Blue Riband (greyhounds)

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

Blue Riband
Category 1 race
Dempsey Duke, winner in 1992
LocationTowcester Stadium
Inaugurated1981
SponsorStadium Bookmakers
Race information
Distance500 metres
SurfaceSand

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
  • 1981–1998 (Wembley, 490 metres)
  • 1999–2012 (Hall Green, 480 metres)
  • 2021–2024 (Towcester, 500 metres)

Sponsors

Past winners
Year Winner Breeding Trainer Time SP Notes
1981 Arfur MoCarhumore Speech - Monalee RomanJohn Honeysett (Crayford)29.4720-1
1982 Master DarbySole Aim - Aglish PilgrimJerry Fisher (Reading)29.887-2
1983 Cross TimesViolet Hall - Full CircleJerry Fisher (Reading)30.017-2
1984 Living TrailIvy Hall Solo - ElimronJohn Honeysett (Wembley)29.6950-1
1985 Lulus Hero [5]Sail On II - Lulus LonerGunner Smith (Brighton)29.233-1
1986 Fearless ChampSpecial Account - Sarahs BunnyGeoff De Mulder (Oxford)29.048-11F
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 MoveNick 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 MoonshineJohn Coleman (Walthamstow)28.858-13f
1994 Ardilaun Bridge[6]Adraville Bridge - Cecilia OneChris Duggan (Walthamstow)29.0311-10f
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 Merson[7]Frightful Flash - Lemon MissNick Savva (Milton Keynes)28.531-1f
2000 Vintage CleanerVintage Prince – Treasure BeoJohn 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 KnewCharlie Lister (Private)28.095/2Track record
2004 Droopys OasisLarkhill Jo – Droopys GrafBrian Clemenson (Hove)28.285/4f
2005 Tuttles Ronaldo [8]Droopys Kewell – By The NumbersFrank Wright (Coventry)28.267/1
2006 Westmead Joe [9]Larkhill Jo – Mega DelightNick Savva (Private)28.5813/8f
2007 Iceman Vader [10]Top Honcho – Barrow TuneLance Burford (Coventry)28.564/1
2008 Farloe Reason [11]Droopys Maldini – Farloe OysterCharlie Lister (Private)28.241/2f
2009 Blonde Fern [12]Hondo Black – Returned FireTony Dean (Private)28.064/1
2010 Eye Onthe Storm [13]Droopys Vieri – Bower LouiseMark Wallis (Yarmouth)28.028/13fTrack record
2011 Express Shuttle [14]Kiowa Sweet Trey – Express MistChris Allsopp (Monmore)28.4211/8f
2012 Young Sid [15]Killahan Panther – Marwood ReviewPaul Young (Romford)28.316/4f
2013 to 2020 not held
2021 Kilara Lion[16]Droopys Jet – Kilara LizziePatrick Janssens (Towcester)29.7311/8f
2022 Ivy Hill Skyhigh[17]Taylors Sky – Yahoo PerlenaMark Wallis (Monmore)29.917/1
2023 Hopes Paddington[18]Good News – Charity AnnaNathan Hunt (Romford)29.159/4
2024 Signet Goofy[19]Magical Bale – Forest NataleeJohn Mullins (Towcester)29.399/2

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. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  5. "Greyhound Star (Remember When - April)". Greyhound Star.
  6. Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. Ringpress Books. pp. 20–21. ISBN 186054-010-4.
  7. "Dogs". Daily Record. 17 April 1999. Retrieved 2 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "2005 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  9. "2006 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  10. "2007 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  11. "2008 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  12. "2009 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  13. "2010 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  14. "2011 final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  15. "2012 Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  16. "Towcester Blue Riband". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  17. "THE PREMARKET PETS BLUE RIBAND - FINAL". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  18. "The Stadium Bookomakers Blue Riband final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  19. "Blue Riband final 2024". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
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