It is an important night at Shelbourne Park tonight as the Boylesports Irish Greyhound Derby gets underway in front of a limited number of spectators.
Like all others, the sport has been hit hard by a lack of live attendance and the corresponding hit to betting and catering turnover but an attendance of 200 will be on site this evening as the major race of the year gets underway.
The sponsors cut Explosive Boy into 7/1 from 10/1 this week following strong support for the Patrick Guilfoyle speedster. The National Produce Stakes and Race Of Champions winner is an exciting prospect who kicks off his 2021 Derby campaign on Saturday night.
The unbeaten Dromana Bucko has also been trimmed into 12/1 from 14/1 to win the main prize for young trainer Mark O’Donovan, while Karol Ramsbottom’s Champion 550 winner Deadly Destroyer might be an appropriately named contender given events of the last 18 months and is now 20/1 from 25/1.
The significant contribution made by the greyhound racing industry to the Irish exchequer and rural employment was highlighted in a new report which was published last month.
The report, compiled by consultant economist Jim Power, and commissioned by Greyhound Racing Ireland shows the industry made a net contribution to the Irish economy of €132.3 million in 2019 and supported 4,150 full-time and part-time jobs.
An additional 6,211 active greyhound owners derived economic benefit from the industry in 2019, the last full year of activity before the pandemic. An investment of a further €117.8 million was made by greyhound owners in 2019 in preparing and racing greyhounds.
While Covid-19 restrictions have resulted in a significant decrease in activity and revenue during 2020 and 2021, GRI expects to return to pre-pandemic activity and attendances in 2023.
The numbers are significant and an important statement in support of maintaining the state support which comes through the Department of Agriculture as part of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund.
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