2015 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 2015 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 90th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

2015 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
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Summary

Trainer Kevin Hutton secured a last race success with El Pedro that helped him lift his first Trainers Championship.^[1] The English Greyhound Derby attracted 273 entries and was won by Rio Quattro while the Irish equivalent was won by Ballymac Matt.

Barry Faulkner the Chief Executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain who explained that the projected budget from the bookmakers for the fund for the year would be well below £7 million. This meant that it was over 40% lower than 2008 and the seventh consecutive annual decrease was blamed on reduced betting shop greyhound turnover.^[2] Online streaming of BAGS (Bookmakers’ Afternoon Greyhound Service) racing started via SIS and Mediastream was announced by BAGS chairman Dominic Ford as a possible new revenue source that could benefit the industry.^[3]

Two trainers George Andreas and Tony Collett switched back to Sittingbourne from Wimbledon and Patsy Cusack handed over his licence to head man Mark Fenwick. Former Racing Manager Jim Layton and trainer Henry Chalkley both died. At Wimbledon the Merton Council passed the AFC Wimbledon plans for a new football stadium meaning that help was now required from London mayor Boris Johnson. The GRA lease ended in July, which brought the end of greyhound racing in London ever nearer.

The year ended with Towcester's team manager Andy Lisemore steering the track to the BAGS/SIS Championship after winning the final at Perry Barr.^[4] Swift Hoffman was named Greyhound of the Year and Mark Wallis picked up the champion trainer accolade and in the process equalled the record of seven set by John 'Ginger' McGee Sr.

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
2015 English Greyhound Derby	Rio Quattro
2015 Irish Greyhound Derby	Ballymac Matt
Greyhound Trainer of the Year	Mark Wallis (Towcester)
Greyhound of the Year	Swift Hoffman
Irish Greyhound of the Year	Ballymac Matt

GTA Chelsea Glass Trainers Championship, Sittingbourne (23 March)[5] Pos Name of Trainer Points 1st Kevin Hutton 53 2nd Mark Wallis 46 3rd Seamus Cahill 38 4th Paul Young 32 5th John Mullins 29 6th Dean Childs 26

BAGS/SIS Track Championship, Perry Barr (23 December) Pos Track Points 1st Towcester 67 2nd Newcastle 57 3rd Hall Green 51 4th Belle Vue 37 5th Romford 37 6th Monmore 31

Principal UK finals

Ladbrokes Golden Jacket, Crayford (24 February, 714m, £17,500)[6] Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Wiki Waki Woo 4 6-1 44.99 Angie Kibble 2nd Bubbly Time 3 5-1 45.07 Tony Gifkins 3rd Racenight Jenny 1 1-1f 45.41 Tony Collett 4th Black Francis 2 5-1 45.42 Mark Wallis 5th Millwards Amy 5 20-1 45.60 Paul Young 6th Malls Pride 6 8-1 45.86 Paul Young

Racing Post Scottish Derby, Shawfield (12 April, 480m, £20,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Swift Hoffman 6 6-4f 28.98 Pat Rosney 2nd Cashen Maureen 5 10-1 29.24 June McCombe 3rd Coolavanny Jap 1 7-2 29.58 Pat Buckley 4th Lenson Sanchez 3 6-1 29.66 Pat Buckley 5th La Cuchilla 2 3-1 29.74 Steve Race 6th Save The Don 4 7-1 00.00 Fraser Black

William Hill Classic, Sunderland (15 July, 450m, £25,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st No But 2 5-2 27.00 Julie Calvert 2nd Pinpoint Finas 1 7-2 27.07 Kelly Macari 3rd Bubbly Ninja 3 5-1 27.14 Paul Young 4th Conna Trigger 6 2-1f 27.37 Kelly Macari 5th Jolly Tricks 4 7-2 27.42 Kevin Hutton N/R Laughing Gravy 5 Lame David Pruhs

William Hill Grand Prix, Sunderland (15 July, 640m, £15,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Bubbly Gold 1 4-1 39.79 Paul Young 2nd Dinzeo 5 7-2 39.84 Harry Crapper 3rd Farley Rio 4 5-2 39.86 Kevin Boon 4th Toottoottootsie 6 6-4f 39.97 Paul Prior 5th Teejays Panther 2 4-1 39.98 Paul Young N/R Jaytee China 3 Lame Paul Young

Colossus Bets TV Trophy, Towcester (18 August, 906m, £8,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Ballymac Bonnie 4 2-1jf 55.44 Liam Dowling 2nd Bubbly Time 1 9-2 55.72 Tony Gifkins 3rd Ribble Atom 2 5-1 55.80 Mark Wallis 4th Droopys Cottage 5 2-1jf 55.86 Dean Childs 5th Droopys Tamera 6 8-1 55.95 Dean Childs 6th Alma Prince 3 20-1 56.00 Alec Stone

Totepool 69th East Anglian Derby, Yarmouth (16 September, 462m, £15,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Do It For Twiggy 1 13-8f 27.82 Erica Samuels 2nd Southfield Jock 4 3-1 27.88 Seamus Cahill 3rd Calco Flyer 3 9-2 28.01 Mark Wallis 4th Urban Road 5 20-1 28.06 Ray Pleasants 5th Farloe Brae 2 20-1 28.26 Richard Devenish 6th Ballymac Brogan 6 2-1 28.32 Seamus Cahill

Chelsea Glass Grand National, Sittingbourne (6 October, 480mH, £8,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Mo's Bullet 4 7-1 29.80 Ricky Holloway 2nd Julius George 1 7-2 29.82 Tony Taylor 3rd Soviet Jackson 6 7-4f 29.89 John Mullins 4th Bizarro 2 20-1 29.99 Tony Taylor 5th Affane Duke 3 6-1 30.12 Tony Taylor 6th Castlelyons Cofi 5 5-2 30.51 Tony Taylor

William Hill St Leger, Wimbledon (10 November, 687m, £25,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Fizzypop Buddy 3 9-2 41.49 June Harvey 2nd Droopys Tamera 5 10-1 41.88 Dean Childs 3rd Roxholme Dream 2 7-2 41.99 Hayley Keightley 4th Teejayspowerhawk 1 16-1 42.06 Paul Young 5th Ferryforth Fran 6 33-1 42.31 Mark Wallis 6th Diego Flight 4 8-11f 42.45 Liz McNair

ECC Timber Oaks, Belle Vue (9 December, 470m, £15,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Domino Storm 3 5-2 27.59 Mark Wallis 2nd Evanta Evita 5 5-1 27.85 Mark Wallis 3rd Bromwich Sue 1 12-1 27.93 Lynn Cook 4th Tyrur Caroline 2 1-1f 28.06 Charlie Lister OBE 5th Roxholme Hottie 4 6-1 28.17 Hayley Keightley 6th Newinn This Way 6 20-1 28.24 Carla Hendy

ECC Timber Laurels, Belle Vue (9 December, 470m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Millwards Whitey 3 6-4f 27.87 Dean Childs 2nd Taranis Bolt 6 3-1 28.01 Kevin Hutton 3rd On Alert 4 3-1 28.18 Hayley Keightley 4th Blakes Turbo 2 12-1 28.55 Geraldine Kovac 5th Rock Me Kewell 5 16-1 28.62 Michael Hurst 6th Ballymac Ricky 1 9-2 28.68 Leonard O'Hanlon

Principal Irish finals

Dandelion Bar & Nightclub Easter Cup, Shelbourne (21 March, 550y, €25,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Sidarian Blaze 2 6-4 29.52 Graham Holland 2nd Slippery Fred 1 5-4f 29.59 Larry Dunne 3rd Coran Sky 3 5-1 29.83 Graham Holland 4th Gaytime Hawk 4 16-4? 29.85 Graham Holland 5th Highview Premier 6 14-1 29.96 Gerry Merriman 6th Laughil Duke 5 10-1 30.13 Patrick Guilfoyle

Con & Anne Kirby Memorial Stakes, Limerick (4 April, 525y, €80,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Cable Bay 4 6-1 28.11 Brendan Matthews 2nd Rural Hawaii 6 5-4f 28.25 Graham Holland 3rd Country Legend 1 4-1 28.39 Maurice Heffernan 4th Droopys Braedon 3 5-2 28.40 Sharlene Higgins 5th Ivy Hill Bart 5 10-1 28.71 Noel Hehir 6th Beaming Boost 2 5-1 28.82 Pat Buckley

Irish Independent Laurels, Cork (9 May, 525y, €30,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Midtown Raffa 2 2-1f 28.31 Maurice O’Connor 2nd Burgess Rumble 5 7-1 28.69 Sheila Spillane 3rd Mimis Ace 6 5-1 28.70 John Kiely 4th Drive On Royal 4 7-2 28.84 Thomas O’Donovan 5th Skywalker Echo 1 8-1 29.16 Frances O’Donnell 6th Knocktoo Garry 3 5-2 29.17 Neilus O’Connell

B.I.F National Produce, Clonmel (14 June, 525y, €30,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Ballybough Mondo 2 3-1 28.55 Murt Leahy 2nd Amazing Dude 1 1-2f 28.65 Graham Holland 3rd Haughty Slippers 5 7-1 28.69 Frank Clune 4th Justice Matters 3 8-1 28.83 Jerry Griffin 5th Maggies Lucy 6 7-1 28.90 James Robinson 6th Ballybough Mike 4 5-2 29.11 Murt Leahy

Sporting Press Oaks, Shelbourne (20 June, 525y, €25,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Ballydoyle Honey 1 1-5f 28.47 Graham Holland 2nd Hovex Princess 5 8-1 28.52 Graham Holland 3rd Ravenswood Emily 2 14-1 28.70 Gerard Barber 4th Awaywitdepixies 6 20-1 28.77 Paul Hennessy 5th Piercestown Lucy 3 8-1 28.87 Thomas Coleman N/R Jumeirah Dancer 4 Jimmy Buckley

Doire Construction Champion Stakes, Shelbourne (25 July, 550y, €15,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Sidarian Vega 1 2-1jf 29.64 Graham Holland 2nd Budgie Bypass 6 8-1 29.81 Paul Hennessy 3rd Paradise Maverick 4 4-1 29.87 Pat Buckley 4th Riverside Pat 2 6-1 30.04 Graham Holland 5th Barefoot Artist 5 14-1 30.64 Paul Hennessy 6th Midtown Raffa 3 2-1jf 30.85 Maurice O’Connor

Dublin Coach Puppy Derby, Harolds Cross (16 October, 525y, €22,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Anopheles 3 10-1 28.54 Liam Dowling 2nd Hee Haws Sheriff 1 2-1 28.57 Ian Reilly 3rd Jaytee Dutch 6 4-5f 28.58 Paul Hennessy 4th Black Alder 2 6-1 28.76 Peter Comerford 5th Trade Freddie 4 7-1 28.81 John Touhy 6th Skywalker Archie 5 14-1 28.99 Patrick Guilfoyle

Kerry Agribusiness Irish St Leger, Limerick (31 October, 550y, €25,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer 1st Skywalker Rory 6 7-2 29.47 Patrick Guilfoyle 2nd Sidarian Vega 4 6-1 29.89 Graham Holland 3rd Offshore Bound 1 2-1jf 30.31 Owen McKenna 4th Jaytee Valencia 2 6-1 30.59 Paul Hennessy 5th Peregrine Falcon 3 2-1jf 30.69 Patrick O'Brien 6th Tyrur Tommy 5 7-2 00.00 PJ Fahy

References

1. "Trainers Championship results/". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
2. "GBGB appoint new chair/". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
3. "Dominic Ford on Bags and the ABB". BOS Magazine. Archived from the original on 2016-11-24.
4. "EXCITEMENT AT LAUNCH OF 2016 BAGS TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP". Greyhound Star. 21 July 2016.
5. "Trainers Championship results/". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
6. "Golden Jacket final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.