Grand National (Irish greyhound race) explained

Surface:Sand
Class:Feature
Horse Race:Irish Grand National
Inaugurated:1928
Last Run:2020
Sponsor:Greyhound & Petworld Luxury Transport
Distance:525 yards hurdles
Qualification:hurdlers only

The Grand National was a greyhound racing competition held annually at various tracks throughout Ireland.

The race was inaugurated in 1928 at Shelbourne Park and was shared between the two Dublin tracks of Shelbourne and Harold's Cross Stadium before being switched to the old Cork (Western Road) Greyhound Stadium just before World War II.[1]

Kilkenny Greyhound Stadium hosted the race in 1960 & 1961 until Thurles Greyhound Stadium took over from 1962 to 1984. The competition returned to Shelbourne in 1985 for another 15 years but once again the nomadic race switched to Harold's Cross and was staged from 2001 to 2016 at the track.[2] Following the closure of Harold's Cross, the event was switched to Cork in 2017.[3]

It was the leading hurdle event in Ireland and an integral part of the Irish greyhound racing calendar.[4] The event came to an end after the 2020 edition.

Past winners

width=50Yearwidth=200Winnerwidth=300Breedingwidth=80Timewidth=200Trainerwidth=50SP
The Tanker Steam Drifter – Border Gift Horan 4-1
Merry Falcon 32.50 Magner
Captain Koehle Creaves - Glenville Girl 32.20 Carroll
Cowboy II Halifax – Saucy Nell 31.94 1-1f
1933Hot Shot Solid Man – Cosa Bana 32.14 5-4
1934Hot Shot Solid Man – Cosa Bana
1935Orluck Mutton Cutlet - Sairshea
Druze Red House – Black Looks 31.21 Joe McKenna 1-1f
Cheers For Ballyduff Hes Next – Noomans FancyV.O'Donoghue
1938Pals Rover Roving Bunty – Palnetto 31.28 G Hely 2-1
1939Lawyers Bouquet Lawyers Fee - Dunmurry Princess 30.93 P.Kelly 9-4
Ballymakeera Gift Ammon Carb – Old Capwell 31.17 J.Curtin 2-1
The Gunner Gay Brigade – La Lavelle 31.03 Miss K.Nolan 4-5f
Dually Rapid Ballymac Ball - Marchioness Minnie 31.15
Dawn Dancer Prince of Bermuda – Peaceful Dancer 31.40
Tropical Splendour Northern King – Shaggy Dancer 31.15
Indoor Sport Champion Prince - Yoblstrap 30.85
Trojan Van Whirling Turk – Sitting Pretty 30.85
Ashgrove Chief Golsto –Ashgrove Black 31.10 T Leahy
Bolshoi Prince The Grand Prince – Bolshoi Artiste 30.65
Bandit Go Go Rambo – Red Ruthie 30.95
1967Olivers Leader Prairie Flash – Olivers Love 30.20 T Wade
1968Rusheen Rhythm Pigalle Wonder – Flying Fashion 30.85 M Sullivan
1969Hilcrest Pride Clonalvy Pride – Last Pot 30.65 Michael Collins
Fire Hunter Carry On Oregon – Land Hunter 30.95 G Flynn
1971Getaway Buff O'Leary – Fannie Caesar 31.04 T O'Connor
Special Monalee Champion – Coil Valley 30.85 J Foley
Special Monalee Champion – Coil Valley 29.75 J Foley
Special Monalee Champion – Coil Valley 30.95 J Foley
Own Kuda Kilbeg Kuda – Kitty Proud 31.00 J Noonan
Pick Me Monalee Champion – Hunday Pet 30.14 M Sylver
Pick Me Monalee Champion – Hunday Pet 29.96 M Sylver
Bowery Music Westpark Thady – Cavity Block 30.40 P Jones
1979Kerragh Sambo Own Pride- Keeragh Flo 30.20
Killerisk Prince Killerisk Boy – Mermaids Hope 30.42 Mrs N Boyle
1981Face The Mutt [5] Mutts Silver – Mill Road Cast 30.16 Mrs N Jackson
1982Master Bob Greenview Bob – Bowery Lad 30.06 P Jones
1982Arabian Knight Rita's Choice – Silly Sis 30.68 J Allen
1984Buanait Offshore Diver – Brook Blonde 30.42
1985Mars Mist Inny Mist – I'm Trendy 30.14 T O'Sullivan
1986Sand Blinder Sand Man – Tranquility Sea 30.04 Mrs J Kenny
1987Off You Sail Sail On II – It's You 30.48 Sam Sykes - England
1980Handball Game Ball – Killowna Gem 30.19 T Lynch
1980Handball Game Ball – Killowna Gem 30.06 J Rouse
1990Gizmo Pasha Whisper Wishes – If And When 29.67 Linda Mullins - England
1991Yacht Club Daleys Gold – Sand Melody 30.14
Whos Lots[6] Balalika – Lyre Daisy 30.32 Tony Byrne
Hillview Leader Leaders Best – Miss Melanie 30.27
Bayview Blaze Dutch Delight – Ask Helen 29.72
Super Gunboat Super Mecca – Gunboat Ann 29.91 Joe Kenny
Gates To Heaven Murlens Slippy – Dark Vision 29.61 Robinson
1997Simon Simon Murlens Abbey – Lovely Lovely 29.97 Gary Baggs - England 6-1
1998Lynmac Flyer Droopys Fintan – Lady Cecila 29.61 Thomas Lynch 5-2cf
Tarn Bay Flash Airmount Grand – Highmoor Mist 29.38 Dolores Ruth 6-4jf
2000Autumn Merlin [7] Westmead Merlin – Miss Piggy 29.20 Mick Parker 5-4
Switchtoplanb [8] Fat Fella – Call Back Kirby 29.43 Shem O'Donnell 6-1
Bestofthebunch [9] Toms The Best – Staplers Rhythm 29.93 Keeley McGee 10-1
Frightened Pig [10] Fly Fright – Miss Piggy 29.34 Jason Foster – England 8-1
2004Joe Bananas [11] Larkhill Jo – Woman Power 29.32 Nick Colton – England 3-1
Druids Aghadoe [12] Top Honcho – Druids Villa 29.76 John Brennan 4-1
Taipan [13] Kiowa Shawnee So – Rookery Lady 29.66 Nick Colton – England 6-4
2007Comans Joe [14] Jamella Prince – Springwell Sue 29.65 Jason Foster – England 4-5f
2008Distant Legend [15] Hondo Black - Talktothehand 29.04 Julie Power 5-4f
2009Distant Legend [16] Hondo Black - Talktothehand 29.10 Julie Power 3-1
Junior Mac [17] Large Mack – Slick Mona 29.44 Paul Donovan - England 7-2
Olivers Twist [18] Head Bound – Kewell Irony 29.05 Lisa Stephenson - England 2-1
Baran Bally Hi [19] Tyrur Ted – Druids Judicial 29.44 Fraser Black 7-2
Hypnotic Reason [20] Hondo Black – Handy Princess 29.72 David Stanbridge 12-1
Razldazlnewstalk [21] Kinloch Brae – Razldazl Alice 29.26 Dolores Ruth 1-2f
Comeout Russell [22] Westmead Hawk – Lady Deise 29.73 Pat Kiely 4-5f
2016Brinkleysdominic [23] Droopys Cain - Droopys Geneva 29.60 Pat Buckley 5-4f
2017Offshore Bound [24] Head Bound - Inshaarla 29.07 Patrick Fitzgerald 3-1
2018Lightfoot Prince [25] Candlelight King - Droopys Knox 28.88 Pat Kiely 2-1
2019Lightfoot Kante [26] Candlelight King - Puma Girl 29.01 Pat Kiely 1-1f
2020Razldazl Annie [27] Razldazl Billy - Razldazl Marilyn 29.37 Neilus O'Connell No SP+

+ No SP due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions

Venues & distances

Sponsors

Notes and References

  1. Book: Genders, Roy. The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing, page 311. 1981. Pelham Books Ltd. 07207-1106-1.
  2. Book: Barnes, Julia. Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, page 349. 1988. Ringpress Books. 0-948955-15-5.
  3. Web site: IGB confirms closure of Harolds Cross Greyhound Stadium. IGB. 2017-10-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20170310054547/http://www.igb.ie/talking-dogs/igb-confirms-closure-of-harolds-cross-greyhound-stadium. 2017-03-10. dead.
  4. Web site: Feature Events. Irish Greyhound Board. 15 July 2016. 20 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171120235153/https://www.igb.ie/globalassets/2016-classic--feature-events.pdf. dead.
  5. Web site: Greyhound Star (Remember When - April). 7 April 2019. Greyhound Star.
  6. Book: Fry, Paul. The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. 1995. 58. Ringpress Books. 186054-010-4.
  7. Web site: 2000 final Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  8. Web site: 2001 final Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  9. Web site: 2002 Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  10. Web site: 2003 Baggot Racing Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  11. Web site: 2004 Baggot Racing final. Irish Greyhound Board.
  12. Web site: Baggot Racing 2005 Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  13. Web site: Baggot Racing 2006 Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  14. Web site: 2007 Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  15. Web site: 2008 Vetsearch final Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  16. Web site: 2009 Vetsearch Recharge Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  17. Web site: 2010 Vetsearch Recharge Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  18. Web site: 2011 final. Irish Greyhound Board.
  19. Web site: 2012 SalacresRacingteam.com Grand National. Irish Greyhound Board.
  20. Web site: Centra 2013 final Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  21. Web site: Centra 2014 final Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  22. Web site: 2015 Result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  23. Web site: 2016 Grand National result. Irish Greyhound Board.
  24. Web site: 2017 final. Irish Greyhound Board.
  25. Web site: 2018 Grand National final. Irish Greyhound Board.
  26. Web site: The 2019 Greyhound & PetWorld Luxury Transport Irish G Final . Greyhound Racing Ireland . 6 December 2020.
  27. Web site: Greyhound & PetWorld Luxury Transport Irish Grand National Final . Greyhound Racing Ireland . 12 December 2020.