Blue Riband (greyhounds)

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Blue Riband
1992 greyhound Dempsey Duke Reading Masters Head shot.png
Dempsey Duke, winner in 1992
ClassCategory 1
Location Towcester Stadium
Inaugurated1981
SponsorGreyhound Racing UK
Race information
Distance500 metres
SurfaceSand
Purse£10,000 (winner)

The Blue Riband is a greyhound racing competition held annually at Towcester Stadium.

Contents

History

It was inaugurated in 1981 at Wembley Stadium as a replacement competition for the Wembley Spring Cup which ended in 1980. [1] [2]

Following the end of the Wembley Greyhounds the race transferred to Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) sister track Hall Green Stadium in 1999. [3] The race was discontinued by the GRA after the 2012 running despite being a category one race.

In 2021, the race returned under the promotion of Kevin Boothby at Towcester Greyhound Stadium and has retained a category 1 status since. [4]

Venues & distances

Sponsors

Past winners

YearWinnerBreedingTrainerTime SP Notes/ref
1981 Arfur MoCarhumore Speech - Monalee RomanJohn Honeysett (Crayford)29.4720/1
1982 Master DarbySole Aim - Aglish PilgrimJerry Fisher (Reading)29.887/2 [5]
1983 Cross TimesViolet Hall - Full CircleJerry Fisher (Reading)30.017/2
1984 Living TrailIvy Hall Solo - ElimronJohn Honeysett (Wembley) 29.6950/1
1985 Lulus HeroSail On II - Lulus LonerGunner Smith (Brighton)29.233/1 [6]
1986 Fearless ChampSpecial Account - Sarahs Bunny Geoff De Mulder (Oxford)29.048/11f [7]
1987 SambucaPat Seamur - Lyons FloraGunner Smith (Brighton)29.0816/1
1988 Pike AlertSecurity Alert - PC BredaTom Foster (Wimbledon)29.187/1
1989 Ring SlippyI'm Slippy - Westpark ChillDerek Millen (Canterbury)29.643/1
1990 Westmead HarryFearless Champ - Westmead Move Nick Savva (Milton Keynes)29.097/4f
1991 WuncrossDouble Creamery Cross - WuncoatDerek Knight (Hove)29.0233/1
1992 Dempsey DukeShanagarry Duke - Willowbrook PegTerry Kibble (Bristol)28.872/1jf
1993 Hypnotic StagGreenpark Fox - Sister Moonshine John Coleman (Walthamstow)28.858/13f
1994 Ardilaun BridgeAdraville Bridge - Cecilia OneChris Duggan (Walthamstow)29.0311/10f [8]
1995 Heres SeanieArdfert Sean - Mindys MiraclePat Ryan (Perry Barr)28.852/7f
1996 Quick TuneFarloe Melody - Lady Be FastGordon Hodson (Hove)29.755/1
1997 Blue MurlenMurlens Abbey - Lovely LovelyMick Smith (Private)29.072/7f
1998 He KnowsSlaneyside Hare - I Know YouBarrie Draper (Sheffield)29.2211/4
1999 Droopys MersonFrightful Flash - Lemon Miss Nick Savva (Milton Keynes)28.531/1f [9]
2000 Vintage CleanerVintage Prince – Treasure Beo John McGee Sr. (Private)28.209/4Track record
2001 Hollinwood ChiefNight Trooper – Hollinwood MajorMick Clarke (Private)28.517/4f
2002 Hollinwood WizNight Trooper – Hollinwood MajorMick Clarke (Private)28.458/1
2003 Farloe VerdictDroopys Vieri – She Knew Charlie Lister (Private)28.095/2Track record
2004 Droopys OasisLarkhill Jo – Droopys Graf Brian Clemenson (Hove)28.285/4f
2005 Tuttles RonaldoDroopys Kewell – By The NumbersFrank Wright (Coventry)28.267/1 [10]
2006 Westmead JoeLarkhill Jo – Mega Delight Nick Savva (Private)28.5813/8f [11]
2007 Iceman VaderTop Honcho – Barrow TuneLance Burford (Coventry)28.564/1 [12]
2008 Farloe ReasonDroopys Maldini – Farloe Oyster Charlie Lister (Private)28.241/2f [13]
2009 Blonde FernHondo Black – Returned FireTony Dean (Private)28.064/1 [14]
2010 Eye Onthe StormDroopys Vieri – Bower Louise Mark Wallis (Yarmouth)28.028/13fTrack record [15]
2011 Express ShuttleKiowa Sweet Trey – Express MistChris Allsopp (Monmore)28.4211/8f [16]
2012 Young SidKillahan Panther – Marwood ReviewPaul Young (Romford)28.316/4f [17]
2013 to 2020 not held
2021 Kilara LionDroopys Jet – Kilara Lizzie Patrick Janssens (Towcester)29.7311/8f [18]
2022 Ivy Hill Skyhigh Taylors Sky – Yahoo Perlena Mark Wallis (Monmore)29.917/1 [19]
2023 Hopes PaddingtonGood News – Charity AnnaNathan Hunt (Romford)29.159/4 [20]
2024 Signet GoofyMagical Bale – Forest NataleeJohn Mullins (Towcester)29.399/2 [21]
2025 Table ToppersDroopys Sydney – Dolce Vita Mark Wallis (Private)28.729/4f [22]

References

  1. ↑ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. p. 82. ISBN   07207-1106-1.
  2. ↑ Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. p. 40. ISBN   0-7207-1804-X.
  3. ↑ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008. Raceform. p. 119. ISBN   978-1-905153-53-4.
  4. ↑ "Blue Riband preview and full form". Greyhound Star. 8 January 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  5. ↑ "Wembley" . Daily Mirror. 30 November 1982. Retrieved 23 January 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ↑ "Greyhound Star (Remember When - April)". Greyhound Star. 14 April 2019.
  7. ↑ "Top money winners open the battle for data classic" . Birmingham Mail. 8 May 1986. Retrieved 23 January 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ↑ Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. Ringpress Books. pp. 20–21. ISBN   186054-010-4.
  9. ↑ "Dogs" . Daily Record. 17 April 1999. Retrieved 2 April 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ↑ "2005 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  11. ↑ "2006 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  12. ↑ "2007 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  13. ↑ "2008 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  14. ↑ "2009 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  15. ↑ "2010 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  16. ↑ "2011 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  17. ↑ "2012 Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  18. ↑ "Towcester Blue Riband". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  19. ↑ "THE PREMARKET PETS BLUE RIBAND - FINAL". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  20. ↑ "The Stadium Bookomakers Blue Riband final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  21. ↑ "Blue Riband final 2024". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  22. ↑ "The Greyhound Racing UK Blue Riband Final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
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