Match race set for dual Cat One final card at Dunstall on Saturday night
The final contest on Saturday night's Oaks and Scurry card at Dunstall Park will be a match race.
Marathon match race on the cards
Dunstall Park has been given special GBGB dispensation to switch two of Mike Burton's runners which were incorrectly entered for supporting races on Saturday's gala dual Category One card.
The track at Wolverhampton Racecourse, which stages the finals of both the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks and Arena Racing Company Scurry Gold Cup for a real super Saturday for the sport, had been alerted to the fact that Carrick Scholsey and Magical Hawk had been entered in the wrong races.
A track spokesman, who confirmed that details of the error and subsequent solution had been circulated to trainers involved in those races, said: "It has transpired that Mike Burton has entered Carrick Scholsey and Magical Hawk in the wrong races at Dunstall Park on Saturday.
"Upon appeal, GBGB senior stipendiary steward Duncan Gibson has agreed that the two greyhounds in question can be swapped without the need for a redraw, as long as the racing office is happy that this was a genuine mistake, which we are.
"Accordingly, Magical Hawk will now run in race five and Carrick Scholsey in race 12."
Meanwhile, Dunstall Park on Saturday will stage a 13-race card with a £500-a-side match race bringing the big-race double header to a close.
Martin Seal, Dunstall Park racing manager, said: "We had scheduled a marathon race on the card and, fortunately or unfortunately, we had just two runners entered. But that raised the possibility - and opportunity - for a match race.
"We had one at Perry Barr a couple of years back between Kevin Hutton's Hopiehopiehopie and Tom Levers' Beach Babe which went down well and produced a cracker so hopefully we get the same again. The lead changed hands a few times if I recall.
"Connections of both Innfield Fifi of Richie Taberner's and Greenwell Gypsy of John Flaherty's were keen on it in the circumstances.
"Both runners are seemingly well matched and, given it's not a six-runner race as such for Dunstall Park's TRP schedule, we're obliged to tack it on to the end of the card which we hope patrons will now enjoy to bring the curtain down on a brilliant night's racing.
"Both sides have shown great sportsmanship with the idea and it certainly adds to the meeting."
