That Panorama Programme .

[bennythedip2]

Marks view

Monday night's rushed episode of Panorama, as expected, did a hatchet job on Greyhound racing and exposed trainer Chris Mosdall as a drugs cheat, all in all not a good week for our industry. For the uninitiated who sat and watched the programme it probably enhanced their views that Greyhound racing is a shady sport and all trainers are pulling strokes.
For those in the gambling world, in particular the ones who bet on the dogs in the bookmakers, they probably enjoyed the fact that it looked like something was dodgy in every race, as of course they need an excuse to find why the ones they backed bit the dust. But for those close to the industry it was little more than old ground dug up. Fantasist Chris Mosdall is a known billybullshitter and without him the programme lacked any real content.
He certainly doesn't represent 99% of trainers in our sport who love and care for their Greyhounds with the attention and affection they deserve and would not even think about decreasing or enhancing a dog's performance with drugs.

The programme has however enlarged the growing discontent between certain stakeholders within our industry. The GBGB were probably right in not going on air and answering Panorama's questions as you could be sure they would have, at the very least, been taken out of context.
It looked disappointing, at the time, that the RGT didn't reply to allegations of thousands of so called 'missing dogs' but it has come to light they did answer questions from the investigative journalist but the programme decided not to air that.
Trainer and GTA leader Rick Holloway played a part in the programme and clearly his rightful statement on the Deloittes report a few months ago that trainers and owners are supplementing the sport to the tune of 3 million pounds per year was right but it gave the impression that that's why trainers were cheating and that is simply not true! Chris Mosdall is one of those bad apples that happens in all walks of life and especially in a sport where there is gambling and has financial rewards at stake.
Was Rick right to be a part of the programme, where their intention is nothing more than to entertain viewers with shocking allegations, then I'm not so sure.

I was hugely critical of our industry in a statement I made for the Racing Post on Wednesday but some of what I said was left out as the paper has to be careful what it prints from a legal point of view.
Personally I don't care and I will say what I like in my blogs on this website. In particular and one valid point boils down to the GRA who employed Chris Mosdall. The fact is the GRA have continuously run Greyhound racing down to the point that its prize money is poor, facilities are shocking and customer treatment is short sighted.
They are no more than just property speculators who given the right price will sell all their tracks.
They have no plan for the sport's future bar making enough money to service huge debts so it's little wonder when trainers disappear and they have to take on people like Chris Mosdall just to make sure they have enough dogs to fill cards!

The GBGB needs to, and quick, bounce back from this latest exposure and our leadership needs to be strong but given the fact that it seems that with the Board's current term of office coming to an end this year, including Chairman Maurice Watkins, you get the feeling they will hope this just blows over! Steve Fluin had some valid points on RPGTV on Thursday especially about the GBGB letting business people on the Board of Directors as the commercial development of the sport is crucial.
Also on RPGTV last night Tony Bullen summed it up rightly, we should be coming out and shouting louder than programmes like Panorama and the anti's and be proud of our product and then sell it!

The RGT already rocked by the news that their leader Peter Laurie is to leave his post after being headhunted by Battersea Dogs Home also needs to have a serious rethink on how to convey the excellent work that they do to the general public.
Panorama made it look like the RGT had something to hide which is sad as we know hundreds of dedicated people are working tirelessly on making sure every Greyhound that is retired can be rehomed unless it has behavioural problems (about 1 in 100 in my opinion which is less than most other breeds).
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Now for some good news! it's hoped that Towcester's first official trials will take place this coming Friday. There are a few final pieces to fit in the jigsaw but the superb looking new track is ready to go.
If you go on David Yanez's Facebook page he has some excellent pictures of what the track looked like last Frida. We will have seven triallers if all ok on Friday and up to 20 the following Wednesday as we build up to the opening on the 6th December. The restaurant is fully booked and a huge attendance looks likely. After Monday's Panorama programme Towcester can't come soon enough!