Wapping Assassin TV - Flappers PART 6

IN AID OF ‘GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL’
DONATE LINK:
www.justgiving.com/fundraisin...
FLAPPERS, JOHN MCGEE, MAURICE NEWMAN, GARY WILTSHIRE, MICKY DOUGLASS, STAN KENNETT, PAUL PHILPOTT, TONI TUNGATT, IAN TUNGATT.
WISBECH, 9/11/89 CAMBS CUP - WIER WEIZARD
POOLE, 28/09/89 POOLE PUPPY CUP - RAILROAD TRACKER
SWINDON, 16/10/89 SILVER PLUME - RING SLIPPY
MORE UP TO DATE CHAT FROM THE GUESTS WITH THEIR FORTHRIGHT VIEWS ON THE CURRENT & FUTURE OF GREYHOUND RACING!
‘FLAPPERS PART 6’ OF A SERIES OF PROGRAMMES FEATURING SOME OF THE BEST NAMES IN THE SPORT. GREAT STORIES BOTH FROM THE LICENSED AND UN-LICENSED TRACKS AROUND THE COUNTRY…… A NO HOLDS BARRED INSIGHT INTO THE GAMBLES AND CHARACTERS FROM DAYS GONE BY. PLUS A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH ARCHIVE OVER 30 YEARS OLD FROM BELLE VUE, BROUGH PARK, CANTERBURY, HENLOW, MILTON KEYNES, PORTSMOUTH, POWDERHALL, RYE HOUSE, NOTTINGHAM, WISBECH, WIMBLEDON, CATFORD, POOLE, ROMFORD, SHEFFIELD, SWINDON, WALTHAMSTOW, WEMBLEY & YARMOUTH…. A REAL TREAT FOR ANY GREYHOUND FAN!

[@mickykedian7753]

I will definitely donate...really loved these. Thank you Gary Wiltshire for telling it as it is, I fear for the future of the game, those who run it should hang their heads in shame....pure greed. I’ve read both Gary’s books and he’s a real gent. I hope to visit Central Park when lockdown is over, I never visited Sittingbourne, but I hope to visit the dwindling number of tracks that exist. My opinion of Gary since this post has only improved....seen him many times on course at both dog and horse tracks and hope to shake his hand if I ever see him again.

[@malvinmoss3636]

I have not been greyhound racing for eighteen years, nowadays the only dogs that I have are hotdogs. I have watched the transition from the NGRC to the BGRB and there has been very little change in the two bodies, too many people full of pis and importance. On the point that the sport needs PR people to publicise the sport, the only problem with PR people in the BGRB is the PR is followed by icks. The only way for greyhound racing or any sport to flourish is to have a good base at grass roots level which has been destroyed. The owners and trainers put money and effort into the sport, the big bookmakers take it out. I started as an owner, then owner trainer at Milton Keynes, then to Swindon where I was sacked by Mickey's mate Stephen Rae, and I wouldn't piss on him either. My journey then took in Reading where it ended in 2002. I would make the point , there weren't many angels at Reading. The memories of racing and flapping are still there, and one in particular The training feat of Tom Penhaligan in the Xmas Cracker at Chesterfield is a stand out. It's good to hear all the stories from all of you and have to chuckle as I have the same. I'm still looking for an "Angel".

[@kieranconroy6667]

Having been dragged around nearly every NGRC and flapping track as a kid / youth (1970’s & 1980’s) by my late Father (Mick Conroy) I would say that the analysis as to why greyhound racing is declining is spot on. Sadly, the sport was run by the NGRC/ GRA purely out of self-interest only, they simply did not act in the best interest of the sport, and in effect killed it. By seeking to perpetuate the “contract training model” of 5/6 trainers per track they prevented a grass roots approach (owner / trainer) developing (that worked very well in Ireland and in flapping sector). Also they sought to ban licensed trainers from running their greyhounds at the independents. It was not unknown for a steward to park outside your house / kennels at night hoping to catch you out! When my Dad had a license, many a time we went to run our dogs at a flapping open race and were not in the least surprised to see other trainers outside, also looking over the fence to see how their dog was doing!. This resulted in either both of us either ignoring each other or having a chat to agree who had the best dog, whereupon, whoever had the slower dog would not take the price of the better dog and would then go in to the books second. On the other hand it was sometimes nice to a price being made for you, knowing you had the better dog! As regards to the series, thought that this is somewhat “Southern Centric “ (no offence intended), liked the references to Coalville (the picture on the video though is not of the track), I know because my Father ran the place for ten years (1978 onwards). If, however anybody from London came to the track, it was the type of place where everybody knew everybody else, so there was no hiding as my Dad learnt when we likewise went around the country flapping. The trick / key was always to have a local contact who could pass the dog of as theirs! In terms of “King of the Flaps” I would say that Joe Booth, would be my choice, I know that there is a you tube video somewhere of Charlie Lister singing his praises, as did Wal Cowan’s (Gordons dad) with whom I also had many a discussion with. Kieran Conroy

[@johnbutler3654]

Mick conway Ran coalville flapping track am I right

[@kieranconroy6667]

@@johnbutler3654 Yes, my Dad Mick Conroy ran Coaliville from about 1980 for about ten years

[@Isleofskye]

Really enjoyable from all concerned. Gary is a Legend of The Racing Game and should never have been ditched by Sky. The only moot point though which was said and so accepted as " standard practice" that no-one blinked an eye was the story of Ladbrokes coming in at 2/1 and having a bet on the understanding the dog would return " Evens" as they made a fortune on laying SP Punters, many of whom may not have known that just a few hundred quid, maybe a bottle or carpet with all 3 Bags Bookmakers would save them thousands. I much prefer Gary to The Powers anytime But they would not play that game at The Wick and also bet generously with 8/1 bar 3 sometimes and Bags threw them out and Hackney went soon after....

[@malvinmoss3636]

Gary was sacked for having a bet, he laid out his money based on his or a shared opinion, his only crime in the eyes of bookmakers was it was a winner, and they had to pay out. There are plenty of people in horse racing who advertise information, so what is the difference. The racing world is based on opinions that's how odds are compiled, the bookmakers hate good judges as they can win big and on a regular basis. Nothing is said when big bookmakers lay-off to reduce the price and their liabilities, and it's with the punters money. So you can have a bet but don't WIN it's a crime.

[@Isleofskye]

100% right on all counts Malvin. You just have to listen to Bookmakers talking about " Good" Punters which is code for Gamblers who consistently lose i.e. "good" for THEM......You see some Dogs on the exchanges at all tracks that are drifting like a barge 4/1 at the track maybe 18/1 on the Exchanges and they are , invariably, nearer last than first almost every time. Gary did not do anything wrong there but I have to say every Bookmaker at a Bags Track, for example, who had " 2/1" on the Board and The Man from , I won't say the name, let's just "adbrokes...came and had a bottle on it on the understanding it goes from the 2/1 to Evens is complicit in shafting the SP Punter. who is getting a false , lower price , As for the Firms, I remember when David Hood was W.Hill's PR and he said " we never close accounts". NO ! what they did as Paddies do now is offer you a £2.46 bet when you wanted £100 on to piss you off. A good m8 had a Bet on-line with VC and on his first day lost well over £1,000 with no winners. He placed his bets on the second day and laid out £1,700 and VC closed his account BEFORE that days racing ( he would have lost the lot again !) as they did not like his betting patterns. I had an account with NOBet Fred and was doing £1,000 over a while and they THEN restricted me to £20 Bets so I could NEVER get my money back unless I backed 20 winners on the trot....:(

[@malvinmoss3636]

@@Isleofskye I have often thought about BAGS racing, take any trainer and any dog, by betting a winner on a BAGS meeting and spread of money around with some of the knowledgeable punters ,and provided the dog won, you could have a trainer sacked from a track without the trainer having any idea of what went on. If repeated you could sack any number of trainers. What I consider the ideal BAGS race is six dogs crossing the winning line with a length covering the whole field, the six dogs made up of old dogs, cripples and dogepots, just like rolling a dice. Most of my betting now is on football, mainly non-league over 1.5 and 2.5 goals in accumulators. Bet 365 are the best of the lot, William Hills are the worst by a country mile and the rest a pile of shite. Greyhound racing has and is still being run by the wrong people, with the sport run as it is does not encourage people to get involved. The BGRB will soon be kings in an empty castle, because it's dominated by promoters and full of half-wits who only represent their own views, no accountability. The only way they know which end a dog shits, is because it has teeth at the other end.

[@malvinmoss3636]

A number of raise their head in this episode. Firstly when Gary Wiltshire was fined for taking a phone bet, was that considered by the Gambling Commission in the right context, if they were, is it illegal for bookmakers to lay-off bets over the phone, should they have to do it by other means. The other point raised by John Mcgee about the conduct of Frank Melville and the abuse of the NGRC rules of racing, which I consider FRAUDULENT ! , and because the stewards were aware of the circumstances were they complicit in the act ?. Are they a fit person to hold a steward position on the GBGB ?. Hope some people share an opinion.

[@vini7740]

Met Gary when I was about 6 years old and he’s been a friend of my dads ever since (Reggie Allder). We used to bring him fish and chips to Milton Keynes groveway. That was a cracking track!

[@mikemike5973]

Love the channel in particular the old fighters keep it up get the channel pushed on social media the subscribers will grow

[@grahamhillman3631]

Sadly these guys are spot on their analysis of how a combination of Bookmakers, GBGB & former NGRC sold the Game down the River along with the Criminals in the GRA. A great Sport ruined by greed incompetence and idiocy.

[@malvinmoss3636]

Agree completely Graham, some of those employed and earned good money from the sport, would find it hard to get a job in the real world of work. GRA now Love the Dogs, what a joke.

[@mickmandy5522]

Can I just say if you love your greyhounds and horses get Gary's latest book ANGELS TEARS AND SINNERS, a knockout, laughs and sorrows abounding about the great man.

[@malvinmoss3636]

Had the book arrive on Friday, had it read by Saturday morning. A great read an insight into the man, Had a few jousts with him at Milton Keynes, Hinkley and Oxford a gem of a man. I recently went on the GBGB web site and once again greyhound racing is being run by self appointed nobodies, when do they go out and reach the owners and trainers in a forum setting. They a scared stiff to face the real people of greyhound racing.