A horse and greyhound racing track in the UK where Irish animals have suffered and died "is set to collapse into administration - with its future in doubt", it is being reported today.

According to an article in The Daily Star, "Towcester Racecourse has announced all races as of this weekend have been cancelled IN A HUGE BLOW TO THE RACING INDUSTRY."

The racecourse said in a statement: “Towcester Racecourse Company Limited, proprietors of Towcester Racecourse, are currently experiencing trading difficulties and are in discussions with key stakeholders and professional advisors on the way forward. However, the directors have concluded that they have no alternative in the short term but to seek court protection and are now taking steps to place the company into Administration. As a result, it is with regret that the greyhound meetings on this Friday, 17th August and over the weekend at Towcester Racecourse have been cancelled."

Among the victims at Towcester is a greyhound named "Sober Call" who fell face first into the ground and tumbled head over heels during a hurdle race. A race commentator joked that the Irish dog was "on the booze" - see the video footage at https://www.facebook.com/greyt.exploitations/videos/1376001179119710/

A few months earlier, another Irish greyhound suffered an agonising injury at the same track. Campaign group, Greyt Exploitations highlighted that "2-year-old white and black female Holycross Bride fell at the deadly first bend. Her screams could be heard ringing out around the track." https://www.facebook.com/greyt.exploitations/videos/1270742879645541/ Before being exported to the UK, "Sober Call" was last used in racing in Ireland in September 2016 at Shelbourne Park.

Irish horses have also lost their lives at Towcester. In May 2017, Book Of Excuses was "fatally injured", while Seelateralligator was destroyed after suffering an injury during a race.

Here in Ireland, greyhound tracks are experiencing major difficulties too. As reported by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports last month, track are continuing to record massive financial losses and track attendance is plummeting.

The latest Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) annual report has revealed that all of the taxpayer-funded IGB's tracks suffered losses in 2017, while its food and drinks subsidiary company (Abargrove Ltd) made a loss of nearly half a million euros. The next largest loss (€356,303) was seen at Limerick track - the headquarters of the IGB.

Track attendance fell in 2017 by 122,368 to 514,546 - the lowest level since records began - and the average attendance at race meetings dropped from 380 to 329. That's despite the marketing and promotion budget being increased to €1.7 million.

The IGB is pointing to the temporary closure of Shelbourne Park (due to protests by greyhound breeders against the shutting down of Harold's Cross stadium) for the drop in attendance but the reality is that track attendance has been steadily falling over the past decade. Since 2007, when attendance was 1.12 million, the number of people going to greyhound races has slumped by 54 per cent.

This is almost certainly linked to a growing awareness among the Irish public about the doping of dogs (to affect the outcomes of races) and the injuries and deaths of greyhounds. In the past three and a half years, 1,369 greyhounds suffered injuries at tracks around the country and 438 were killed by track vets.

While figures are not available for the seven privately-owned tracks, it is believed that they too are making substantial losses. For example, Longford greyhound track (owned by a Scottish businessman) came close to closure last year, saved only after a fundraising drive and continued annual cash injections of over €40,000 from the Irish Greyhound Board. Last month, Lifford track in Donegal was put on the market for the second time in four years. A drop in attendance was noted by one visitor, who commented on the Lifford Greyhound Stadium Facebook page: "I absolutely love this greyhound stadium but can't believe how quiet it has gotten over the years..."

ACTION ALERT

Don't attend greyhound races or fundraisers/hen parties/office parties held at greyhound tracks.

The cruel and crumbling greyhound industry has received nearly a quarter of a billion euros of taxpayers' money since 2001 (including €16 million for 2018). Urge Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to end funding to the greyhound industry and instead direct the money to charities and other deserving causes. Email "Stop funding the cruel greyhound industry" to taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie, paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, minister@per.gov.ie

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
Department of the Taoiseach,
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie, leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie, finegael@finegael.ie
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Paschal Donohoe TD
Minister for Finance
Email: paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie, minister@per.gov.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1 6045810
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