IGB: Our industry is at immediate risk

Statement From IGB

Our industry is at immediate risk unless racing is resumed and debt is reduced now

Recent mediation talks have stalled after the DGOBA rejected a comprehensive set of proposals to accommodate extra racing at Shelbourne Park made by the IGB. These proposals included: a racing support officer, Tuesday and Friday night graded races to reflect Harold’s Cross, increased Friday night prize money, private trials and a doubling in sponsorship money to €10,000 for the DGOBA Dublin Cup. The IGB are attempting to find common ground with the DGOBA, to see this dispute resolved immediately and Greyhound racing resume in Dublin again.

Greyhound owners have lost €200,000 in prize money. This is the equivalent of having Croke Park shut down. The disruption to racing at Shelbourne Park is costing the IGB €30,000 per week. Unless racing resumes immediately, jobs across our industry are in immediate jeopardy.

The recent plan presented by DGOBA to allow two years to keep Harold’s Cross open lacked sufficient detail but more importantly, it ignored the immediate, enormous and heavy debt burden which has to be addressed now. If we don’t sell Harold’s Cross now, the future trading position of the IGB will be in severe jeopardy with our other stadia and business on the line.

There is little value in revisiting history other than to recognise that the majority of the €20 million debt relating to our Limerick Stadium dates back to 2009. A new Board, CEO or new Executives will face the very same debt burden, with no easy options available. Renegotiating this unsustainable debt, as already suggested by many, is on-going at pace.

Indecon economic consultants produced an independent report recommending the sale of assets to reduce the debt. The Indecon report is not out of date as the debt is more serious now than ever before.

Harold’s Cross Stadium is two miles from Shelbourne Park and was profitable only on nights that Shelbourne was closed and vice versa. The enormous debt and interest costs have meant insufficient investment in the facilities at both stadia in recent years.  With greater investment, we will make Shelbourne Park, our national stadium, on a par with other sporting facilities in Dublin such as Croke Park or the Aviva Stadium.

The protests by the DGOBA at Shelbourne Park over the past eight weeks have done severe damage to our industry. The IGB fully understands and regrets the disruption to people’s lives caused by the closure of Harold’s Cross. Greyhound owners have lost €200,000 in prize money since the disruption has started.

For the wellbeing of our sport in Ireland, it is critical that Dublin greyhound people feel welcome and confident in racing their dogs in Shelbourne Park. Every day we are hearing from greyhound people whose common focus is on seeing racing resumed immediately at Shelbourne Park and that talks can continue separately to address other industry issues.

The IGB remains fully committed to mediation talks under Kieran Mulvey, the former Chairman of the Workplace Relations Commission who has 25 years’ experience in handling complex disputes.
The IGB would appeal directly to those protesting to remove the personalities from this dispute and consider the consequences whereby our capital city has no racing, owners are financially suffering and our customers have gone elsewhere. Our excellent staff have uncertain futures, with no end in sight.

Thankfully, the IGB have been able to increase prize money 20% in 2016. The IGB have a viable plan to secure greyhound racing in the years ahead, improve welfare and regulation concerns and do so whilst working with all stakeholders in our industry.  Greyhound racing in Ireland has a viable future but this is at risk unless racing is resumed in Shelbourne Park and the debt is reduced immediately.

IGB Statement re. Vote Of No Confidence

Statement from the Irish Greyhound Board

The vote of “no confidence” in the Board of the Irish Greyhound Board passed at a GOBA organised meeting on Sunday last hardly came as a surprise to the directors themselves.

They understand better than anyone that the orchestrated narrative around the current issues within the greyhound industry can be stripped down to a fundamental article of faith by the critics. “Get rid of the Chairman, the Board and the Executive of IGB and everything will be fine”.

That thesis is as dishonest as it is simplistic. It is populist pap dispensed by those who should know better. More importantly, it reflects a very poor grasp of the reality of the challenges the industry faces and offers no credible pathway towards their resolution. Those challenges have been compounded by the deliberate disruption of racing at Shelbourne Park Stadium by those who appear to believe that they are entitled to be provided with their own “club” by a semi State body charged with the management of the industry nationally.

Their actions have already cost trainers and owners €200,000 in prize money. The losses to the Irish Greyhound Board as a result of the sabotage of racing (with a worrying undercurrent of intimidation) are considerable, unsustainable and threaten the continued employment of full time and part time staff at Shelbourne Park Stadium. The damage to racing, to IGB’s commercial operations and to the reputation of the industry, domestically and internationally, is enormous and is potentially fatal. If the disruption to Dublin racing continues, the stark truth is that the ability of IGB to continue trading will no longer exist.

It is worth reprising some of the issues the industry has to face. IGB is under pressure to manage a legacy debt now reduced to €20.3 million, which preceded the current chairman, board and executive of IGB. Although not caused by anyone now in the critics’ line of fire, the debt of €20.3 million cannot be wished away, written  off or “parked” as some would have it;  it has to be dealt with.

There is a huge irony in the fact that the most prominent critics of the Board are those who demanded an independent, comprehensive review of the industry. When the then Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney,  commissioned the report in 2014,  there was universal applause from the Board’s critics. The old adage warns “Be careful what you wish for”. When the report compiled by international consultants, Indecon, came up with conclusions not to their liking, there was an immediate rush to the ramparts to reject them. A key recommendation of the Report was the sale of Harolds Cross Stadium which Indecon rightly identified as a primary asset whose value needed to be realised if the industry was to pay down debt and have a future at all.

The Indecon Report’s recommendation to sell Harolds Cross has been accepted by Government, by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, by IGB and by our bankers who see it as a non negotiable element in the Board’s business case. The decision of the Board to accept the Indecon recommendation and to sell Harolds Cross will not be reversed and the property will be put on the market in the coming weeks.

There is nothing in the alternative business case being made by those demanding the heads of the Board to deflect IGB from the decision, to pay down debt and to generate funds to invest in the industry, not least on the development of a single, state of the art venue at Shelbourne Park.  Our ambition for Shelbourne Park Stadium is to have an outstanding venue for owners, trainers, patrons, sponsors, the corporate and tourist markets and our staff. That will require investment and the goodwill of all involved in the industry nationally but particularly in Dublin.

IGB’s capacity to increase prize money, to invest in track infrastructure , to grow ownership and the dog pool, depends on having capital to work with. The only viable way to achieve that is to pay down debt and to improve commercial performance.

Apart from the urban myths currently doing the rounds, one of the more disturbing features of the current debate is the application of faulty memory to the issues. It is difficult for those who know the full story to accept that the early 2000s was some kind of halcyon period. In fact, it was a time of serious concerns over corporate governance, spiralling Board and other expenses and the generation of enormous debt (€13.7 million in 2005) in great part through the expenditure of IGB funds on commercially owned tracks. It was a period of outrageous business decisions including the purchase of the landlocked Meelick site for €1.02 million (now valued at less than €100,000) with unrecoverable development costs of €600,000.

The net operating surplus at the height of the Celtic Tiger in 2005 was €3.2 million. The projected surplus for 2016 is €2.7 million. This follows a catastrophic recession, massive inherited debt and continuing reductions  in the contributions from the Horse and Greyhound Fund.

Like for like, there are 171 fewer employees in IGB in 2016 than in 2005. The average ordinary racing grant was €239.57 in 2005; in 2016 it was €291.45. The list goes on.

The current Board has
• reduced IGB’s debt by €2.0 million
• increased prize money by €1.2 million in 2016
• concluded 4 separate SIS TV arrangements that will generate €1.0 million
• enhanced laboratory facilities through an introduction of LCMS equipment at an investment of €0.4 million
• strengthened IGB’s balance sheet by addressing back debt, underlying legal challenges and deficit in  the pension scheme
• radically overhauled the regulation and welfare regime
It is important for the industry as a whole to understand that the Irish Greyhound Board is conscious of the attachment of a group of owners and trainers to Harolds Cross. To mitigate the effects of an eventual closure, IGB offered to keep the stadium open until the end of 2017 but this was rejected by DGOBA. IGB has put forward a series of initiatives to integrate Harolds Cross racing into the Shelbourne Park Stadium calendar and to retain a strong identity for those previously involved in Harolds Cross. These include:
• Racing Support Officer
Assigning a dedicated racing officer in the Shelbourne Park racing office to manage the entries and or the Harolds Cross people. This person will have responsibility for receiving entries and compiling race cards for Tuesday & Friday night racing in Shelbourne Park.

• Tuesday night racing in Shelbourne Park
Racing on Tuesday nights in Shelbourne Park will be confined to Harold’s Cross regulars for graded races within reason. A degree of flexibility is required for the Racing Support Officer to be capable of accommodating small & new owners which has always been the case with the Tuesday card when raced at Harold’s Cross. The intention is that both Tuesday & Friday night racing at Shelbourne Park would reflect the current cards at Harold’s Cross. The Friday card as per Harold’s Cross would accommodate regulars but would also be encouraging the best racing for people to compete in and watch.

• GOBA Dublin Cup Sponsorship,
IGB have sponsored the DGOBA Dublin Cup for the last 3 years with a contribution €5,000. It is purposed that the sponsorship is increased to €10,000 for the next 3 years with a review after this period. This would make the DGOBA Dublin Cup one of the most attractive graded sweepstakes on the racing calendar.

• Private trials @Shelbourne Park,
Private/unrecorded trials will be introduced in Shelbourne Park. It envisaged that this will be one day session per week.  
     
• Additional Friday Night prizemoney,
It is purposed that the showcase races on a Friday nights card will receive a boost in prizemoney in line with the Saturday Night prize money. This will be decided by Racing Manager and will depend on the grade of race. The better the racing the bigger the prizemoney.

IGB has an important role in coordinating industry stakeholders and ensuring coherence in terms of the strategic direction of the industry. We wish to continue to work with stakeholders to establish a contemporary, fit for purpose model for the industry to prosper into the future. We would again appeal to DGOBA to again enter discussions with IGB, under the independent chairmanship of Kieran Mulvey, to resolve the issues dividing us, for the good of the Irish Greyhound industry as a whole.

National Greyhound Sales

Below is the link to the live streaming of the National Greyhound Sales which take place in Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium this Saturday March 25th 

http://www.youtube.com/user/IrishGreyhoundBoard/live

The second National Greyhound Sales is fast approaching, as Curraheen Park prepares to host the event on Saturday 25th March. The Cork event follows the success of one hosted in Shelbourne Park in August 2016.

The “Lets Get Racing” event will be open to both unraced & raced greyhounds. In order to qualify for the sales, greyhounds must have recorded A6 or N1 grade.  The focus for this event is to encourage syndicates to get involved in greyhound ownership.

The “Let’s Get Racing Initiative” was developed by the Sales and Ownership Committee, which includes representatives of the IGB Regulation & Welfare Department, Greyhound Stadia and Greyhound Industry representatives. The event is supported by sponsors Red Mills and www.FFKSires.com and Droopys Stud.

All greyhounds purchased at this sale will be eligible for exclusive entry into two stakes - one for previously raced greyhounds and one for Unraced.  Both 525yd Sweepstakes will be held in April, with an expected combined prize fund of over €20,000.  The winners' prize-money for both stakes is €4,000.  There will also be a consolation stake for all greyhounds beaten in the first round, therefore guaranteeing each greyhound at least two runs.  There will also be a prize of €500.00 for each of the main stakes to the last remaining bitch.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative in January, Phil Meaney, Chairman of the Irish Greyhound Board said “The inaugural National Greyhound Sales hosted in 2016 was an exciting opportunity for the Irish public to become involved in Greyhound Ownership and saw the highest price ever paid for an Irish greyhound at auction.  Based on the success of that event, the concept has now been developed to focus on attracting syndicates to greyhound ownership.   All of the greyhounds will be ready to race, and new owners will have the chance to get involved straight away with entry to the sales sweepstakes being hosted in Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium.  I would like to particularly acknowledge again the sponsorship and support of Red Mills and www.ffksires.com and Droopys Stud in bringing this project to life. ”

Further information on the event, and Greyhound Ownership, can be found on www.ownagreyhound.ie.

Conditions of Sales:
•        Maximum number of entries to be 80
•        All greyhounds entered must be whelped October 2014 or later
•        All greyhounds entered must have at least one successful qualifying trial over 525 Yards and be A6 or better if raced or N1 or better if Unraced
•        All Sales Entries to be made to: Sales Office, Curraheen Park Greyhound Stadium, Curraheen, Cork.
•        Standard Sales Entry Forms and I.D. Cards and Entry Fee of €20 to accompany all entries
•        Closing date for sales entries is after racing Saturday 18th March
•        Catalogue to be drawn up with raced greyhounds first (sorted by age with youngest first) followed by unraced greyhounds (sorted by age with youngest first)

•        Raced greyhounds to trial against raced greyhounds and unraced greyhounds to trial against unraced greyhounds

•        Weigh in to commence at 8.30am with Sales Trials commencing at 9am
•        All Sales Trials to be run over 525 Yards
•        No Seeding in Unraced  Sales Trials
•        Seeding for raced greyhounds to be specified on Entry Form
•        All greyhounds which run Sales Trials to go on bench
•        The Identity Cards for greyhounds which are not sold are to be held for two weeks following Sales
•        All greyhounds to be available for inspection by potential purchasers
•        All greyhounds trailing at the Sales to be tested on the day with greyhounds being tested after their Sales Trials
•        All greyhounds to be kennelled up after trialling
•        Samples to be taken at the Sales pursuant to the Greyhound Industry (Racing) Regulations 2007
•        All greyhounds have to be paid for on the day
•        Commission 5.45% (includes vat)
•        The facility to complete Transfer of Ownership to be available on the day of the Sales
•        Auction to commence at 11am - Auction to conclude at 2pm
•        Sale of all greyhounds at these Sales is subject to greyhounds being permitted to run in the follow-on Sweepstakes

Eligibility for Follow-on Stakes:
•        Greyhounds which are sold through the Auction
•         Greyhounds withdrawn from the Auction unsold providing that the owner has paid the commission on the unsold price (i.e. commission on the last recorded bid)
•        Greyhounds tested which return an Adverse Analytical Finding will not be eligible for the Stake
•        All greyhounds sold at the Sales are to be transferred into the names of the new owners prior to the draws for the Follow-on Sweepstakes

Conditions for Follow-on Stakes:
•        A Sweepstake for the Raced greyhounds and a Sweepstake for the Unraced greyhounds will be organised for the greyhounds which are sold through the Auction and for the greyhounds withdrawn from the Auction unsold providing that the owner has paid the commission on the unsold price
•        Each Sweepstakes (Entry Fee €20) to carry a winners prize of €4000 with a prize of €500 available for the last remaining bitch in each event
•        Greyhounds which are eliminated from the First Round of Sweepstakes may enter into a further Sweepstake (Free Entry) which will carry a winners prize of €1000
•        Greyhounds listed as reserves for Main Sweep must run in Main Sweep if required

IGB Responds to RTE Prime Time Show

The Irish Greyhound Board wishes to respond to a number of aspects of the Prime Time programme on the industry broadcast last night.

Live Baiting

The footage of live baiting from Australia was shocking and distressing. IGB absolutely condemns the practice which is cruel, shameful and has no part in the greyhound industry. The practice would rightly expose any perpetrator to criminal prosecution in Ireland.

Regulation

IGB operates the most intensive testing regime of any sport in Ireland. Annually, it drug tests between 5,000 and 6,000 greyhounds at races, trials, sales and out of competition. Relative to the scale of racing and testing, the percentage of positive tests which might reflect a deliberate attempt to affect performance is extremely low. Irish greyhound racing compares very favourably when benchmarked against other racing jurisdictions and the notion of Irish greyhound racing being the “embodiment of drug cheating” is not sustainable.

All positives are reported to the Control Committee, an independent group established by statute, whose members include those with pharmacological, legal and veterinary expertise, supported by investigative resources. They, not IGB, adjudicate and impose penalties which are laid down in legislation. The sanctions available to the Control Committee are very severe and include large monetary fines, prize money forfeiture, revocation of trainers licences, exclusion from the industry and the imposition of additional testing on an individual’s greyhounds.

IGB is committed to ensuring that the organisation operates to the best international regulatory practice. In January, the Laboratory in Limerick took delivery of a new state of the art analytical system that allows for the detection of substances, including anabolic steroids, at very low levels in samples taken from greyhounds. The new equipment which cost €400,000 has now been commissioned. This, and a raft of regulatory improvements introduced in the past two years demonstrate IGB’s intent as does IGB’s demands for more robust legislation to support its regulation efforts.

Morris Report

The Morris report which was referenced in the programme was commissioned by the Board to provide  a rigorous, independent  examination of IGB’s regulation and integrity programmes. By the time that report was published, IGB’s regulation programme was already being transformed, with very concrete achievements.
In the past two years, IGB has introduced new regulations which enable it to :
·         Publish all laboratory results where there is an adverse analytical finding
·         Prohibit a greyhound from racing when an adverse analytical finding has been made, until such time as a test for prohibited substances has been carried out and the result of the test is negative
·         Publish all Control Committee decisions
·         Undertake out of competition testing at kennels
There has been a significant ramping up of Bord na gCon's testing regime and of the sanctions it imposes, using the existing legislative framework. These include:
·         In-competition testing at all high profile events
·         Testing at greyhound sales and trials
·         Prosecutions under the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011
·         Stricter licensing conditions on trainers' licences
·         Investigation and prosecution of cases involving anabolic steroids
·         Revocation of licences of trainers found to have committed anti-doping breaches
·         Issuing of Disqualification Orders of the involved Greyhounds;
In additional initiatives, IGB has established a Scientific Committee of national and international experts to advise it on matters relating to doping and medication control. IGB has led the establishment of an operational regulatory stakeholder group, the Management of Intelligence and Drugs Action in Sports (MIDAS) to share best practice on rules, research and intelligence in so far as is permitted within existing legislation. MIDAS comprises senior representatives from IGB, Horse Racing Ireland, Irish Turf Club, Irish Coursing Club, Special Investigations Unit of the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, Sport Ireland and the State Laboratory. As recently as yesterday, representatives of MIDAS addressed the 2017 Tackling Doping in Sport Conference at London Wembley.

Welfare

The Irish Greyhound Board’s Code of Practice in the Care and Welfare of the Greyhound informs
stakeholders of  welfare standards within the industry. The primary objective of the code is to clearly define what is expected of all individuals engaged in the care and management of registered greyhounds. It addresses the main areas of activity and defines the legislation of which owners, breeders and trainers must be cognisant while active within the greyhound industry. IGB investigates any report of ill treatment of greyhounds.

 IGB undertakes circa 600 unannounced kennels inspection annually and the Board takes a robust view of any non compliance with standards. By way of example, the Board successfully  took prosecutions in the District Court in 2015 and 2016 for breaches of the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011.The standard of care in Irish kennels is very high and is in no way reflective of the images of ill treated greyhounds shown on the Prime Time programme.

IGB works closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to advance welfare legislation as was reflected in new provisions in the Welfare of Greyhounds Act 2011.

The Board is a strong advocate of micro-chipping of dogs which was introduced by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and IGB is in favour of further steps to ensure a robust process for the traceability of all greyhounds.

The Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, a registered charity set up by the IGB, works with owners to rehome greyhounds after retirement and in promoting greyhounds as domestic pets. The Irish Retired Greyhound also supports, through the provision of financial assistance, a number of rehoming agencies in Ireland, Europe and North America who are involved in the rehoming of retired Irish greyhounds. The charity is funded through a 2% deduction from all winning prize money with matching contributions from the IGB.

The Board has recently amended its racing regulations to require every person who keeps greyhounds to maintain a record of all animal remedies and veterinary treatments administered to greyhounds.

A Plea for Resolution to Dublin Stand-off (**IGB RESPOND)

Issued on behalf of Brian Cowen and Ivan Yates

Former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen and former Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Ivan Yates, have jointly called on the Dublin Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association (DGOBA) and the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) to enter into mediated talks forthwith to resolve issues arising from the absence of greyhound racing in Dublin.

In an intervention this morning, Mr Cowen and Mr Yates issued the following joint statement:
“We have watched the standoff between DGOBA and the Board with increasing concern in recent weeks. As people who have an interest in the wellbeing of the industry and understand its value, we are worried that the current dispute could inflict very serious damage on all industry stakeholders, including owners, trainers as well as the Board’s employees.  As a matter of urgency, we appeal to both sides to sit down under the chairmanship of Kieran Mulvey to try to break the impasse. If there is goodwill on both sides, we believe that this can be achieved so that racing can be restarted in Dublin for the benefit of everyone involved in the industry.”

 IGB Response to call for mediated talks to resolve Dublin Greyhound Industry Issues

Wednesday 8th March 2017

The Irish Greyhound Board notes the concerns expressed by Brian Cowen and Ivan Yates and appreciates their interest. The Board is extremely anxious to resolve the current difficulties and are willing to  participate in discussions with the Dublin Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association, under the chairmanship of Kieran Mulvey, as suggested.

Further responses:

 Jimmy O’Hanlon, Chairman of the DGOBA said: “We will definitely turn up. It is a worrying situation for the industry the way it is going. But we are firm in our stance and we want to see racing at Harold’s Cross”.

Dr Sean Brady, Interim CEO of the IGB said: “The Irish Greyhound Board notes the concerns expressed by Brian Cowen and Ivan Yates and appreciates their interest. The Board is extremely anxious to resolve the current difficulties and are willing to participate in discussions with the Dublin Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association, under the chairmanship of Kieran Mulvey, as suggested”.

RODDICK RETIRED

One of the best greyhounds of his own or any generation, the 2016 Con & Annie Kirby champion Droopys Roddick (Droopys Jet/Droopys Start) has been retired due to a recurrence of the wrist injury sustained during last year's Derby.

Nursed back with an eye on a comeback, he held up well to gallops and a hand-slip prior to his sprint trial at Tralee on Friday but Pauline Buckley confirmed the same injury had come back to haunt him.

He will remain with team Buckley as they again treat the injury before returning to Portlaw to stand at stud with his breeders.

Winning an English Puppy Derby, Con & Annie Kirby Memorial and Dundalk International, Roddick gathered yet more fans in a brilliant effort to win the English Derby when only narrowly denied by Jaytee Jet in a photo-finish last season and will be remembered as a true superstar of the sport who never knew when he was beat.


2016 Con & Annie Kirby Final.

2016 Dundalk International

Con & Annie Kirby Memorial 2017

GRGracing has provided the most comprehensive coverage of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Puppy Stake since it's inception in 2013 and continuing in the same thread, this year adds a dedicated micro-site which can be your one stop website for the latest news, analysis, rumour and facts from the richest puppy race on the planet.

http://grgkirby.blogspot.ie/ is now live in anticipation of another wonderful renewal of this hugely prestigious event.

Click the pic!

Latest News

The Irish Greyhound Board has ruled out any further track closures as a means to achieve recovery in the industry.

IGB chairman, Phil Meaney, said the Board believed the national footprint of the industry was one of its great strengths. “ Increased participation at all levels in the industry is essential if we are to meet the considerable challenges the industry faces and tracks around the country are an essential resource in doing this. Tracks outside the main population areas play a very important role in the industry which is not always understood and are the primary basis through  which the dog pool can  be maintained and ownership increased.”

Mr. Meaney added: “ The decision to close and to sell Harolds Cross Stadium, although difficult for everyone involved,  is  designed for a specific purpose which is to reduce the level of legacy debt which the industry is trying to manage. The sale of the stadium is essential  if the industry is to stabilise its finances and enter a more positive phase .”



SIS and the Irish Greyhound Board add Tralee fixture

Monday 27th February, 2017 – SIS, a trusted partner to the retail and online betting markets, and the Irish Greyhound Board have announced an additional fixture to be broadcast during Saturday mornings from Tralee greyhound stadium.

The new fixture will be available to UK and Irish betting shops, and online operators as part of SIS’s exclusive streaming portfolio.

Commencing on March 4th 2017, the meeting will consist of eight races with the first starting at 9.11am. Later races will dovetail the SIS existing retail shop greyhound coverage from Crayford and Romford.

SIS already own exclusive rights to broadcast three fixtures in Ireland, with current offerings from Youghal on Monday evenings, Mullingar on Sunday afternoons and a second fixture at Tralee on Tuesday evenings.

Paul Witten, Commercial Director at SIS said: “We have added a second fixture from Tralee to our retail and online programs, following customer demand for greater coverage at suitable times and we see the Saturday morning slot as one of those times.

“SIS endeavour to offer premium content and streaming provision across all bookmaker channels and the new deal will complement this, thanks to the help of the IGB.

Joe Lewins at IGB said: “this gives us a further opportunity to showcase our racing product to the SIS audience and to build on the success of the three meetings currently being broadcast throughout Ireland and the UK”.

The extra meeting will add to SIS’ exclusive coverage across the UK and Ireland including horse racing and greyhounds, all facilitated by their market leading low latency streaming platform, SIS Stream.

SIS’ greyhound offering currently includes 30,000 races a year, making it the most comprehensive in the market.




Major Upgrading of Irish Greyhound Board’s Laboratory Infrastructure

The Irish Greyhound Board’s programme to enhance integrity in the sport has been significantly strengthened through a major upgrading of its laboratory testing infrastructure.

The Laboratory in Limerick this week commissioned a new state of the art analytical system that allows for the detection of substances, including anabolic steroids, at very low levels in samples taken from greyhounds.

The new top of the range equipment belongs to the triple-quadrupole liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) class of systems. It is very sensitive allowing for the detection of drugs such as anabolic steroids which may have been administered a considerable time before the greyhound was sampled and thus have very low levels of residues remaining in the sample. It will, for example, greatly improve the laboratory’s ability to detect metabolites of the anabolic steroid Stanozolol in samples from greyhounds.

Critically, the machine allows for a very large increase in the number of drugs which can be targeted in each analytical run on individual samples taken from greyhounds. This greatly improves the efficiency with which doping substances can be targeted in a drug control laboratory and allows for the potential to expand coverage to meet future needs.

Phil Meaney, chairman of the Irish Greyhound Board, said the installation of the new analytical system was the latest in a series of initiatives to establish a regulatory and enforcement environment that targeted non compliance with anti doping and medication controls.

“Last year, 5,383 samples taken from participating greyhounds were analysed at the IGB laboratory. Our stated intention is to eliminate any breaches of protocols and we won’t allow a small minority of owners or trainers to jeopardise our industry or our sport. This addition to our laboratory systems will greatly enhance our ability in that respect”, he said.

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Monday Feb 13th 2017

IGB Confirms Closure of Harold’s Cross Greyhound Stadium

The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) today confirmed the closure of Harold’s Cross Greyhound Stadium with immediate effect.

In a statement, IGB said that the decision to close Harold’s Cross was taken with regret, but it has been decided to concentrate Dublin racing activities in IGB’s national stadium, Shelbourne Park, which is located approximately two miles from Harold’s Cross. The weekly racing programme will be expanded at Shelbourne Park, which has twice the capacity of Harold’s Cross, to four days per week from next Friday 17th February 2017.  All 12 staff affected at Harold’s Cross will be offered redeployment by IGB. We acknowledge the staff’s excellent contribution to the business over many years. 

An overriding financial consideration informed the decision to concentrate our Dublin racing in Shelbourne Park. The legacy debt burden (net group debt is €20.3 million) which the industry and IGB have been struggling with since the Limerick Stadium project, which cost €21 million on completion in 2011, necessitates the sale of Harold’s Cross and the realisation of its asset value. IGB’s business plan is to address its significant debt, eliminate bank borrowings and reduce interest payments. The Indecon Report commissioned in 2014 by Government and accepted by the Board of the IGB, recommended the sale of Harold’s Cross to reduce debt levels. There is no alternative to this course of action. Unless the debt issue is addressed, no viable future exists for the industry and the sale of Harold’s Cross offers the most significant opportunity to reduce that debt.

IGB has taken the decision to bring forward the closure of the stadium and its sale. The decision to close Harold's Cross with immediate effect has been taken so that IGB can move forward with creating a viable future for the industry without delay. The uncertainty surrounding the future of Harold's Cross has been a distraction for the business. The closure of Harold's Cross and the transfer of the racing schedule to Shelbourne Park will bring an end to this uncertainty and allow IGB continue to grow the sport’s profile and business in Dublin.

It can also be confirmed that Savills PLC have been retained to provide strategic property advice around the future sale of the Harold's Cross Stadium.

IGB acknowledges the long and proud tradition of greyhound racing at Harold’s Cross and realises the unavoidable closure will be regretted by its many patrons in the greyhound industry, who will be accommodated in Shelbourne Park. IGB will work to promote Shelbourne Park in every way possible to ensure its success. The Harold’s Cross closure will avoid the dilution of scarce resources across two locations and makes long term strategic sense from a logistical, financial and organisational perspective. Stadia are capital intensive and require ongoing investment. Put simply, IGB has not been in a position recently to invest in the future of Shelbourne Park, the industry’s flagship venue.  

This is a step in the creation of a long term viable future for a very important traditional entertainment and sports activity in Ireland providing many jobs in the greyhound industry.

Dr Sean Brady Interim CEO IGB expressed “regret that this unavoidable action has to be implemented at this time but the sale of Harold’s Cross is absolutely essential in order to address the enormous debt IGB faces. However, it is necessary to preserve the greyhound industry and begin a process of recovery. This will see change and an improvement in how IGB operates and performs which will become more evident in the years ahead. We are committed to making Shelbourne Park perform excellently for all Trainers, Owners, Patrons and Staff, especially for those for whom Harolds Cross was their greyhound home.  This will be challenging for all of us but there is a need for all stakeholders to leave aside disagreement and work together through a process of change and opportunity from which improved performance can be extracted”.

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Shelbourne cancelled, AGAIN!

The Irish Greyhound Board has deferred the Annual Irish Greyhound Awards which were scheduled to be held at Shelbourne Park Stadium on Saturday (February 11th) and has cancelled the racing programme at the Stadium on the same night.

The decision was taken in the wake of a decision by Dublin Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association (DGOBA) to picket the stadium. Despite representations by IGB last night, Wednesday, February 8th, advising of the serious implications of the decision, DGOBA declined to change its decision to picket.

It is extremely disappointing that one of the flagship events of the year to acknowledge excellence within the industry has had to be deferred and racing cancelled again because of DGOBA pickets. IGB is not going to allow our owners, trainers, staff and the general public to be used in this way by a small section within the industry.

IGB reiterates that its Business Plan is focused on addressing the organisation’s unsustainable debt of €21.6 million. There is an absolute requirement for everybody to recognise the commercial realities and the time is well gone when special interests can hold the industry to ransom.

IGB apologises to our sponsors, patrons and greyhound owners and trainers for the disruption caused.

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Shelbourne cancelled, AGAIN!

The Irish Greyhound Board has deferred the Annual Irish Greyhound Awards which were scheduled to be held at Shelbourne Park Stadium on Saturday (February 11th) and has cancelled the racing programme at the Stadium on the same night.

The decision was taken in the wake of a decision by Dublin Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association (DGOBA) to picket the stadium. Despite representations by IGB last night, Wednesday, February 8th, advising of the serious implications of the decision, DGOBA declined to change its decision to picket.

It is extremely disappointing that one of the flagship events of the year to acknowledge excellence within the industry has had to be deferred and racing cancelled again because of DGOBA pickets. IGB is not going to allow our owners, trainers, staff and the general public to be used in this way by a small section within the industry.

IGB reiterates that its Business Plan is focused on addressing the organisation’s unsustainable debt of €21.6 million. There is an absolute requirement for everybody to recognise the commercial realities and the time is well gone when special interests can hold the industry to ransom.

IGB apologises to our sponsors, patrons and greyhound owners and trainers for the disruption caused.

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Race meeting at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium cancelled!!

Dr. Sean Brady, Chief Executive of the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has today (Friday February 3) cancelled a race meeting scheduled for Saturday night (February 4) at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium due to a planned picket.

"It is deeply disappointing that some involved in the greyhound industry should propose to picket a race meeting at the Irish Greyhound Board’s Shelbourne Park Stadium tomorrow night.

"At a time when the industry is grappling with serious financial and structural difficulties, it is even more concerning that anyone would think that disrupting the industry racing calendar and commercial operations will in some way advance their interests.

"As recently as Wednesday, I met with members of Dublin Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association (DGOBA ). I told them that as  Interim Chief Executive,  I have no interest in revisiting history or in apportioning blame for things that happened in the industry ten, twenty or thirty years ago. Neither am I going to get involved in the various spats between personalities that have obviously been a feature of IGB for a long, long time.

"IGB is charged with managing the current situation and dealing with issues that demand attention urgently.  The fundamentals are very worrying. IGB is very seriously challenged financially and nobody should be in any doubt that the organisation faces a defining period.

"At the end of 2015, net group debt stood at €21.6 million. The IGB continues to work very closely with its banking partners to manage issues arising from legacy debt of €12.5 million relating to Limerick Stadium which continues to overhang the industry and inhibit its development. The Board also operates on the basis of a term loan facility of €6 million which is subject to fixed annual repayments, together with the application of any proceeds of Bord na gCon’s asset disposal policy to end of 2017. The balance of this facility was reduced to €4.65 million as of December 31 2015. In addition, the Board has an approved overdraft facility of €6.25 million.

"Many stadia are still facing financial difficulties, even when the contribution of Tote profits is factored in. Difficult decisions have to be made as the current position cannot continue indefinitely. If this industry is to have any kind of viable future, it has to be on the basis of reducing its debt to sustainable levels. There isn’t any alternative to that.

"The Indecon Report which was commissioned by the Government and published in 2014 is the most comprehensive review of the industry ever undertaken. It is very stark and outlines an asset disposal plan, including the sale of Harolds Cross Stadium.  The objective here is to reduce interest payments, eliminate bank borrowings and create a viable future for the industry. It’s also about establishing a single top of the range stadium in Dublin. As far as I am concerned, that sale will proceed.

  

"On foot of the planned protest at Shelbourne Park Stadium tomorrow night about the future of Harolds Cross,  IGB has taken the decision to cancel racing at the stadium. This decision was taken in the interests of animal welfare and of owners, trainers, staff and patrons.  Such a protest will expose owners and trainers who want their dogs to race, our patrons, our staff and our service providers to unwarranted stress, tension and possibly intimidation. IGB are not prepared to countenance such a scenario and I have ordered the cancellation of the event."

Dr, Sean Brady, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Irish Greyhound Board

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BoyleSports sponsored events to deliver €1 million in prizemoney

Irish Greyhound Racing is celebrating its biggest sponsorship of recent years, with the announcement that BoyleSports have signed a 3-year agreement worth €1 million in prizemoney to Greyhound Owners, Trainers and Breeders.

The new agreement will see BoyleSports, Ireland’s largest independently-owned bookmaker, renew their title sponsorship of the Irish Greyhound Derby. Ireland’s biggest Greyhound Racing event, the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby runs through August and September at Shelbourne Park, and attracts Greyhound audiences from across the globe. The 3-year agreement secures sponsorship of the event through 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The bookmakers have also committed to title sponsorship of another important Classic event, the Champion Stakes, which is also run at the Dublin venue in July and August. Both events run over the 550yd distance, and drawing to a close just in time for the Derby, the Champion Stakes attracts many big names as the perfect entrée to our greatest competition. The Champion Stakes sponsorship is based on an initial 1 year term with the option to renew for a further 2 years.

Alongside the two high-profile events, BoyleSports will also sponsor 12 additional sweepstake events and 40 ‘Getting Out Races’. The sweepstakes will cater for a variety of grades and distances and will be scheduled to ensure that there is no more than one per month, maximising Greyhound Owners and Trainers opportunity to participate in the events.

Speaking at the announcement Phil Meaney, Chairman of the Irish Greyhound Board, said “John Boyle’s passion for Greyhound racing is evident to all involved in the sport. Through his company, BoyleSports, he has been a long-time supporter of the Irish Greyhound Industry, where he has not only lent financial support to major events but also helps us to increase our reach through the strength of their brand.

Today’s announcement brings that passion and belief in our sport to the next level with what is his biggest Greyhound sponsorship to date. Through this commitment, BoyleSports will be helping us to deliver €1 million in Prizemoney to the Greyhound Owners, Trainers and Breeders over the next 3 years, news which I’ve no doubt will be very welcome to the Greyhound public.”

John Boyle, the chief executive of BoyleSports, said: “We are thrilled to announce BoyleSports will be committed to Irish Greyhound Racing for the next three years in a sponsorship deal worth over one million. We are very committed to Irish sport and this partnership with the IGB, cements BoyleSports position as the biggest supporter of Irish greyhound racing sponsoring two of the most prestigious events on the calendar, the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby and the BoyleSports Champion Stakes.”

Referring to the announcement, Minister of State for Food Forestry and Horticulture Andrew Doyle said: “The greyhound racing sector is part of the fabric of the Irish sporting scene. It enjoys the support of people all over Ireland who are passionate about it, and provides significant public good, both as a social outlet and as a provider of vital employment, especially in rural areas.

In Government we will continue to provide financial support to the sector. However, Bord na gCon is a commercial enterprise, and the greyhound racing sector could not survive without the commitment of its Board and staff, or of owners, breeders, trainers and fans and the ongoing support of sponsors. In this regard I want to thank BoyleSports for its continued commitment to the sport of Greyhound Racing. I also want to congratulate Bord na gCon on concluding this deal which will provide the kind of funding which is the lifeblood of the sector over the next three years.

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Nominees announced for the 2016 National Greyhound Racing Awards

Wednesday 18th January 2016

The Irish Greyhound Board has announced the nominees for the 2016 National Greyhound Racing Awards, sponsored by Galway Crystal. The stars of last year will be recognised at the ceremony on Saturday 11th February at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium, Dublin. 

Seven Greyhound categories each have three nominations announced, with the overall winner awarded at the ceremony. The remaining Greyhound category, Supreme Greyhound of the Year, will be decided between the Dog of the Year and Bitch of the Year winners. 

The human achievements of the sport are also being recognised within the Hall of Fame and Special Merit categories. The 2016 Hall of Fame recipient is Francie Murray. A Greyhound trainer based near Mullingar, he first came to note when in 1977, having just taken over training from his dad Mick, he was pipped to second place in the Derby Final. It was the start of a great training career which has continued to the present day.

The Special Merit Award honours the people who have made a significant contribution to the greyhound industry over the years and Jim Russell is undoubtedly a very special person in that regard. He has owned many fine greyhounds over the years, including the great marathon runner Ruscar Dana. A most dedicated supporter of racing in Kilkenny over many years, Jim is a popular figure at the track. 

The Greyhound Welfare award, which was first introduced two years ago, will be awarded to Tara Fitzpatrick. Tara is nominated for her work with All About Greyhounds, a Belfast Greyhound rehoming agency which she established in 2014 and operates on a voluntary basis. Tara is a keen Greyhound enthusiast and along with owning a number of racing Greyhounds she also owns five retired racers. Along with her work with All About Greyhounds, Tara is a keen promoter and supporter of the North of Ireland Retired Greyhound Shows and the All-Ireland Retired Greyhound Shows.

  The 2016 National Greyhound Racing Award nominations are:

 Dog of the Year

 Droopys Roddick

 Jaytee Jet

 Rural Hawaii

 Bitch of the Year

 Holycross Leah

 Sidarian Pearl

 Witches Belle

 Sprinter of the Year

 Aulton Jet

 Ballymac Bigmike

 Quietly

 Stayer of the Year

 Airmount Tess

 Skywalker Rossa

 Tradition

 Brood Bitch of the Year

 Ballymac Scarlet

 Chin Gach Gook

 Duck Fat

 Stud Dog of Year

 Droopys Scolari

 Headbound

 Kinloch Brae

 Future Star

 Bull Run Bolt

 Drive On Tipp

 Droopys Wilbury 

 Supreme Greyhound of the Year

 To be announced on Saturday 11th February

 Hall of Fame

 Francie Murray

 Special Merit Award

 Jim Russell

 Greyhound Welfare

 Tara Fitzpatrick

On the 11th February, nominees and invited guests will arrive at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium at 4pm for the Awards ceremony, with Dinner and Racing to follow that evening. This is the tenth consecutive year of the Galway Crystal sponsorship.

Nominees will receive their invites over the coming days, and tickets will also be available to purchase from the IGB Sales Centre on 1890 269 969. Full details of the event are available on www.gogreyhoundracing.ie. www.gogreyhoundracing.ie.

The Greyhound Racing nominees were decided by the selection panel;  Tom Aherne, Declan O’Donoghue, Ian Fortune, Michael Fortune, D.J. Histon, Tony Mulvey, Tommy Lyons, Paddy Ryan and Teresa Wall. The Irish Greyhound Board has been recognising the stars of its sport annually since 1965, when Ballyowen Chief was awarded Greyhound of the Year. 

Tralee Racing Manager Declan Dowling has issued this schedule for trials and racing at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium for January.

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IGB AWARDS

The Irish Greyhound Board Annual Awards will take place on Saturday 11th February at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium. Full details to follow but for now, mark the date in your diary!

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Limerick & Clare Greyhound Owners & Breeders Association

Annual Gala/Awards Night Saturday 7th January 2017 

The awards are a celebration of the talent, success and achievement bestowed on the recipients by their peers. They are a way of endorsing the winners’ abilities and rewarding their achievements through the hard work put into their accomplishments. The title “Award Winner” enhances ones reputation and has connotations of expertise. 

The Award winners for 2016 are:

Dog of Year

Ocean Jerry owned and trained by Mr Tom Fitzgerald, Parteen, Co. Clare.

From 22 starts Jerry won 9 was 2nd on 4 occasions and 3rd six times, a very worthy champion.

Bitch of Year

Mr Charley McLoughney’s, Nenagh, Liosgarbh Ene, having competed in 12 races she won 6 was 2nd 3 times and 3rd twice, a remarkable strike rate by any standards.

Owner with most Race Winners

Mr Tim Gilbourne, Kilmeedy, Co. Limerick. Who had 25 winners, 14 seconds and 21 thirds

Public Trainer

Mr Denis P O’Malley, Drombanna, Co. Limerick. 

Denis sent out 32 winners, 44 of his charges finished second and 31 finished third.

This is his third successive year winning this award.

PrivateTrainer

Mr Donal Cooney, Broadford, Co. Clare.

Greyhounds trained by Donal won 16 races were 2nd 14 times and 3rd on 21 occasions.

Race programme

The race programme will consist of 13, all sponsored, finals over a broad cross section of grades over various distances from 350 yds. Sprints to 750 yds. Long Distance. Each winner will be presented with a piece of Galway Crystal and a walking out jacket.

Raffle

A raffle will also take place during the evening for a variety of prizes including hampers, meal voucher, a Limerick and a Clare Jersey signed by the current respective hurling panels together with a signed Munster Rugby Jersey.

The Association is very grateful for the generosity of its sponsors without whose support the event would have been impossible to hold.

Limerick & Clare GOBA is very proud of the magnificent stadium in Limerick where patrons can enjoy superb racing in plush surroundings.

A special word of thanks to track Management & Staff

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Ladbrokes Renew Sponsorship Of The Easter Cup

Great news in advance of Christmas from Shelbourne Park as Ladbrokes have confirmed their position again as the Title sponsor of the 2017 Easter Cup. Offering over €42,000 in Prizemoney, the Easter Cup was the first ever open event to run in Ireland, in 1928.

Ladbrokes have long been associated with Greyhound Racing in Shelbourne Park having previously sponsored two other Classic events, the Open 600 and the Irish Greyhound Derby at the venue.

The Ladbrokes Easter Cup will run over 4 Saturday nights at the Dublin venue, with the Final on Saturday 11th March. The Easter Cup has traditionally attracted the top greyhounds in training, and through the years some of the most infamous names in the sport have competed. Mick The Miller, arguably the most famous greyhound, was beaten by half a length in the 1929 running. Spanish Battleship won in 1954 & 1955 in the middle of his Derby hat-trick. The winner of this year’s competition will receive €25,000.

Speaking at the announcement Patrick Flynn, Sales, Commercial & Operations Manager at Shelbourne Park said, “We are delighted that Ladbrokes are re-confirmed   as the sponsor of the 2017 Easter Cup which is one of the feature events  on the Shelbourne Park racing calendar.  Our relationship goes back many years  and  has proven very successful to date. The Ladbrokes Easter Cup is one of the most prestigious events in the racing calendar and provides the perfect platform to continue to build on previous sponsorship partnerships.”

Ladbrokes Director Jackie Murphy added: "We've enjoyed many associations with Shelbourne Park and look forward to getting behind the Ladbrokes Easter Cup once again next year. We are committed to supporting Irish sport and this will be one of a number of top quality Irish sporting events that our name will be partnered with in 2017."

Key Event Dates

1st Round Heats                      Saturday 18th February

2nd Round Heats                     Saturday 25th February

Semi-Finals                             Saturday 4th March

Final                                       Saturday 11th March

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Sponsors confirm renewal of World’s Richest Puppy Race

The World’s Richest Puppy Race, the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial, is set to return to Limerick Greyhound Stadium in 2017 following a detailed review of the event with the sponsors, Noreen and JP McManus. The 2016 event, which ran over 5 weeks in March and April, was the most successful to date with a 12% increase in attendances and a reach of over half a million on social media.

The sponsors will also be continuing their GAA Nominators competition, which matches Limerick GAA clubs to competing Greyhounds and awards the six finalist Clubs a share in a €20,000 prize fund each year. Along with their €10,000 prize, the winning club also receives a free fundraising benefit night at Limerick Greyhound Stadium.

IGB Chairman Phil Meaney commented; "We are thrilled that Noreen & JP McManus have confirmed the renewal of their sponsorship of this fantastic Puppy event at Limerick Greyhound Stadium, and are extremely grateful to them for their continued investment. Over the past 4 years, the event has recognised and rewarded the good young stock of the racing industry, with the winners all going on to make their mark in the sport. The 2016 event was our most successful to date receiving tremendous support from the Greyhound Racing and GAA communities alike. I’m looking forward to 2017 already.”

Previous winners of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial:

2013                       Greyhound: Roxholme Bully                       GAA Club: Monagea

2014                       Greyhound: BoyleSports Hero                   GAA Club: Galbally GAA

2015                       Greyhound: Cable Bay                                   GAA Club: Fr. Casey’s

2016                       Greyhound: Droopys Roddick                    GAA Club: Bruree GAA

The Con and Annie Kirby Memorial, which was first run in 2013, offers a  prizefund of €160,000 to the competing Greyhounds. To date, €720,000 in prizemoney has been awarded to Greyhound and GAA Club winners. The event is named in memory of Noreen McManus’ late parents.

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