Mark Johnston: ban facing greyhound racing in Wales makes no sense - and it should be a huge wake-up call for horseracing

Record-breaking trainer Mark Johnston has spoken about his deep frustration and sadness over an impending ban on greyhound racing in Wales and believes it should act as a “huge wake-up call” for horseracing.

Johnston, who is the winningmost trainer in the history of British racing, has an affinity with greyhound racing and enjoyed 20 winners during a three-year stint in the sport in the previous decade.

The former Kingsley Park trainer – an operation now run by his son Charlie – is a qualified vet and cannot make sense of the reasoning behind the intention to ban the sport in Wales, where Valley is the sole GBGB track.

The shock news was announced on Tuesday in a statement made in the Senedd by Huw Irranca-Davies, deputy first minister with responsibility for climate change and rural affairs.

Johnston, who wrote about the threats facing greyhound racing in Scotland and Wales in the Kingsley Klarion in April, said: “It’s desperately frustrating and concerning – it’s not just the ban but the reasoning behind it. It’s absolutely crazy and makes no sense. The whole thing is terribly sad and it is based on ignorance.

“The argument is about dogs getting injured when racing, and I hesitate to say it, but the injury rate in greyhounds is far less than in racehorses. Horseracing cannot assume that this fate won’t happen to us and has to be on the front foot.

“There is an inherent risk of injury for animals and humans in any activity. If you throw a stick for a dog there is an inherent risk, as there is going for a walk, and the faster you go and the more competitive it is the greater the risk of injury, but that is vastly outweighed by the positives.”

Johnston believes the horseracing industry should be offering more support to greyhound racing.

He said: “If greyhound racing can be banned in Wales, then it would be foolish to think horseracing is not at risk. This is a huge wake-up call. Even though they are saying the bill has been passed, horseracing should be supporting greyhound racing and doing something about it. I don’t think there has been anything like enough support as there should be.”

Mark Johnston trained three greyhounds and enjoyed 20 winners in a three-year stintCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Johnston trained three greyhounds – Affection, Crush and Idolize – between 2011 and 2014, with his sister Lyn playing a key role in the project before her death in 2014.

“It was a great experience. My sister Lyn played a big part and the dogs absolutely loved racing,” said Johnston. “We might have been a bit amateurish in the way we did it – we used to take them racing in the back of my Land Cruiser – but the dogs were so excited when they knew they were at the races.

“They were great dogs to have around the place and the family and our vet kept one each as a pet, while the third dog went to a breeder in Ireland. It was great fun and we really enjoyed it.

“The worst injury one of our dogs sustained during that time was a broken toe and she did it on the gallops rather than at the races, which sums it up.”

Paul Attwater trained greyhounds for four years – following in his father Harry’s footsteps – before switching sports and setting up in Lambourn last year.

Attwater pointed to positives in greyhound racing, including the development of a new track at Wolverhampton, and expressed sympathy with the Valley team.

Attwater said: “It’s only one track that is set to be affected but it’s very sad for greyhound racing. It’s a real shame for the people at Valley as a lot of time and money had gone into the track.

“We always had an open-door policy at our kennels and there is a lot of misinformation about dogs being rescued from racing when they are retired and rehomed.

“The GBGB have spent thousands on getting the message out there – welfare is the sport’s priority – and they are very open in publishing statistics. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and there will always be people who don’t agree with greyhound racing or horseracing.”

Read more . . .

'Those opposed never put their balaclavas away' - Sir Mark Prescott warns horseracing may be next after Welsh greyhound ban 

BHA vows to maintain political support for horseracing in Wales in light of Welsh government's ban on greyhound racing 

Welsh government announces ban on greyhound racing 

Gone to the dogs: Crayford closure a stark reminder of the decline of a sport that could once attract royalty 

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