| Paschal, I understand that, I was merely replying about the Tralee non Bags betting market. I first went racing there in 1972 with my Father RIP, and we used to go every Tuesday and Friday night except when the Track would close for a while in the Winter. Tunney Galvin R.I.P. and the Barret brothers with their stylish trilbies were the mainstay of the market as far as I recall. The first race on a Tuesday was always a sprint and the standard betting was 6/4 5 of the runners and no price the Favourite until the dogs were going into the boxes when someone might take it on. Just like now, it is completely different to BAGS racing, most owners, although liking a bet were more interested in getting a sale from their young dogs. It was impossible to make any other kind of book at that time as their was very little form to go on, most dogs would be sold after two or three races and it was almost unheard of to see a two and a half year old dog running on the track at that time.. Things are different now and most tracks have many three and some four year old dogs running. They have long been exposed as being at a particular level and it is straightforward for the racing manager to grade a competitive Graded BAGS card. When the BAGS meetings started, people said that it would never last in Tralee with all the strokes that would be pulled but that is simply not the case as there is a large pool of dogs whose owners are happy to let them run for the prizemoney and not have to back them. I understand that Youghal is the most popular of the BAGS meetings with the Betting Shop Customers and that product is very successful, the only issue is the negotiation that the Board did regarding the price per meeting, which is reported as significantly less than the corresponding fee in the UK. Obviously there have been issues with another BAGS venue but one or two cowboys pulling an easy stroke while creating a short term gain for themselves, will simply wreck the opportunity for those who want to run their dogs in this system. The big punters have almost all disappeared from the Arena, either behind their screens in their home offices or to other sports where they can get a bet on. The Greyhound Scene website is full of examples of people being restricted to a few cents on their accounts and you then add Betfair to the mix who are allowed to accept wagering on the greyhound product without paying into the fund, for which they should hang their heads in shame. Realistically, the only way to create a viable betting market for is via a Tote monopoly that works well in the US and Australia and funds the industry effectively. It may be that the buzz of the bookmakers is missing but we are a long way from the heady days of twenty or more bookmakers lining the rails at Shelbourne Park. I attended every flapping track in Scotland and the North of England in the 90s and early 2000s and there would regularly be 15 or more bookmakers at Armadale on a Monday night with punters backing dogs that had little or no discernible form and absolutely no discernible breeding. The same dogs would run at Wallyford, Carfin, Thornton, Wishaw as well as officially at Powderhall, with different names at each track and that was all part of the intrigue and the betting markets were huge. Times are completely different and the population is choosing to spend their leisure Euro in comfortable surroundings and they demand high standards. I believe that the opportunity is there to create a successful industry as it was in the early part of the Millenium, but it will be the Hospitaliy as opposed to on Course betting that will draw individual owners and syndicates. The betting figures will continue to increase through BAGS and the Board need to be far more savvy in their negotiations with the Betting Industry. Like yourself I had several dogs in training with my great and much missed friend, Seamus Graham and like yourself we had an Irish Derby Finalist together although unlike yourself, we hit the crossbar! Seamus was a man who loved nothing more than setting a dog up for a touch in Shelbourne on a Thursday or Saturday night and he was in a class of his own at it, we all loved being involved on the inside track. Although living in Scotland we spoke on the phone several times a week for many years, when mobiles came in, he had to have the biggest bill in the Country! Looking at the owners and punters attending Shelbourne now, many of them are not interested in betting and are there to see their dogs run. I havent had a bet for years and get a lot more pleasure looking at dogs that I have bred or own, racing at the best level that they can and always trying to breed that Classic dog or bitch that we all strive for. It is great to hear your views regarding the Industry, even if I dont agree with all of them but I respect what you did to drag the Industry into the 21st Century. We need people with vision to lead the Industry and hopefully the upcoming appointment of the new Chairman or Woman will give a boost to us all and a support to the new CEO, God knows the Industry needs it. There are a lot of young men and women, all around the Country, working long hours breeding and training greyhounds, trying to rear their families in the Industry and the Board has to create a strategy that will secure a future for them.
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