Irish Sports
Welcome to Live View – Take the tour to learn more
Start Tour
There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
went to hx for the first time in a long time tonight...i was struck firstly by the lack of bookmakers at the track..only three in attendance ..2 hegertys and farrell were the only books standing ..remember it was the start of the puppy oaks ...most of the crowd were tote punters tbf....even still i found the decline worrying to say the least ...what now for this once great sport of ours ....i was talking to a trainer who asked me if i still had any dogs.... as our conversation unfolded it was remarkable how much in agreement we were about the ills of the sport
the small trainers are been pushed aside ..unwanted it seems by a game that has become coined by several big time trainers..maybe there is a lesson in there somewere
for our friends in the horse racing world ....
the small trainers are been pushed aside ..unwanted it seems by a game that has become coined by several big time trainers..maybe there is a lesson in there somewere
for our friends in the horse racing world ....
Show More
Workrider, was at Lifford a few friday's ago, one on course bookie! 3-4 years ago at least a dozen. Most people there were (sparse attendance) out for a meal & a few euros on the tote, sad state of affairs.
on course bookies are gone the tote have patrons wrapped up with their hand held machines above in corporate eating prawn sandwiches!
why would anyone want to go to a greyhound meeting these days when the crookies bet to 1400% per race ffs???
I don't blame books for not standing in HRX workrider, there is no casual punters up there that play any decent amount of money with the books and the only custom they get are on "job dogs"
deplasterer...lifford was known as a strong betting marked i'm shocked at that ..i remember a few years ago having a bet with one of the books there cant remember who tbh ...the bet was for a friend of mine who was an owner he gave me £3,ooo to have on his dog @ 3/1 i thought to myself they'll never take that amount...not a bother ...so to say i'm shocked is an understatement ..have all the bookies moved to drumbo park then....?
Workrider, probably Charlie Hillen took your bet, (sadly since passed away). I think the recession has hit it really hard and the people from Derry & Omagh aren't travelling as much as they used to. Shame, as a modern track & great facilities but hopefully it can survive & flourish again in the future.
The game is unfortunately going nowhere at the moment and struggling for the big crowd of the previous years, last week we had an amazing card in SPK with 3 of the best races you are ever likely to see but if it wasn't for a couple of hundred students the crowd would of been average at best, surely tonight the place will be heaving with the racing that is on but time will tell
obviously the game is in free fall atm lads ..if tracks dont realise that the small trainer i.e. the guy with a couple out the back of the house is an integral part of it then its only going one way and thats down hill....i've not bred or even bought a dog in 5yrs ...got sick of been put in with dogs from top yards and just making up the numbers...then there were the nights when you couldent get your dog on and it ran out of its time ...they need to rethink their game plan and include the little guy in it...its not all about nights like tonight ..the bread and butter stuff needs looking after as well....i was talking to an owner last night who decided to get out of the game this week ..how many more have to leave before they wake up...
This time next year dogs will be scarce......Not many dogs are being let out of their times at the moment and you should have no problem getting on...........Shelbourne running 50 spots fast midweek will not encourage people to enter their dogs...........The spare leisure cash just aint about........A trainer I know is gone from 40 dogs to about 10........but the big money is still there for a good pup.
The game will be all the better for a good slowdown of breeding.
The game will be all the better for a good slowdown of breeding.
fair points gant...plenty of good money around for good pups ..but as you know yourself ..guys want dogs for little or nothing..if your lucky enough to have a good pup for sale thats fine...but as a breeder yourself you know the downside of things ...i for one am not prepared to pump money into breeding as i was at one time hoping against hope that i come up with the goods ...
I agree with you 100% Workrider.........The rip off breeders can't shift their stock but nobody has any sympathy for them as the fleeced the gullible during the so called boom.........Breeding would break your heart at times a mate of mine had 2 litter sisters one had a pb of 28.54 and the other was a decent honest 29.25/29.30 bitch..........he bred the 25.54 himself and gave the other bitch away to a lad we know for nothing.......the same stud dog Headbound was used and the rearing the same.........the 28.54 threw rubbish and the other bitch would have regular Sat night Shelbourne and open class hounds..........Thank God it's only an expensive hobby.
Post Your Reply
Please login to post a reply.
Wonder
Instance ID: 13539