This causes a serious challenge for the tracks and more importantly our trainers, who rely on stable and rewarding conditions in order to operate. Its impossible to pay staff a reasonable wage to look after these fine animals if prize money and supply money is not in line with the costs incurred.

Unfortunately Owners are also dragged into this situation, most like myself are involved by some weird obsession with the dream to succeed, maybe we can win a race, maybe an A1, or what about an Open, or the Derby ! The reality is we may dream but the reward comes in watching our dogs run on a regular basis earning enough money to offset some of the cost of ownership.

In essence owning Greyhounds is a hobby but until the costs involved are equivalent to the enjoyment received the number of owners will decline, then trainers, then tracks !

At present most owners do not own a top open class greyhound, but we do enjoy and appreciate the best of the best via regular Sky racing coverage of our top competitions, yet through the selfish commercial views of a few high paid executives this may be removed in the future !

Were also likely to be denied the enjoyment of the Track Championship which is the single most important event designed to bring together owners/trainers/tracks on a regular basis, and designed for the everyday owner !

Its time for those involved in the strategic direction of our sport to look at the bigger picture, no more arguing, no more cheap sellouts to the perceived highest bidder, no more selfish decisions.

Sort this out or watch the decline of owners & trainers until theres no one left to supply the dogs required for the industry to succeed !

The key question was put by John Coleman on RPGTV last week, What happens when the Bookies find a more cost effective substitute for greyhound racing such as refined virtual racing(I cannot understand the appeal myself)? There seems to be little thought to the future by our governing body.

Ive owned dogs for over 20 years and this years Derby at Towcester was the most exciting Ive ever seen, because for the first time I saw the best dogs going head to head from both sides of the water. I understand there were challenges in Dublin but there is no doubt it produced a fantastic competition.

The reality is we could have English, Irish & Scottish Derbys all at the highest standard of competition if those in charges could get their act together!

Its not long ago we had a sponsor offering 1m for a dog winning all 3, since then the profits of all major bookmakers have exploded and In theory offering a 1m prize should be an attractive proposition, yet nothing !

This is because those running the industry have neither the passion nor business acumen to deliver.

Unfortunately, from what I can see there is no appetite for this on one side of the Irish Sea.

The fundamental requirement for successful competition is a level playing field.

Now to the key questions,

Will Sky coverage continue in 2018 ?
Will The Track Championship be resurrected ?
Will The Greyhound Derby receive the coverage it deserves ?

Over to those running the industry, your response is eagerly awaited !

PS Owners will not continue to provide the base product if the dream is no longer an aspiration !

While this is a good idea in reality it will not work. There are 2 entirely different governing bodies. Here in Ireland we are government run, our prize money is a lot higher and comes from the government. I do not think the UK government would act the same, and do we here in Ireland want to run the same as the UK, do not think so.
A question I want to ask. What happens to the fine money in both the UK and Ireland. I remember when racing in the UK and it was run by the NGRA, that all fine money at a certain time of year was distributed to tracks who could then give double prize on race nights.

IMO, owners are now viewed as an inconvenience by the people truly running the sport - the bookmakers.

Their utopia is track- or trainer-owned dogs running in empty stadia, with low grade racing. inconsistent form and where results are impossible to predict - 3/1 the field.

I can see more tracks adopting the model that Henlow uses - the promoter buying the dogs and giving them to trainers to maintain kennel strength.

Time to wake up and smell the coffee

Many of the dogs are no more than cannon fodder for the promoters and bookmakers and it surely can't be long before the welfare issues associated with that come home to roost.

Someone somewhere will make money in the short term from the current madness but it surely can't last. A sad state of affairs.

Graded racing is fine and we understand that bags racing or whatever its called these days is fundamental to the UK, but surely thats not all there is ?

Apart from the efforts of Towcester Im struggling to see what owners are striving for !

My Last 21 runners = 0 Winners

Nothing running lower than A3 or S3, dogs upgraded without winning !

Why bother ?

Is it possible theyre starting to understand the gravity of the situation?