Greyhounds News / Editor / 10 November 2009 / Leave a Comment

Fear Zafonic and Mark Wallis in pole position for annual awards, place your bets on the All England Cup and GBGB overhail anti-doping laws...

The race to be Greyhound of the Year is hotting up and major events over the next month or so will give greyhound fans more idea as to who will succeed last year's winner Lenson Joker.

"Fear Zafonic looks to have the edge just now," said one insider. "He was just touched off in the Derby, but has come back to win the Betfair Derby at Yarmouth. He had some wins in the early part of the year, too."

However, to seal the deal Fear Zafonic's connections will be looking for a good show in the upcoming Eclipse at Nottingham where likely award nominees Eye Onthe Storm and Lenson Bolt are set to do battle.

Other greyhounds to consider include the Derby winner Kinda Ready, leading hurdler Platinumlancelot and the likes of Glenroe Ginger and Ballymac Ruso. The latter will have raised his profile through the All England Cup at Newcastle.

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Sky's next port of call after Newcastle's big All England Cup fixture tomorrow (Wednesday) is Doncaster, which follows less than a week after the cameras visit the north-east.
The track formerly known as Stainforth first appeared on the channel two years ago when Flying Winner struck gold in the TV Trophy.

The track's event this year is the Yorkshire Leger, the entry for which included the St Leger first and second, kennelmates Kinda Easy and Droopys Zach.

The semi-finals take place tonight (Tuesday), with the final next Tuesday, November 17.
The supporting card includes the final of an unraced stake, backed by the owners of Irish Derby champion College Causeway. And the superstar Irish tracker will be paraded at the track before the final gets under way.

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An announcement regarding a sponsor for next year's Derby is expected soon.

Greyhound racing's biggest prize takes place at Wimbedon in May and will once again be held before a major soccer championships - this time the World Cup - and could even form part of a 'Double Derby' day with the final the same day as the Epsom Derby.

But a new deal is required for the next three years as part of the sport's TV commitments, and an announcement in the next week is expected to shed light on the race, and the south west London track's future.

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Anti-doping policy is set to occupy the minds of those in the corridors of power at the Greyhound Board of Great Britain.

An overhaul of the rules governing the use of medicaments is set to happen after written evidence, called for by the GBGB from all those in the sport, has been completed.

"It's a grey area, of course, but the use of some pain-killers, such as we use for headaches etc could, and maybe should be allowed," said one handler. "Thresh hold levels for some treatments are a concern. We can break the rules, without seeking, or getting, an advantage.

"There's a general feeling that the punishment is not fitting the crime. Yes, penalise the wrong-doers, but there's surely a welfare issue here. We are looking after the dogs we race. It's a difficult subject, but some of the fines we are seeing have just gone too far."

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Mark Wallis is set to become the runaway winner of the Trainer of the Year title, to make it back-to-back successes for Imperial Kennels.

Even without a runner in the All England Cup final, the former Walthamstow trainer is in an unassailable position and is set to become a record-breaking winner of the championship, such has been his dominance this year.

"It's all about Mark this year," said one insider. "Winning the Derby and the St Leger was the icing on the cake and you'd have to go back probably many years to see such a wide-margin winner of the Trainer of the Year race.

"But remember Charlie [Lister] went close to winning the Derby and his rivalry with Mark has become one of the best things to happen to greyhound racing in recent years. They drive each other on almost.

"There is intense rivalry, but huge respect for what they have both achieved."

The top six in the Trainer of the Year race will be invited to compete in the Betfair Trainers' Championship in 2010.

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