BEGINNERS GUIDE
There are few places potential newcomers to the sport can go to for a general overview of racing in the UK, or for advice on how to get started. In fact, unless you already know, and trust, someone with greyhounds already, it is a tricky business to get into, at any level. So, based on my experience and many mistakes, here follows a view on what to do, and what not!
Structure of UK Greyhound Racing
UK racing is broadly in two halves; that regulated by the NGRC (National Greyhound Racing Club) and that not. The latter is often referred to as "flapping" or Independent Racing, and I know next to nothing about it, except to say that it is less formal and has fewer rules. In many cases the tracks have fewer facilities, yet it's without doubt great fun and a good place to start out owning or even training your own dogs. Many top level NGRC trainers started out on the Independent circuit.
I'm going to stick to talking about racing at the 30-odd NGRC tracks since that is what I know most about. You'll be pleased to know I'm also going to avoid delving into the politics of racing at the moment, and refrain from any debate on who should be doing what with whose money. Suffice it to say there is some room for improvement in how the sport is funded and run.
For me, NGRC-licensed racing is also effectively in two halves; Graded Racing and Open Class, and all tracks stage both to varying proportions. The difference is in the quality of the greyhound. Some dogs, the majority, remain graded animals throughout their race career, whilst some race exclusively on the stronger Open Race circuit. A significant number do both.
Dogs which are "graded" run at one venue only, and the grades for the standard 4 bend distance at that track are usually from A9 (or lower) up to A1. Each track will also have graded dogs which run over its 6 bend distance where the grades might range from S6 up to S1. Dogs running in or near top graded races at their home track are also likely to be able to perform in Open class races.
Win and place prize monies are generally higher for Open races, though there is an overlap between high graded races at the leading tracks, and "minor" Open races at the smaller venues.
The other main difference between Graded and Open racing is to do with when your dog runs. A graded animal is called into a race by the Racing Office of its home track, typically racing 3 or 4 times a month when fit, over its graded distance, against dogs of its own ability. So you the owner will have little control over when your dog runs, although most Racing Offices will try and be accommodating if say, you have a special occasion and are bringing family or friends to the track.
An Open racer, however, can be entered into any Open race at ANY track by its trainer where it will meet the other entries which have been accepted as the 6 best dogs for that particular race. There is a fortnightly Calendar published by the NGRC which shows when and where Open races are being staged.
There is win prize money and place money for virtually all dogs in all races. The lowest might be £25 for a dog winning a low grade race at a small track, with £10 for the other dogs. These figures increase to maybe £140 and £30 respectively for top graded races at the better tracks, such as Walthamstow.
One-off Open races are typically worth £150 to the winner with perhaps £40 for the second-placed dog and £20 for the others. There are competitions, (heats, semis, final) worth from £500 to the winner, through to £5,000 or £10,000 right up to the biggest prize of all: the William Hill-sponsored Derby at Wimbledon worth £100,000.
The tracks
The great thing is that they're all different. Whether it be the public facilities in terms of restaurants and bars, or the tracks themselves for distances and types of race and competition.
All tracks have at least one licensed bar and a source or two of decent food. Many have a wide range from fast food of the burger variety, right through to plush a la carte restaurants where booking well in advance is often necessary, especially for big race nights.
There are lots of discount deals for entrance which can mean the evening can be very inexpensive, as low as £6 for entry, racecard, food and a drink, and a free bet. All in all, any greyhound stadium is a place where people of all walks of life can mix and have a good night out, however closely they want to get to the dogs, or whether they want to focus on the food and fine wines on offer.
The dogs too have the track specially and conscientiously prepared for racing to mimimise injuries and provide competitive yet safe sport. Race distances vary enormously from a short sprint over 225 metres right up to marathon races of over 1000 metres.
In a sprint over 2 bends the race usually starts in the traps on the far side of the track, and finishes in front of the grandstand. The standard distance at each track is over 4 bends when the race starts at the beginning of the home straight, passes the grandstand and finishes after a further lap. The standard 4 bend distance varies from track to track and can be anything from 380 to 480 metres. Six bend races start on the far side of the track and usually cover the track's sprint distance plus a full circuit and will cover anything from 540 up to 660 metres.
Hurdle races take place over the 4 and 6 bend trips at most tracks, with the dogs jumping between 3 and 6 short hurdles during each race.
Races are electronically timed from trap rise to finish but sectional times are also recorded as each dog passes the winning line the first time in the race. For the standard 4 bend distance this is just the length of the straight and this time will vary between tracks and could be anything from 2 seconds up to 6. It is measured to the nearest hundredth of a second, as are the races. Typically a 480 metre race will take between 29 and 30 seconds. Good dogs will break 29 seconds for this distance.
How to bet on a winner
The typical track racecard is a mystery at first glance, and there is precious little guidance in it to help the innocent beginner, except an explanation of about 50 abbreviations used in the race form, most of which are irrelevant!
I'm not going to write at length here about how to back winners, because there is no easy way, but I'll just list a few facts you might want to bear in mind before parting with your hard-earned!
Firstly, graded races are put together by an experienced Racing Office manager and his staff with a view to having all 6 runners dead-heat for first place. As a result these races are by definition unpredictable but the advantage is that there is unlikely to be short-priced favourite; most of the field should be available at odds of 5/2 or better.
Dogs don't win from behind. Not entirely true, but the majority of races are won by the dog which takes the first bend in no worse that third place; partly because the dogs in behind often bump and lose ground, and partly because it's not easy for dogs to overtake without also meeting trouble. The 4th column in on the racecard shows the split or sectional time; look for a dog which has consistently better times than its rivals. It should lead and at the very least give you a run for your money.
Dogs don't win if they meet trouble in running. Again not completely true, but nearly. I'm not sure that stats exist but the majority of races are won by dogs which have had a clear run. Obviously you can't guarantee what's about to happen, but sometimes a dog will show improved form when it avoids trouble in its race.
Open races are not more open! Often up to half the field can be eliminated from calculations on the basis that their overall form, indeed the class of race they've been contesting, is not up to the standard of its opponents.
Young dogs improve, maybe up to 2 years of age or beyond. But they don't all. Look to see how many races a young dog has had, and whether, ignoring races in which he met trouble, he is improving his times.
Watch out for dogs trying a new distance for the first or second time. Have their runs over a shorter trip suggested the longer race will suit? Look for the comment "ran on" in the form. Will their early pace over the shorter distance enable them to establish a lead which they can hang on to?
Whether you pick them with a pin, or from the name, or because they've got a nice face, or even if you religiously study form, I wish you well. Punting should be fun, not a fast route to poverty. Bet what you could afford to give away!
What can it cost to own a dog?
The good news is that you can own a racing greyhound without having to share your sofa with it. And with average luck without it costing more per week than plenty of people spend smoking, drinking or eating out, all of which you can still do at the track!
The top trainers can charge up to £80 per week (inc VAT) to train a dog. Yet there are plenty of perfectly good trainers who will do it for half that. The differences are in the facilities available to the trainer, their reputation based on past big-race successes, the track they race at and therefore the potential prize money. But overall in my limited experience there isn't a lot to choose. The vast majority of trainers will feed, treat, and ensure the well-being and fitness of the dogs to the necessary standard for racing and beyond.
You can buy an established graded race dog for under £500, or pay £20,000 or more for a young puppy that is doing scorchingly fast times in his trials or early races. One should be better than the other, but is no less injury-prone, and no more guaranteed to pay his way, let alone retrieve your initial outlay. Expect to pay at least £2000 for an Open racer, more for a youngster.
Your £500 dog might pay his kennel bills via win and place prize money if he stays sound and wins his share of races. But many dogs don't do that because of time off injured, which produces the double whammy of no race income and Vets bills to pay on top of kennel charges. Again, budget for worst case scenarios.
Dogs can race from 16 months old, and when you buy a young dog (say under 2 years, when they're confusingly still known as puppies) you might find you're paying a premium for the dogs potential to improve from his current grade or level of performance. This improvement might happen but there is a lot to be said for your first dog, at least, to be over 2 years old so that you know what you're getting and you're not paying extra for something that in all probability won't materialise.
How to get your first dog
Track Racing Offices will supply details of trainers who are "attached", ie., have graded dogs, at their track. Any trainer should be able to source a dog for you or may have some already for sale. This would very much be my recommended route to purchasing your first dog.
The Greyhound section of the Racing Post newspaper has dogs for sale in its Thursday edition and is also a good source, particularly, of better class animals from top breeders.
What happens when my dog is too old or injured to race
The NGRC rules make it very clear that the responsibility for the dog after his racing career is over lies with the last owner. However, this fortunately doesn't mean that every dog you ever buy will end up in your lounge.
We chose to bring our first dog, Belvedere Robin, home, but there are plenty of alternatives and and our other retired dogs are being found homes by two of the many wonderful greyhound homing schemes administered by The Greyhound Trust, and other volunteer groups. The important thing to remember is that all the costs until the dog is homed are your responsibility as owner.
SUMMARY
If you already go greyhound racing, you'll know what a great night it is. Owning a dog enhances the experience further still, and there's always something to look forward to.
Ownership, however, is a responsibility and a long-term financial commitment. Dogs do pick up injuries, most of them fortunately minor, and the racing career can be anything from just a few months to 3 years.
Overall, the negatives are outweighed by the positives. The enthusiasm of the people you meet in the sport, the dogs themselves, and the unrivalled excitement of your dog racing and winning, make it great to be involved in such a fascinating, yet affordable, sport.
I wish any newcomers the very best of luck: let me know your news.