TOWCESTER is preparing to host the world’s greatest greyhound event – the 2024 Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby.

First round heats of the £175,000-to-the-winner Classic take place across three nights at the Northamptonshire venue on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for what will be the sixth time Towcester has staged the English Greyhound Derby having taken over from Wimbledon in 2017 – with Nottingham (2019/20) stepping in for two years.

After Friday’s first round draw at the track, the excitement is building after a series of trial stakes and trials sessions with a bumper Irish entry boosting the original entry to 193 before a series of non-runners and withdrawals, leaving 31 heats across three nights this week – ten on Thursday, ten on Friday and 11 on Saturday.

Co. Tipperary-based Englishman Graham Holland has won the last two English Derbys with Romeo Magico (2022) and Gaytime Nemo (2023) and sends over a powerful team including the defending champion and his Easter Cup winner Clonbrien Treaty.

However, heading the sponsor’s ante-post list is British-bred star and Olympic champion who, along with kennel companion Queen Joni, a four-time Category One winner, gives Liz McNair a strong hand heading into the canine extravaganza.

Towcester promoter Kevin Boothby is looking forward to what should be an enthralling competition and hopes the recent trials and tribulations with the traps and hare mechanism are behind them.

“We have worked hard on the track and, once again, it will be the greyhounds who will be our main focus. The entry was tremendous and I’m delighted to see a good entry from Ireland – and they have a pretty decent record here! However, the home challenge looks looks really strong and hopefully the stage is set for five weeks of top-drawer action.”

Billy Brennan will be handling the track’s social media throughout the competition and has kept greyhound fans up to date with trials information and non-runner news with Towcester’s YouTube channel proving particularly popular.

“We’ve tried to cover all bases and that will continue throughout the Derby,” said Brennan. “We are all passionate about greyhound racing – from the boss Kevin Boothby, whose interest in the Derby also includes the runners he owns – to Ben Keith of Star Keith who is also loves the sport and the English Greyhound Derby especially.”

*AYOZAT, the operator of Ayozat Pay-Per-View, Ayozat Stream on ayozat.com and Ayozat TV on Sky 186, will broadcast the entire 2024 StarSports Greyhound Derby on the Ayozat Media Network.

Pay-for-view pricing starts at £2.49 per show, rising to £4.99 each for the semi-final and final. Alternately, viewers can take advantage of a sizeable discount and sign up for a season ticket for the whole competition on pay-for-view for £14.99.

 

 

2024 Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby

First round – May 23, May 24, May 25

Second round: May 31, June 1

Third round: June 8

Quarter-finals:  June 15

Semi-finals: June 22

Final: June 29

Prize-money:

1st £175,000

2nd £25,000

3rd £12,500

4th £10,000

5th £7,500

6th £5,000

Winning breeder £4,000

Winning kennelhands £1,000

BGBF British-bred bonus £2,000 (for British-bred greyhound who progresses furthest)

Further info: https://towcester-racecourse.co.uk/