2013 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 2013 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 88th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

2013 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

Summary

Tracks

The GRA was subject to a management lease buyout, Wimbledon's lease was shorter than the rest of the tracks bringing the future of the track into serious question. The Oaks was switched to sister track Belle Vue meaning that Wimbledon had now lost the Laurels, Grand National and Oaks in recent years. Leading owner John Turner stepped in to save the Puppy Derby by sponsoring the event.[1]

In Ireland, Newbridge which was leased by Morwell Racing Ltd ceased trading and left the stadium vacant. The Irish Greyhound Board stepped in to save the track and installed a management team to run it. The third BAGS/SIS track championship went to Sheffield who outpointed defending champions Newcastle in the final at Sheffield.[2] Coventry continued to offer excellent open race prize money but suffered a blow when Racing Manager Martyn Dore left the track.

Competitions

Ballymac Eske secured victories in the Juvenile and Scottish Greyhound Derby. Charlie Lister OBE had a year to remember following a record breaking seventh English Greyhound Derby with Sidaz Jack and sixth trainers championship at Yarmouth.

Slippery Robert trained by Robert Gleeson took the Irish Derby.[3] The William Hill Grand Prix resulted in a dead heat between Hometown Honey and Calzaghe Lilly.[4]

Charlie Lister had four finalists in the St Leger final and his hot favourite Farloe Tango broke the track record when claiming the competition. Farloe Tango then won the Greyhound of the Year. Mark Wallis sealed a fifth trainer's title in nine years.[5]

News

The Racing Post TV channel had a significant presence in the reporting of greyhound racing but the Greyhound Star began to consider plans to go online.[6] Ladbrokes stepped in to sponsor the Scottish Derby which was at risk of being cancelled.[7] Jim Woods retired after 31 years as a Racing Manager at Perry Barr, Nottingham, Leeds and Monmore.

Trainer Stuart Mason had his licence removed and is fined £1,500 by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain following three cases of positive tests for amphetamine.[8]

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
2013 English Greyhound Derby	Sidaz Jack
2013 Irish Greyhound Derby	Slippery Robert
Greyhound Trainer of the Year	Mark Wallis
Greyhound of the Year	Farloe Tango
Irish Greyhound of the Year	Locnamon Bridie

Ladbrokes Trainers Championship, Yarmouth (Mar 27) Pos Name of Trainer Points 1st Charlie Lister OBE 55 2nd Paul Young 51 3rd Mark Wallis 36 4th Seamus Cahill 31 5th Chris Allsopp 27 6th Barrie Draper 22

BAGS/SIS Track Championship, Sheffield (Dec 23) Pos Track Points 1st Sheffield 70 2nd Newcastle 51 3rd Peterborough 45 4th Hove 44 5th Romford 37 6th Hall Green 33

Principal UK finals

Ladbrokes Golden Jacket, Crayford (Feb 18, 714m, £15,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st White Soks Roks Daniel Riordan 4-5f 45.48 6 2nd Droopys Xavier Claude Gardiner 9-4 45.74 2 3rd Pony Bride Kevin Hutton 20-1 45.76 3 4th Crinkill Jewell Kevin Hutton 10-1 45.80 4 5th Eden Rumble Alma Keppie 12-1 46.14 1 6th Paulines Pride Darren Whitton 6-1 46.83 5

Ladbrokes Scottish Derby, Shawfield (May 4, 480m, £10,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Ballymac Eske Barrie Draper 4-7f 28.75 1 2nd Mags Gamble Harry Williams 5-1 29.31 3 3rd Greenwell Mentor Pat Flaherty 12-1 29.35 4 4th Teejays Bluehawk Paul Young 6-1 29.37 2 5th Greenwell Lark Pat Flaherty 16-1 29.47 6 6th Tarbrook Tornado Frazer Black 6-1 29.49 5

William Hill Classic, Sunderland (Jul 18, 450m, £25,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Pinpoint Maxi Kelly Macari 4-5f 27.02 1 2nd Droopys Pride Elaine Parker 12-1 27.21 4 3rd Shaneboy Spencer Liz McNair 5-1 27.35 2 4th Young Golden Paul Young 33-1 27.37 5 5th Shaneboy Alley Liz McNair 6-4 27.61 6 6th Bubbly Rocket Paul Young 10-1 27.89 3

William Hill Grand Prix, Sunderland (Jul 18, 640m, £15,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st* Hometown Honey Mark Wallis 5-1 39.95 5 1st* Calzaghe Lilly Ted Soppitt 1-1f 39.95 6 3rd Britania Rachel Claude Gardiner 10-1 40.21 3 4th Bangcrashwallop Heather Dimmock 6-1 40.23 2 5th Dural Bound Maxine Locke 9-4 40.29 4 6th Sidelight Chris Allsopp 6-1 40.45 1

Paddy Power TV Trophy, Yarmouth (Sep 4, 843m, £8,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Musical Gaga Dean Childs 1-2f 52.94 5 2nd Blonde Reagan Mark Wallis 18-1 53.40 6 3rd Incitatus Chris Allsopp 9-1 53.53 4 4th Farloe Tango Charlie Lister OBE 5-2 53.55 2 5th Freedom Cache Paul Donovan 16-1 53.97 1 6th Golden Donaire David Mullins 40-1 54.14 3

East Anglian Derby, Yarmouth (Sep 19, 462m, £12,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Any Dak Hazel Kemp 4-6f 27.34 6 2nd Aero Tobias Dean Childs 5-1 27.51 3 3rd Bridge Honcho Mark Wallis 6-1 27.65 4 4th Frettenham Flyer Terry Hunter 20-1 27.77 5 5th Son of Delboy Stuart Buckland 3-1 27.90 1 6th Airtech Alfie Paul Young 15-2 28.36 2

Grand National, Sittingbourne (Oct 17, 480mH, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Mash Mad Snowy Seamus Cahill 5-2 29.31 4 2nd Westmead Meteor Ricky Holloway 4-1 29.39 5 3rd Lollylips Julie Luckhurst 20-1 29.57 3 4th Droopys Lorenzo Dean Childs 6-5f 29.68 6 5th Mo Realta Frank Ricky Holloway 5-1 29.70 1 6th Westmead Melanie Nick Savva 14-1 29.82 2

William Hill St Leger, Wimbledon (Nov 12, 687m, £15,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Farloe Tango Charlie Lister OBE 5-4f 41.40+ 4 2nd Fear Emoski Charlie Lister OBE 9-2 41.95 3 3rd Killieford Khali Charlie Lister OBE 33-1 42.00 6 4th Droopys Posh Seamus Cahill 6-1 42.08 2 5th Musical Gaga Dean Childs 7-1 42.10 1 6th Airforce Diva Charlie Lister OBE 3-1 42.20 5

ECC Timber Oaks, Belle Vue (Dec 19, 470m, £15,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Droopys Danneel Kevin Hutton 7-4f 27.97 6 2nd Greenwell Lark Pat Flaherty 11-4 28.05 5 3rd Caribbean Trixie Bob Hall 10-1 28.25 4 4th Silverview Pinky Charlie Lister OBE 3-1 28.37 2 5th Droopys Loner Dean Childs 10-1 28.41 1 6th Akerview Gem Jimmy Wright 11-2 28.53 3

ECC Timber Laurels, Belle Vue (Dec 19, 470m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Mileheight Alba Pat Rosney 2-1f 27.65 1 2nd Eden Star Barrie Draper 3-1 27.77 2 3rd Underground Paul Paul Young 8-1 27.91 5 4th Thinking Big Phil Ward 4-1 28.13 4 5th Young Golden Paul Young 16-1 28.17 6 6th Jaytee Lightning Paul Young 5-2 28.27 3

* dead-heat

+ track record

Principal Irish finals

Con & Anne Kirby Memorial Stakes, Limerick (Mar 30, 525y, €80,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Roxholme Bully Owen McKenna 11-8f 28.35 1 2nd Oran Maestro Davy Reynolds 9-2 28.45 4 3rd Droopys Banner Patrick Guilfoyle 12-1 28.59 5 4th Kisses For Cloda Daniel Butler 5-2 28.73 3 5th Melodys Gamble Tim O’Donovan 9-2 28.80 2 6th Royal Diva Oliver Bray 12-1 28.91 6

College Causeway/Killahan Phanter Easter Cup, Shelbourne (Apr 13, 550y, €25,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st North Bound Niall Dunne 4-1 29.46 6 2nd Ballymac Vic Liam Dowling 4-5f 29.88 3 3rd Ashfield Impact Vinnie Morris 5-1 30.19 4 4th Insane Spartacus Paul Corrigan 10-1 30.30 5 5th Cabra Buck Graham Holland 4-1 30.30 1 N/R Droopys Adler John Linehan 2

Connolly's Red Mills Produce, Clonmel (May 12, 525y, €20,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Christys Bolt Owen McKenna 2-1 28.58 3 2nd Graduation Day Pat Dalton 10-1 28.68 5 3rd Farloe Calvin Owen McKenna 1-1f 28.70 6 4th Fear Big Star Owen McKenna 5-1 28.84 4 5th Ballyhill Jaguar Graham Holland 10-1 28.88 1 6th Melodys Gamble Patrick Collins 5-1 28.91 2

Sporting Press Oaks, Shelbourne (Jun 22, 525y, €25,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Locnamon Bridie Paul Hennessy 5-1 28.23 3 2nd Badminton Girl Donal Murphy 4-1 28.37 5 3rd Melodys Diamond Declan Byrne 4-1 28.39 1 4th Borna Gem Ruairi Dwan 5-4f 28.56 2 5th Airforce Diva Owen McKenna 5-1 28.70 4 6th Royal Diva Oliver Bray 20-1 28.98 5

Townviewfoods.com Champion Stakes, Shelbourne (Jul 27, 550y, €20,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Paradise Madison Oliver Bray 6-4f 29.46 5 2nd Jaxx On Fantasy John McGee Sr. 5-1 29.60 4 3rd Melodys Diamond Declan Byrne 5-1 29.74 6 4th Fear Big Star Owen McKenna 12-1 29.95 1 5th Lodgefield Turbo Peter Traynor 3-1 30.05 2 6th Droopys Adler John Linehan 8-1 30.26 3

HX Bookmakers Puppy Derby, Harolds Cross (Oct 11, 525y, €15,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Vanrooney Owen McKenna 7-2 28.66 4 2nd Newlawn Impact Patrick Guilfoyle 2-1f 28.69 5 3rd Aclamon Messi Robert Gleeson 5-2 28.73 6 4th El Flutter Nick Hendy 8-1 28.76 1 5th Mays King Ian Lawless 6-1 28.97 2 6th Killinan Baby Pat Buckley 6-1 29.22 3

Connolly’s Red Mills Laurels, Cork (Oct 19, 525y, €30,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Lassa Expedition Rachel Wheeler 3-1 28.39 2 2nd Cathys Clown Peter Cronin 4-1 28.72 4 3rd Glenanore Dancer Tom O’Neill 5-4f 28.90 5 4th Refuge Of Sinner Frances O’Donnell 5-1 28.92 6 5th Footprintsinsand Lorraine Moore 14-1 29.02 1 6th Parkgate Jet Kieran Lynch 12-1 29.13 3

Kerry Agribusiness Irish St Leger, Limerick (Nov 23, 550y, €25,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Locnamon Bridie Paul Hennessy 3-1jf 29.34 3 2nd Tyrur Sugar Ray PJ Fahy 3-1jf 29.58 1 3rd Jaytee Hellcat Paul Hennessy 4-1 29.72 5 4th Skywalker Farloe Frances O’Donnell 4-1 30.04 6 5th Rockview Turbo Peter Cronin 4-1 30.09 4 6th General Wolf Graham Holland 6-1 30.20 2

References

1. "Leading owner steps in to save the Puppy Derby". Belle Vue Owners.
2. "BAGS Championship". Greyhound Racing Board.
3. "Irish Derby Final". Greyhound Data.
4. "2013 Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
5. "2013 St Leger final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
6. "History". Greyhound Star.
7. "Annual Report" (PDF). Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
8. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 2013) February edition". Greyhound Star.