MARK WALLIS is the GBGB Trainer of the Year for an incredible – and record – fourteenth time.

The Imperial Kennels boss ended 2023 on 1,591 points, 415 points clear of Liz McNair (1,176) who herself enjoyed a breaking-break year after an extraordinary run of success in the closing weeks of the season which included four Category One victories in the space of the week.

Third place in the overall standings went to Patrick Janssens (966), a former Trainer of the Year, ahead of John Mullins (631), Kevin Hutton (607) and Richard Rees (580). The top six qualify for Trainers’ Judgement Night.

Deserving of a special mention in the 2023 standings are Tom Heilbron (572), Belinda Green (544) and Nathan Hunt (538), a trio of young trainers, who finished seventh, eighth and ninth respectively.

However, the title of Trainer of the Year belonged to Mark Wallis again with his tally of 14 wins pulling him even further clear of nearest rivals Linda Mullins (7), John McGee (5) and Charlie Lister (4).

It means Wallis, 59, has been Trainer of the Year in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023, but this latest success tastes even sweeter given it was all change at Imperial Kennels last year.

“We launched the MWD Partnership with Mike Davis and Michelle Connolly in the spring – then shortly after won the (Arc) Grand Prix at Sunderland with Coonough Crow, the first greyhound we purchased as part of the MWD Partnership, so she’ll always be in our hearts for that.

“In fact she’s out on Saturday at Central Park in the (Arc) Cesarewitch heats at Central Park as part of a team we have there, although our first open-race runners of 2024 are at Romford on Friday.”

Reflecting on 2023, Wallis said: “It was very much a transitional year for us, so to break more records is really satisfying.

“We had less runners overall but still had six Cat One winners and from Aayamza Magic in the (Coral) Essex Vase through to Newinn Syd in the (Premier Greyhound Racing) Eclipse we had a say in most of the competitions – and the plan is to bring in more quality runners and compete again for the major prizes.

“We had a young team for last year’s Derby but will definitely be looking at strengthening the team for the Classics, although Newinn Syd will likely be our number one. He ran well at Nottingham and then ran a cracker at Hove behind King Memphis in the (Coral) Olympic which I think we all agree is top-class form!

“Indeed I have to congratulate Liz and Rab McNair and the KSS Syndicate for what they achieved in 2023 – especially at the end of it. I don’t think I’ve known a run of success like that so credit to them all and I suppose it sets things up nicely for the coming year with the McNairs, Patrick (Janssens), Kevin (Hutton), John (Mullins) and the younger trainers really coming through now in Tom (Heilbron), Belinda (Green) and Nathan (Hunt).

“It promises to be another busy year in terms of the high-end competitions, which can only be a good thing for the sport, albeit as we know greyhound racing again faces some changes and challenges. Hopefully, the sport itself is strong enough and can shine through.

“Once again, on behalf of myself, Mike (Davis) and Michelle (Connolly), I would like to thank all the staff who work so hard day in, day out, and to those owners who supported us over the years. This is a new era for Imperial Kennels and we are looking to develop and expand.

“The work on the kennel range here is well under way. We want to raise standards still further where we can, not just for the greyhounds, but also the staff in how they are looked after and paid. They are, after all, the backbone of the industry.”