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If it’s not speed you are after, but dog racing with a twist, then Afghan hounds certainly offer that. They may not be quite as fast as the greyhounds but they are beautiful to watch with all their hair flying in the wind. Around the Ellesmere Port Dog Track, they maybe around six seconds slower over 260 metres, but they do have unique appeal and offer something a little different.

They are a sociable and playful breed, and in the training race I witnessed near Winchester in the mid-1990s, some of the dogs stopped along the way for a play fight. One of these paw scuffles then turned into something far more amorous, and the measly hare suddenly lost its appeal as love was in the air (and their hair).

Amanda Reed from the Ellesmere Port Afghan racing club said: ‘They do sometimes cut across their lanes and occasionally will stop for a play fight. Others may just stop and there’s one really fast dog who gets near to the finish line every time and then jumps over the barrier, so we can’t record his time. People do come to watch and have a laugh, and while it is about what time the dogs do, we don’t all take it too seriously’.

To add extra colour the dogs wear fancy dress rather than just their normal race jackets. It certainly makes for unpredictable racing. However, while there are still clubs up and down the country, due to reduced track access the future for the sport has become less certain. The annual season begins in March and for more information, go and see for yourself by contacting the Afghan Hound Association.