While greyhound racing has been an integral part of sports in the United Kingdom for almost 100 years, it is fair to say that it faces an uncertain future.
Track closures and concerns over animal welfare are amongst the primary issues surrounding a sport that divides opinion with the general public.
The closure of Wimbledon Stadium in 2017 was widely forecast to be the final nail in the coffin for greyhound racing in the UK, but that prediction has not come to fruition just yet.
The thriving betting market at new tracks such Towcester Racecourse demonstrate that the sport is still enjoyed by many people.
The questions surrounding the future of greyhound racing in the UK are easy to understand given how many venues have fallen by the wayside.
There were once around 250 greyhound tracks in the UK, many of which attracted massive crowds when they staged meetings.
Fast forward to today and there are just 21 venues licensed by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, highlighting the difficulties the sport faces.
However, despite the drop off in the number of stadia hosting greyhound racing, it is currently the UK’s sixth most popular spectator sport.
Towcester will undoubtedly be a key driver in determining whether greyhound racing can avoid falling off the radar in UK sport.
The flagship venue has become the new home for the prestigious English Greyhound Derby, and garnered plenty of praise for its work in promoting this year’s event.
More than 4,000 racegoers attended the Derby, the largest crowd Towcester has attracted for greyhound racing under managing director Kevin Boothby.
As one of the top owners in the UK, Boothby has had a long affiliation with greyhound racing which has now expanded into managing a track.
He has been a vocal advocate of improving racing conditions for dogs, and has called out some rival tracks for failing to be accountable for the injuries suffered by the animals.
Boothby has worked hard to make Towcester as safe as possible and has urged other tracks to follow his lead to help greyhound racing in the UK flourish in the future.
“We do everything in our power to make our tracks as safe as possible but I absolutely accept that some injuries are inevitable,” he said.
“With that in mind, we have made plans for the industry’s best veterinary hospital to be based at Towcester. It will be run by vet Polly Smith with no expense spared on getting the best equipment and treatment possible.
“For the Towcester runners, it will mean immediate emergency treatment on site, and dogs from my other tracks will get the chance to use the facilities too.
“We are nothing without the dogs in this industry. I love the sport but particularly the greyhounds themselves. I have always kept or rehomed my dogs and have four in the house now.
“I will stop at nothing to do the best for all our dogs and if that means exposing those who don’t do their best, I am quite prepared to do it.”
The bumper attendance at this year’s Derby demonstrated that Boothby’s efforts to improve greyhound racing’s image are clearly working.
In an age where sports further down the scale must work extremely hard to attract new fans, the staff at Towcester deserve plenty of praise for making the Derby such a big success.
Boothby believes the event could be the catalyst for greyhound racing to flourish in the UK over the next few years and is looking forward to driving the sport forward.
“I’ve not known an atmosphere on English Greyhound Derby Final night equivalent to what we experienced at Towcester for many years,” added Boothby.
“The evening showcased everything that is great about our sport and why Towcester Racecourse is not only a fantastic racing venue but also a standout space for wider events and celebrations locally.
“To everyone in attendance, our hard-working staff, the kennel hands and of course the greyhounds, thank you for making this year’s Derby our best yet. We can’t wait to do it all again next year.”
While the number of greyhound tracks in the UK has reduced dramatically in recent years, Towcester’s success demonstrates that greyhound racing still holds plenty of appeal for sports fans who make up a significant portion of domestic travel.
Managed correctly, greyhound racing has the potential to be an integral part of the UK sports scene for many years to come.
