It felt discernibly odd tuning into Sky Sports Racing ahead of Dubai World Cup meeting and the start of the British Flat season at Doncaster yesterday afternoon.
The preview of the Saturday cards was interspersed in the morning with a smattering of the odd greyhound race from Romford.
As of a couple weeks ago, greyhound racing is banned in Wales and Scotland.
It was a strange feeling, essentially watching an outlawed product being openly enjoyed and talked about on a major broadcaster.
In England and Ireland, greyhound racing remains a reasonably strong product and its regular broadcast on racing channels when action of the equine equivalent is on the light side is a reminder of how strong the links are between horse and greyhound racing.
The British Horseracing Authority was quick to distance itself from Wales and Scotland’s ban on greyhound racing. A BHA spokesperson told the Racing Post: ‘We are aware of decisions made by politicians in Scotland and Wales to ban greyhound racing, following the respective governments’ support for the bills laid in the Scottish Parliament and Senedd.
Campaigners outside Holyrood on March 18 as Scotland banned greyhound racing
Green MSP Mark Ruskell put forward the Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill
‘At every stage, both governments have been keen to stress both on the record and directly to the BHA and Scottish Racing that there is no connection between the bills and the future of the horseracing industry in Scotland and Wales.’
It’s a reasonable stance for the BHA to take but some were surprised by the level of distance racing’s governing body put between their sport and greyhounds. The culture is deeper in England and Ireland than it is in Scotland and Wales.
Racing’s authorities should take note of the rapid decline in greyhound racing in Scotland and Wales. It became unpopular and irrelevant very quickly in the last two decades. Track after track was shut down. Not necessarily for welfare reasons but because people stopped going and caring.
The end of greyhound racing arrived because of apathy and not ‘the antis’ protesting.
Yes, the banning of greyhound racing has been dressed up as some seismic political victory on the steps of Holyrood by the Green Party. But in the cold light of day, it isn’t. This was just an easy target with nobody pushing against it.
The Scottish National Party essentially paved the way by not objecting. The ruling party in Holyrood were neither for or against. They also stopped caring and it allowed the Bill to pass, showing that the Scottish Parliament can actually push legislation through.
Basically, greyhound racing was the next in line of easy pickings in Wales and Scotland for soft, fleeting political power. It ticked all the tinpot political boxes of devolved administrations; No opposition to it, an issue hardly anybody cares about and it makes us look good. Big whoop.
On the day after Scotland banned the sport, Newcastle were greyhound racing the following day. Any trainer north of the border could effectively jump down to Dunstall Park and run their dogs there. So it’s basically a meaningless piece of legislation.
But that doesn’t stop individuals with all the authority of a parking attendant celebrating banning something as if they’ve brokered the Treaty of Versailles. When the Holyrood election happens on May 7, it’s little wonder people spoil ballots or just simply don’t vote.
However, in defence of the Scottish Parliament there was a healthy debate about the sensitive issue of assisted dying. One wishes governments across the British Isles would primarily focus on big issues like that. Fixing fundamentals like health and education should be paramount. It’s a shame that banning cultural stuff like greyhound racing is done because it’s easier.
Crayford Greyhound Stadium in South East London was shut down in January 2025
It is this kind of cancel culture and banning stuff on a political whim that should make racing very wary. The vocal minority on social media are a bit like the small but loud section of ill-informed football fans shouting for the manager’s head. On occasion, they are listened to.
Horse racing retains popularity. It’s the second-most viewed spectator sport in Britain. It’s an industry with huge cultural and economic importance which supports thousands of jobs in every pocket of the land.
It’s still very much in the public’s consciousness and retains mainstream relevance. But it was not so long ago in Wales and Scotland that greyhound racing was also a popular working-class pursuit.
It’s a sport that I’ve never really had a great deal of interest but there was a greyhound track near me in Ayr and plenty would go. The old dog track at Whitletts shut down in 2011 because of neglect. Suddenly, people just stopped caring. The world passed it by.
The track was made redundant, became such an eyesore that the junior football team housed next door were so badly inconvenienced by it and a subsequent report revealed it would cost £440,000 to restore it.
Needless to say the demolition option was taken and the Whitletts area has been subsequently redeveloped. Stories like this were replicated across Scotland over the last 15-20 years.
So that’s how things die. Not because of protestors but because of a slow, gradual lack of interest when the product itself simply stops becoming financially viable or relevant.
And that’s what horse racing should guard against now. When the tin hats are put on for another weekend when the Grand National gets underway, it’s not the people with loud, unrelenting voices crying foul against the sport on social media racing should be worried about.
It’s when the silent majority just simply stop caring about the sport that the alarm bells will really ring.
Apathy sets in and ‘the antis’ pounce to claim victory largely unopposed. The template is there and racing should guard against it or it may go to the dogs sooner than the powers-at-be think.
Ombudsman powers clear to win the Dubai Turf at Meydan in good style
Calandagan gets up cosily on the line to win the Dubai Sheema Classic by a length
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
Despite the turmoil in the war-torn Middle East, Dubai World Cup night went ahead without anyone batting an eyelid.
OMBUDSMAN showcased his withering turn of foot once again when winning the Dubai Turf.
Ridden by William Buick and trained by John and Thady Gosden, the 2-5 favourite won by two lengths with minimal fuss from Quddwah to give owners Godolphin a home winner on the meeting’s 30th anniversary.
He’s a wonderful horse that is getting better with age.
He gets the nod ahea dof another top-notch European-trained horse in Calandagan, with the French raider running down West Wind Blows to win the Sheema Classic by a length in smooth style.
