GBGB are pleased to include a list of Category One finals until the end of 2018 in the latest edition of the GBGB Calendar. GBGB Open Race Planning Committee Secretary Amanda Duplock said –

“It’s hugely positive that the second half of the year list is as full and varied as it is. As an open race fan I think it’s an exciting list to look at. We’ve had a brilliant Derby, there’s a great supporting card at Towcester on Saturday night and now there’s the prospect of watching all those greyhounds take each other on at tracks all over the country in many different types of races.

It’s especially reassuring that the Calendar looks as it does on the background of the uncertainty that was created by initially losing Sky coverage and then waiting to see if it could be resurrected, which has put a delay on the release of this schedule. ‘It’s likely that quite a few competition sponsorships were Sky dependent and for these competitions to still be happening is down to the work the tracks and sponsors have put in.’

It has been a much trickier process this year. Ideas that without relatively fixed Sky dates, the schedule would be easier to form, didn’t materialise. The list has been formed taking into account the many differing and sometimes new requirements of tracks, racing schedules, sponsors, and broadcasting requirements whilst trying to avoid too many overlaps and geographical clashes and trying to make the list as coherent as possible. But for the reasons above and without the structure Sky enforced and with the time constraints in place, it is not perfect. Overlaps have remained and there are a few issues that we will continue to work on. The Open Race Planning Committee’s aim for this second half schedule was to keep it coherent and structured but facilitate the staging of races wherever possible.”

As a result, we have a schedule where greyhounds can be aimed at a large number of races for the rest of the year. GBGB’s thanks go to tracks and sponsors for their co-operation and flexibility which has been essential in making the schedule work, and to owners and trainers for their patience until now and in advance. If things don’t always appear to make sense at certain points in the year, I can guarantee they will have been considered at length and the best possible solution implemented.

Overall it’s great news and hugely encouraging that even in adverse circumstances, the will to stage major events is most definitely still there.”

Schedule Notes

  • The Breeders’ Stakes and British Bred Derby have both been confirmed by Nottingham and Towcester respectively and by the Breeders’ Forum, but GBGB have asked for additional time to work with them on the dates. The Swindon Produce Stakes dates have also been confirmed as follows:

First round – 6th July

Second round – 11th July

Semi finals – 16th July

Final – 21st July

 

Full details will appear in the 15th June GBGB Calendar.

  • In the printed 1st June Calendar the ECC Timber Puppy Derby is stated as 460m which should read 500m.
  • The GMG Three Steps to Victory is listed as 480m distance which is the first leg of Sheffield’s tri distance competition (480m-500m-660m).