2014 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 2014 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 89th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

2014 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

Summary

Tracks

The most significant event of the year was the opening of a new track in the form of Towcester on 6 December 2014. Construction on the track had begun in March, backed by the Northamptonshire's racecourse owner Lord Hesketh.[1] Leading trainers joined the track including five times champion trainer Mark Wallis, 2011 champion trainer Chris Allsopp, Kevin Hutton and Matt Dartnall.

The GRA was once again in the news, led by Managing Director Clive Feltham they supported a planning application for housing on Wimbledon Stadium which was against greyhound racing at the track, the other planning application by Paschal Taggart included the facility for greyhound racing.[2][3] The company then sold the freehold on Belle Vue and Hall Green but retained a fifteen year lease agreement (with a five year mutual break clause). Belle Vue was purchased by the Crown Oil Pension Fund for 2.6 million and Hall Green was bought by Euro Property Investments for more than 3 million.

Another company in the spotlight would be Clarke Osborne's Gaming International, who owned Stadia UK, as planning permission was granted for 66 new houses on part of the existing Swindon Stadium site with the plan was to use some of the funds to build a new stadium and then the old site would be demolished for 450 homes.[4] Coventry greyhound racing closed suddenly after owner Harry Findlay pulled out, independent racing would take place at the venue at a later date.[5]

Competitions

The blue riband races went to Salad Dodger, winner of the 2014 English Greyhound Derby and Laughil Blake triumphed in 2014 Irish Greyhound Derby. Following the Derby final there was a series of important announcements, the first came from William Hill who announced a huge sponsorship deal for the 2015 Derby.[6] The winner would receive a record breaking £250,000 prize and then Boylesports stated that they would back the Irish Derby for three years. In a closely fought battle at Sheffield, Paul Young claimed the trainer’s championship after picking up three winners on the night with Jaytee China, Mollys Hope and Jaytee Lightning.[7]

Ballymac Eske, arguably the fastest dog in racing, returned to action at Sheffield impressing in the Three Steps to Victory, over three different distances which included a track record over 660 metres.[8] Laurels champion Mileheight Alba defeated Pinpoint Maxi in the final of the William Hill Classic [9] and Ballymac Vic gained a deserved big race victory in the Champions Stakes.

In December Peterborough won the SIS/BAGS track championship final, the event at Nottingham went down to the final race when Peterborough runner Bobs Belter took fifth place in a photo finish which resulted in a one point win.[10]

Cornamaddy Jumbo winner of the Grand National, Springbok and Champion Hurdle was voted Greyhound of the Year and his trainer Mark Wallis lifted the Trainer of the Year award for the sixth time surpassing Linda Mullins.[11]

News

The GBGB allowed equal distribution of seeds in open races. Bob Rowe the GRA chief Racing Manager retired and received a special award for services to greyhound racing and the greatest Irish trainer of all time Ger McKenna died.[12] Harlow and former Oxford trainer Maurice Massey also died and Westmead Hawk who had been retired from stud duties died in May.[13]

A €2.8 million rise in funding for the Irish greyhound industry was assigned in the 2015 budget. This increase from €10.8m to €13.6m would be put to use by IGB chairman Phil Meaney [14] but soon after they announced that they would be closing Harolds Cross, due to financial cut backs, in the future.[15]

Roll of honour
Major Winners
Award Name of Winner
2014 English Greyhound Derby Salad Dodger
2014 Irish Greyhound Derby Laughil Blake
Greyhound Trainer of the Year Mark Wallis
Greyhound of the Year Cornamaddy Jumbo
Irish Greyhound of the Year Laughil Blake

Principal UK finals

Principal Irish finals
gollark: Why would they *do* that?! WHY?
gollark: I wonder if they try and translate the owo gamer speak to other languages.
gollark: And then remove "owo gamer 1337".
gollark: Assuming they have multiple languages support, they should just add an "owo gamer 1337" language and a "standard English" language.
gollark: Probably!

References
  1. "Towcester opens greyhound track in £15m redevelopment". BBC Sport.
  2. "AFC Wimbledon stadium will be 'the end of greyhound racing', but the sport will fight Plough Lane plans". Wimbledon Guardian.
  3. "Greyhound racing in peril as Khan backs AFC Wimbledon plans". The Guardian.
  4. Humphreys, Chris (11 November 2016). "Work starts on new £5m stadium for Swindon". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  5. "End for Coventry greyhound racing after governing body blocks rescue bid". Coventry Telegraph.
  6. "William Hill announce Greyhound Derby prize money restructure". Greyhound Star.
  7. "Top trainers fight for title". Romford Recorder.
  8. "2014 Three Steps result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  9. "2014 Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2017-11-19.
  10. "BAGS/SIS Track Championship Success". Greyhound Star.
  11. "Cornamaddy Jumbo is Greyhound of the Year". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  12. "Maestro Ger McKenna defined a generation". Irish Independent.
  13. "Death of double Derby winner Westmead Hawk". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2014-05-28. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  14. "Horses and greyhounds allocated € 74m in Budget 2016". Irish Times.
  15. "Harold's Cross Greyhound Stadium to be sold". Irish Independent.
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