FOUR tracks will contest the BAGS Track Championship pre-qualifier at Sheffield –
Henlow, Harlow, Towcester and Pelaw, with the two highest scoring teams winning through
to the competition proper, which gets underway in October.
The Sheffield showdown on Tuesday May 3rd will comprise four races, one over 500 metres,
480 metres, one stayers race over 660m and a sprint of 280m. Each track will send out a
runner in each, and will double up with runners in two of the races, the draw allocation for
which was made yesterday at the GBGB.
Henlow and Harlow will send out two runners each in the 500 metre race, Henlow and
Towcester will double up in the 480 metre contest, Pelaw and Towcester will be required to
send out two apiece in the sprint, and Pelaw and Harlow will both field two runners in the
stayers event.
Points are scored 10,7,5,3 2 and 1 according to order of finish in all races.
For greyhounds to be eligible, they must have competed in five graded races at their home
track and cannot have won more than one open race in 2016, but can have won more than one
in 2015. Prize money for each race will be £300 to the winner, £100 second, £75 others.
There will also be ten percent extra prize money for trainers.
The uncertainty surrounding the future of Wimbledon ruled them out, and Shawfield
declined.
Scott Harvey, BAGS race programme controller, said yesterday: “We wanted to give every
track every possible chance. However there has been no definite confirmation that
Wimbledon will be granted an extension to race beyond June 18, and the travelling involved
for Shawfield trainers to participate was probably a big factor in them not taking part.”
Two teams from the pre-qualifier at Sheffield will join the others in the competition’s group
stages when it gets underway in October.
There will eventually be four groups of five tracks as before, and the groups for this year’s
Track Championship will looked at following the pre-qualifier. Last year’s group winners
received £3,000, runners-up £2,000, £1,000 third. Four group winners qualified for the Track
Championship Finals staged at Perry Barr, along with two highest scoring runners-up. The
overall winning track (Towcester) received £15,000, split between the winning trainers and
subsequent prize-money. Runners-up Newcastle got £10,000, with £7,500 for the third (Hall
Green). The other tracks in the final were Romford, Monmore and Belle Vue.
“Expect the Sheffield showdown on May 3rd to be hotly contested. Last year’s winners
Towcester will have to bring their A game if they are to go through, as Pelaw regularly send
to Sheffield as it’s a track their dogs do well at.
“Both Henlow and Harlow will be throwing everything at it to qualify and it would not
surprise me if there is little in separating these four teams at the finish.”
Trainers are reminded that the date for trials is Wednesday April 27th, and all requests for
must be made with the racing office by Friday April 22nd.
