"I think the track has gone from strength to strength despite the ban hanging over us"

Malcolm Tams Memorial shares stage with Welsh Derby

Valley track is looking forward to Saturday's final of the Star Sports Welsh Derby which the venue's Joe Tams believes will be one of the "best evenings here for a long time". 

The revived former Classic was last run in 1977 at Cardiff Arms Park and is an event won by former greats such as Mick the Miller and Mile Bush Pride.

Brought back to the schedule by management at the South Wales venue and sponsors Star Sports, also backers of the English Derby, the final of the 460m event is worth £5,000 to the winner as a Category Two competition, but means even more to the sport as a whole given the controversy surrounding the Senedd's proposed ban.

Saturday's first race at the venue at Ystrad Mynach is the Sir Mark Prescott Supports Greyhound Racing In Wales Stakes - which underlines the strength of feeling of all connected with the venue and the wider sport in the UK, said Tams.

"I think the track has gone from strength to strength despite the ban hanging over us," he said, "and my grandfather Malcolm would be thrilled to have the Welsh Derby running here under rules, especially considering it contains a few trainers who supported the competition when the track was still a flap.

"A lot of credit has to go to Dave Barclay and the team from Harlow who, despite the ban, have continued to support the track and get behind things like the Memorial race and the Derby itself."

The £1,000 Malcolm Tams Memorial Trophy Final, a Category Three, is chief support to the Welsh Derby Final and Tams is delighted that the track and the night itself is able to honour his grandfather in this way.

"I'm probably more looking forward to the Memorial final than anything else, given it also contains trainers that were good friends of Malcolm's.

"It’s very nice to have a competition in memory of my grandfather, especially considering everything that he put into the track, helping it to be where it is today. Without him, Valley wouldn’t have survived to have a chance to race under rules, and I think it's great that his hard work is recognised through this competition. 

"We're really looking forward to Saturday. There was a great crowd here for the semis and it'll hopefully be even busier this week - and we're all more than hopeful it's not the last Welsh Derby here."