Course for concern; Could next week's famous Waterloo Cup be the last? Andrew Forgrave , Rural Affairs Editor, speaks to Harry Fetherstonehaugh as he prepares to defend the trophy he won last year.

Byline: Andrew Forgrave

A WEEK before last year's Waterloo Cup, the blue riband hare coursing event, Harry Fetherstonhaugh had all but written off his chances.

Winning the trophy had been an ambition since he aquired his first racing dog, a whippet, at the age of nine. Eighteen previous sorties to the famous Altcar course, Merseyside, had produced three semi-finalists and the Waterloo Plate - but never the overall winner.

With just a few days to go before the 2002 event, Harry's preferred runner, a burly, strong greyhound called Owain Glyndr, seemed off-colour. During training he was running on empty, though blood tests revealed nothing untoward. Reluctantly, he decided to withdraw the dog.

Instead they would run his sister, three-year-old Petite Glory. Despite some promising form - she had won the Yorkshire Lasses title the previous November - her prospects were not good: bitches, smaller and less muscled than dogs, rarely win at Altcar.

In the event, she trounced her 63 rivals on Withins Field.

Harry, honorary show director at the Royal Welsh who farms at Dolwen, near Old Colwyn, said: ``She really is one in a lifetime.

``To win the competition with her really was the most fantastic day. I've friends who have been racing at Altcar for 30 years who haven't won and I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would one day collect the trophy.''

There was an unhappy postscript: shortly afterwards, Owain Glyndr suffered a massive internal haerhorrage and died in his kennel.

Petite Glory has not raced in the intervening year, arguably a highrisk strategy as Harry prepares another tilt at the Cup.

It could be his last chance. The Hunting Bill hangs like an albatross over the three-day event. New Labour wants a ban on hare coursing and all sorts of other countryside activities.

Each year antagonists on both sides of the debate up the ante.

Last February the group, Campaigning to Protect Hunted Animals, wheeled out celebrity couple Jamie and Louise Redknapp to condemn the Waterloo Cup.

A MORI poll published shortly afterwards showed that 81pc of people think hare coursing should be banned.

Ironically arguments against hare coursing are, if anything, weaker than those against fox hunting. There are two main points: that hares, if caught, do not suffer a quick kill - the North West Hunt Sabateurs' Association cites a ``well-documented instance'' in 1975 when a hare, caught in was left squealing for two minutes.

The second gripe is that illegal coursing is on the increase, often at night. According to the NWHSA, ``lampers'' will set their dogs on to any animals - including badgers - that they sight in the lamps' beams.

Legal hare coursers wince at this argument: they like illegal coursing no more than welfare campaigners. Country sportsmen, conducting their business legally, get tarred with the same brush.

For its part, the coursing community cites the delicate hare management balance that would be disrupted if the sport went.

Research by the Game Conservancy has shown that hare numbers are increasing on estates where coursing takes place. Natural predators are the hares' biggest enemy: six families of foxes kill more hares in a year than all the coursing meetings run in Britain put together. If the haresweren't coursed, they would be shot. Eating their weight in maize or barley, they are a menace to farmers.

``Three hares will eat as much grass in a year as a bullock,'' said Harry.

``If events like the Waterloo Cup were to be stopped, hares would be wiped out. They stand to be the biggest losers. ``To hear otherwise makes one want to tear one's hair out.

``You only have to visit Altcar to see what an amazing place it is. There are wild grey partridges, pheasants, tufted ducks and all sorts of other wildlife there, as well as hares, because the land is managed for conservation.''

A few years ago he was interviewed by a power-dressed BBC TV journalised who prejudged the Waterloo Cup with a dim view. He told her, why don't you come along and see for yourself? She did, and she's been back every year since, an avid fan.

For a start, coursing crowds are far from elitist. On a toff-o-meter, with Prince Charles at the top and Prince Naseem at the bottom, they rank somewhere in the middle.

And if you go expecting to see a killing spree, you'll be disappointed. For a start, there are no points for a kill. Once it was said only seven in eight hares survived the course. Last year, said Harry, a former Waterloo Cup treasurer, 11 out of about 450 died.

And Arrian, a Roman writing in 116AD, maintained: ``The true sportsman does not take out his dog to destroy the hares, but for the sake of the course and the contest between the dogs and the hares, and is glad if the hare escapes.''

It's a philosophy which the sport's modern-day adherents still observe. Indeed, for those new to the sport, it would appear the hare, not the dog, is the star of the event.

Slower than its pursuers, it resorts to a magic bag of twists, turns, sidesteps and shimmies. Few dogs have the stamina and speed to catch it. Petite Glory has these qualities in abundance and Harry has his fingers crossed that she can pull off an historic double.

``The pressure is seriously on this year,'' he said.

``Only about 10 greyhounds have won two Cups and as far as I'm aware, none have been bitches. ``If she does it again, I will be speechless for weeks.''

Whatever the result, Harry will retire Petite Glory to stud after the Cup, never to race again.

Depending on the outcome of the Hunting Bill - which promises yet more twists than a coursing hare - he may have no choice in the matter.

Why it is the sport of QueensGREYHOUNDS are the only canine mentioned in the Bible (Proverbs 30:2931) but the first description of the breed mentioned in the Bible (Proverbs 30:2931) but the first description of the breed is found in Ovid's writings, between 43BC and 17AD. In the tenth century, King Howel of is found in Ovid's writings, between 43 BC and 17 AD. In the tenth century, King Howel of Wales made killing a greyhound punishable by death. Similarly King Canute of England established the Forest Laws in 1014, reserving large areas of the country for hunting by the nobility.

Wales made killing a greyhound punishable by death. Similarly King Canute of England established the Forest Laws in 1014, reserving large areas of the country for hunting by the nobility.

Commoners caught owning a coursing greyhound would be severely beaten and the dog's toes mutilated to prevent it from hunting. During the 15th century, the greyhound became a symbol of aristocracy and coursing races became popular during the 16th century. Queen Elizabeth I had Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, draw up rules for the ``Sport of Queens'' and these have more or less remained the same ever since.

The Waterloo Cup Meet was established in 1837 on the Altcar estate of and coursing races, with dogs chasing live rabbits, became popular during the 16th Century. Queen Elizabeth I had Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, draw up rules for the ``Sport of Queens'' and these have more or less remained the same ever since.

The Waterloo Cup Meet was established in 1837 on the Altcar estate of Earl Sefton. It has been held there annually, except for the war years. Early on, the venue was shared with the Grand National until crowds grew too large.

The US cavalry used greyhounds as scouts to help spot Native Americans, as they were fast enough to keep up with horses. It's said that General George Custer always took his 22 greyhounds with him when he travelled and liked to sleep in a ``sea'' of dogs. He always coursed them the day before Greyhound were exported to the colonies where they kept farms free of rabbits and vermin.

The US cavalry used them as scouts to help spot Native Americans, as they were fast enough to keep up with horses. It's said that General George Custer always took his 22 greyhounds with battles, including that at Little Big Horn.The Waterloo Cup takes place at Altcar, near Southport, from February 25-27. The Callover is on February 24 at the Scarisbrick Hotel, Southport, at 8pm.

Winner's prize money is pounds 5,000. The first brace of runners will be put into slips at 9.30am each day. Spectators should arrive by 8.30am.

Entry from pounds 15 each person, children free, car parking free. National Coursing Club: 01638 667381 Why it is the Sport of Queens

CAPTION(S):

CELEBRATIONS: Event sponsor Stephen Little (fur coat) presents the Waterloo Cup to Harry Fetherstonehaugh. Petite Glory, held by trainer Jacky Teal (fur hat, squatting), wears the winner's jacket, watched on by top racehorse trainer Peter Walwyn (with crook)