Greyhounds News: Trainers' Championship countdown begins

Greyhounds News / Editor / 09 February 2010 / Leave a Comment

The Betfair Trainers' Championship 2010 takes place on March 23

"Mesedo Blue is currently trading at 34.0 for the Wimbledon Classic. Eye Onthe Storm tops the market at 13.0."

Lister aims to retain Betfair big prize, Ninja Jamie returns to the track and Mayor called make final call on Walthamstow. All this and much more...

Doncaster are building up nicely to the Betfair Trainers' Championship on March 23. The south Yorkshire venue are to stage a host of opens in the weeks leading up to the big event so that the six competing trainers have plenty of time to accustom their runners, and shape team tactics, ahead of the shootout.

Charlie Lister romped home in last year's Betfair-backed showpiece at Sheffield - remember his six winners from seven runners? - and has a good record with his runners at Doncaster.

He sent out Carbarns Tom to finish second in last year's Yorkshire St Leger and the same dog, who won a leg at Sheffield for Lister 12 months ago, could well be back again.
Lister takes on Seamus Cahill, Barrie Draper, Chris Allsopp, Dean Childs and Mark Wallis, with each handler represented by one runner in each of eight races over two, four and six bends.

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Lister had his first runners of 2010 at Monmore on Saturday, with high-profile brothers Ninja Jamie and Farloe Reason heading his visiting team to the Wolverhampton circuit. Both were unable to strike gold, although there was success for the Newark maestro with Mill Trissy.

"Charlie tends to shut up shop for a few weeks over winter, but with the Betfair Trainers' Championship next month you'll see him gradually step things up," said one open-race follower. "Most will need their first or second runs, but then they'll be winning races again."

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Site access is next on the agenda for a group of greyhound racing enthusiasts looking to buy Walthamstow. A planning application from the developers is set to land on the desk of councillors in the next fortnight, and ultimately the decision whether to allow affordable housing on the land almost sacred to the sport could lie with City Hall and the Mayor of London.

"Local residents and greyhound fans still have a chance to oppose to the plans drawn up by London & Quadrant, "said one insider, "and we're guiding them via our website www.saveourstow.co.uk."

Access to the stadium is designed to give the potential buyer the chance to see what damage has occur ed since the track closed in August 2008.

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Open-racing goes into overdrive this week. The Springbok final features live on Sky on Tuesday, while the Golden Jacket kicks off at Crayford on Friday.
Midway Skipper and defending championship Lorrys Options, winner of the Betfair Prestige already this year, are set to head the entry for the popular 714m annual.
Following the heats, the semi-finals and final can be seen live in the country's betting shops via on SIS on consecutive Saturday mornings.

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Mesedo Blue has been the big mover in the betting on the English Derby in the last week. The Irish-trained dog racked up the wins at Shelbourne Park last year and reached the quarter-finals of the Irish Derby.

He trialled at Shelbourne on Saturday (28.79) and is expected to make his seasonal bow soon. The reason for the plunge? Apart from being a fast dog, he is trained by Seamus Graham, who sent out Loyal Honcho (2008) to win the Derby at Wimbledon, and make the final the previous years with the same dog, Mineola Farloe and Blue Majestic. Mesedo Blue is currently trading at [34.0] for the Wimbledon Classic. Eye Onthe Storm tops the market at [13.0].

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The new chief executive of the GBGB is expected to be announced within the next two weeks. Interviews have been held in recent weeks for the post which became vacant when Ian Taylor resigned last year.

"It's an important appointment," said one insider. "There's some angst about the selection process and greyhound folk are worried we are getting more of the same. This appointment needs to be dynamic and forward-thinking.

"Greyhound racing faces pressure, not so much from outside - it has dealt with regulation and welfare issues - but from its own. Owners and trainers are fed up with a lack of decent representation and poor prize-money.

"Such issues need to be addressed to keep good people from leaving the sport."