derby and then the Grand National, has been retired after breaking down in the jumps final at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Dolores Ruth's dog, who raced into the Classic final unbeaten only to come very close to Lyreen Mover allowing Bandicoot Tipoki to grab Derby glory, was then switched back to the sticks where he first emerged a talent when clocking 28.63sec in his Irish Grand National semi-final last ear.

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Dundalk are keen on attracting a UK-based runner for the International on July 12. The valuable one-off, which saw Kinda Ready travel over last year as a British-trained runner only to finish well behind Skywalker Queen, is generally one of the best races in the Irish Calendar and has an outstanding roll of honour.

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Sheffield, who staged the Betfair Trainers Championship meeting two years ago and is readying itself for the Betfair Steel City Cup in late August, is to break new ground with a tri-distance event in September. The unique competition, which is filling what had become a vacant Sky slot on September 21, will be over 480m, 500m and 660m and offer a £5,000 to the winner prize.

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SKY will reach 33 live fixtures this year - and there's a chance of a 34th.
While no two-hour slot is available on the Sky Sports channels for Irish Derby final night at Shelbourne Park, it is hoped the race can be screened live on on the Sky Sports News channel.
One source said: "Sadly for UK viewers, RTE seem to hold the rights for Shelbourne and the Irish board can never seem to agree in advance for the coverage, which is a great shame.
"Maybe next year .. . . "