St Leger (English greyhound race) explained

Surface:	Sand
Class:	Original classic - Category 1
Horse Race:	St Leger
Location:	Perry Barr Stadium
Inaugurated:	1928
Sponsor:	Premier Greyhound Racing
Distance:	710 metres
Purse:	£20,000 (winner)

The St Leger is an original classic greyhound competition.^[1]

Venues and Distances

• 1927–1974 (Wembley Stadium, 700 y)
• 1975–1998 (Wembley Stadium, 655 m)
• 1999–2002 (Wimbledon Stadium, 660 m)
• 2003–2009 (Wimbledon Stadium, 698 m)
• 2010–2016 (Wimbledon Stadium, 687 m)
• 2017–present (Perry Barr Stadium, 710 m)

Sponsors

• 1994–1994 Wendy Fair
• 2005–2017 William Hill
• 2018–2018 (GRA)
• 2019–2020 Racing Post Greyhound TV
• 2021–2021 Arena Racing Company
• 2022–2024 Premier Greyhound Racing

History

It was run at Wembley Stadium from 1928 until 1998 but when the Wembley Greyhounds ended it moved to Wimbledon Stadium in 1999.^[2] The race is considered to be the premier stayers (between 500 and 700 metres) competition in greyhound racing.^[3]

The competition came to an end at Wimbledon after the 2016 running before being switched to GRA sister track Perry Barr.^[4] The prize money has reduced in recent times due to financial issues in 2010 and the loss of a Sky TV contract more recently.^{[5] [6]} However, Premier Greyhound Racing doubled the winner's prize money to £20,000 in 2022.

Past winners

^[7]

width=50	Year	width=180	Winner	width=270	Breeding	width=250	Trainer	width=80	Time (sec)	width=50	SP	width=200	Notes/ref
1928	Burletta	Jock's Lodge - Fasten Fast		41.91	5/2
1929	Loughnagare	Loafer - Hands Off	Paddy McEllistrim (Wimbledon)	42.76	4/9f
1930	Maiden's Boy	Guiding Hand - Maiden Hymn	Samuel Young (Private)	41.48	4/9f
1931		Glorious Event - Na Boc Lei	Sidney Orton (Wimbledon)	41.31	1/1f
1932	Fret Not	Lenin - Laughing Lady	Leslie Reynolds (White City)	41.35	7/2
1933	The Daw	Service Kit - Crazy Margaret		41.24	6/4f
1934	Bosham	Hertford - White Cap	Leslie Reynolds (White City)	41.17	13/8
1935	Satans Baby	Blower - Golden Valley	Les Parry (White City)	40.95	10/11f
1936	Ataxy	Inler - Gosha Bead	Leslie Reynolds (White City)	40.39	6/4
1937	Grosvenor Bob	Golden Hammer - Wonderful Expression		41.13	1/2f
1938	Gretas Rosary	Mick the Miller - Greta Ranee	Eddie Wright (Harringay)	40.82	7/4jf
1939	Gayhunter	Dans Leg - Trianon Lass	Eddie Wright (Harringay)	41.79	7/4
1945	Robeen Printer	Dans Leg - DeocDeireannach	George McKay (Coventry)	40.03	2/5f
1946	Bohernagraga Boy	Tact - Crony		39.92	1/1f
1947	Dante II	Well Squared - Olives Idol		39.70	2/9f
1948	Streets After Midnight	Street Rebel - Midnight Biddy	Les Parry (White City)	40.40	5/2
1949	Lovely Rio	Fish Hill - Rio Czarina		40.77	7/1
1950	Fawn Mack	Yankee Mack - Light Buzzer	George Curtis (Park Royal)	40.56	11/10f
1951	Black Mire ^[8]	Darkies Gift - Kelton Flash	Jack Toseland (Perry Barr)	40.19	2/1
1952	Funny Worker ^[9]	Funny Mick - Monas Lamb		40.50	6/1
1953		Astras Son - Saucy Dame	Tom 'Paddy' Reilly (Walthamstow)	39.88	7/4f
1954	Pancho Villa	Mad Birthday - Golden Withins		40.99	1/1f
1955	Title Role	Celtic Chef - Coolkill Darkie		40.78	4/1
1956	Jakfigaralt	The Grand Champion - Prairie Vixen	Joe Booth (Private)	40.50	7/2
1957	Duke of Alva	Ballymac Ball - Marchioness Minnie	Dicky Myles (Coventry)	39.97	4/6f
1958	Barrys Prince	Champion Prince - Ballyglass Again		40.01	4/1
1959	Wincot Clifford	Fly Prince - Whoosh	Jack Toseland (Perry Barr)	40.25	5/4f
1960	Jungle Man	Man of Pleasure - Seafield Biddy	Harry Tasker (Private)	40.08	2/1
1961	Clonalvy Pride	Solar Prince - Asmena		39.64	4/7f	^[10]
1962	Powerstown Prospect	Hi There - Faoide	Ronnie Melville (Harringay)	40.02	8/1
1963	Friendly Lass	Hi There - Sallys Gossip	Tony Dennis (Private)	40.15	2/1
1964	Lucky Hi There	Hi There - Olives Bonny	Jimmy Jowett (Clapton)	39.90	1/2f
1965	Greenane Flash	Prairie Flash - Greenane Item	Jimmy Quinn (Perry Barr)	40.13	2/1
1966	Summer Guest	Chieftains Guest - Summer Lady	Wilf France (Harringay)	40.03	11/8f
1967	O'Haras Rebel	Odd Venture - Pure Hand		39.54	6/1
1968	Forward King	Crazy Parachute - Supreme Witch	Ted Brennan (Owlerton)	39.98	9/4
1969	Crefogue Dancer	Printers Present - Crefogue		39.65	8/1	^[11]
1970	Spotted Rory	Shanes Legacy - Dainty Flash	Paddy McEllistrim (Wimbledon)	40.28	2/1f
1971		Newdown Heather - Come on Dolores	Herbert White (Private)	40.03	1/2f
1972	Ramdeen Stuart	Sallys Story - Any Streak	Norman Oliver (Brough Park)	39.82	2/1
1973	Case Money	Booked Out - Jamboree Judy	Ted Parker (Harringay)	39.89	6/4jf
1974	Cute Caddie	Red Barrel - Fellside Tiny	David Kinchett (White City)	41.17	4/1
1975	Tartan Khan	Spectre - Chilled Sweet	Gwen Lynds (Bletchley)	39.45	7/2	Track Record
1976	Westmead Champ	Westmead County - Hacksaw	Pam Heasman (Hackney)	39.90	9/4
1977	Stormy Spirit	Spectre - Nora Again	Joe Pickering (White City)	40.22	10/1
1978	Westmead Power	Westmead County - Westmead Damson	Natalie Savva (Coventry)	39.67	4/5f
1979	Kilmagoura Mist	Yanka Boy - Kilmagoura Fair		40.04	9/2
1980	Fair Reward	Flip Your Top - Modest Style	Bob Young (Private)	40.46	5/2
1981	Fox Watch	Ritas Choice - Queen of Moray	Jill Holt (Private)	40.17	5/2jf
1982	Huberts Shade	Luminous Lad - Huberts Fate		39.83	13/2
1983	Easy and Slow	Sand Man - Lucky Arrival		40.37	5/2
1984	Gizzajob	Knockrour Bank - Move 'n' Groove	John Coleman (Romford)	40.28	33/1
1985	Jet Circle	Jet Control - Kielduff Fun		40.14	11/4
1986	Lone Wolf	Yankee Express - Breeze Valley	George Curtis (Brighton)	39.99	9/2
1987	Life Policy	Lindas Champion - Lucky Friend	Bob Young (Brighton)	39.96	12/-1
1988	Exile Energy	Gambling Fever - Princess Nora	Gary Baggs (Walthamstow)	39.76	9/2
1989	Manx Marajax	Easy And Slow - Darian Ivy	Nigel Saunders (Belle Vue)	39.87	33/1
1990	Match Point	Tico - Cuddles Sandy	Terry Kibble (Bristol)	39.92	7/1
1991	Temps Perdu	Coolmona Man - Miss Tico	Albert Hill (Private)	40.18	9/4jf
1992	Airmount Flash	Mr John Dee - Airmount Mary	Jimmy Gibson (Belle Vue)	39.81	3/1
1993	Galleydown Boy	Flashy Sir - Annies Last	John Copplestone (Reading)	40.06	13/2
1994	Ballarue Minx	Greenpark Fox - Ballarue Suzy	Bill Masters (Hove)	39.65	7/2	^[12]
1995	Kens Dilemma	Murlens Slippy - Daisys Spirit	Theo Mentzis (Rye House)	39.80	2/1f
1996	Spring Rose	Galtymore Lad - Rachels Baby	Charlie Lister OBE (Nottingham)	39.29	2/5f
1997	Tralee Crazy	Ratify - Dennys Daisy	Nick Savva (Walthamstow)	39.41	4/1
1998	Droopys Pacino	Phantom Flash - Droopys Fergie	Tony Bullen (Private)	39.67	4/1
1999	Dilemmas Lad	Frightful Flash - Kens Dilemma	Nick Savva (Milton Keynes)	40.56	5/1
2000	Palace Issue	Deerpark Jim - Clear Issue	Linda Mullins (Walthamstow)	40.74	1/2f
2001	Frisby Folly	Toms the Best - Frisby Fanfare	Harry Crapper (Sheffield)	40.74	3/1
2002	Alibuk Lad	Toms The Best - Glencoe Star	Dilys Steels (Private)	40.95	10/1
2003	Bite the Bullet	Bonus Prince - Hit the Dollar	Wayne Brunt (Private)	41.38	20/1
2004	Roxholme Girl	Pacific Mile – Gilded Choice	Hayley Keightley (Private)	41.32	3-/1
2005	Greenacre Lin	Top Honcho – First To Return	Brian Clemenson (Hove)	41.16	7/4f	^[13]
2006	Ninja Blue	Roanokee – Ballycummer Jil	Charlie Lister OBE (Private)	41.52	11/4	^[14]
2007	Spiridon Louis	Droopys Vieri – Early Flight	Lorraine Sams (Crayford)	40.86	4/1	^[15]
2008	Bubbly Totti	World Class – Droopys Seville	Ted Soppitt (Private)	41.06	1/4f	^[16]
2009	Kinda Easy	Just The Best – Kinda Sleepy	Mark Wallis (Harlow)	40.57	2/1jf	^[17]
2010	Droopys Bradley	Droopys Kewell – Droopys Mo	Paul Donovan (Wimbledon)	41.48	1/2f	^[18]
2011	Aero Majestic	Hondo Black – Rough Illusion	Mark Wallis (Yarmouth)	41.62	11/4	^[19]
2012	Blonde Reagan	Hometown Boy Nga – Swift Babe	Mark Wallis (Yarmouth)	41.87	5/2f	^[20]
2013	Farloe Tango	Hondo Black – Farloe Oyster	Charlie Lister OBE (Private)	41.40	5/4f	Track Record^[21]
2014	Roxholme Dream	Timor Blue – Lemon Blossom	Hayley Keightley (Swindon)	41.68	7/4f	^[22]
2015	Fizzypop Buddy	Tubbertelly Dubh – Saleen Queen	June Harvey (Wimbledon)	41.49	9/2	^[23]
2016	Ferryforth Fran	College Causeway - Diegos Lady	Mark Wallis (Towcester)	41.90	20/1	^[24]
2017	Rubys Rascal	Razldazl George – Swift Eva	Mark Wallis (Towcester)	42.99	3/1	^[25]
2018	Calico Ranger	Holdem Spy – Wont Fall Behind	Carol Weatherall (Henlow)	43.09	9/4	^[26]
2019	Redzer Ardfert	Paradise Madison – Have You One	Brendan Maunsell (Ireland)	43.12	5/4f	^[27] ^[28]
2020	Smallmead	Opinion – Ballymac Razl	John Mullins (Yarmouth)	43.37	10/1	^[29]
2021	Space Jet	Droopys Jet – Volcano	Matt Dartnall (Central Park)	42.59	10/3	Track record^[30]
2022	Havana Lover	Laughil Blake – Love Honey	Liz McNair (Private)	43.10	11/10f	^[31]
2023	Droopys Clue	Out Of Range ASB – Droopys Natalia	Seamus Cahill (Hove)	42.33	4/9f	Track record^[32]
2024	Droopys Clue	Out Of Range ASB – Droopys Natalia	Seamus Cahill (Hove)	42.97	2/5f	^[33]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Home . thedogs.co.uk.
2. Book: Genders, Roy. The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. 1981. Pelham Books Ltd. 07207-1106-1.
3. Book: Barnes, Julia. Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, pages 175-177. 1988. Ringpress Books. 0-948955-15-5.
4. Web site: Wimbledon to close. 16 October 2016. Greyhound Star.
5. Web site: Remember When - September 2010. 9 September 2018. Greyhound Star.
6. Web site: Reduced St Leger is On. 5 September 2018. Greyhound Star.
7. Book: Hobbs, Jonathan. Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 159-161. 2007. Raceform. 978-1-905153-53-4.
8. Web site: Remember When - September 1951. 30 September 2018. Greyhound Star.
9. Web site: Remember When - September 1952. 30 September 2018. Greyhound Star.
10. Web site: Remember When - April 1962. 7 April 2018. Greyhound Star.
11. Web site: Remember When - August 1969. 2018. Greyhound Star.
12. Book: Fry, Paul. The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. 1995. 36–37. Ringpress Books. 186054-010-4.
13. Web site: 2005 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
14. Web site: 2006 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
15. Web site: 2007 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
16. Web site: 2008 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
17. Web site: 2009 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
18. Web site: 2010 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
19. Web site: 2011 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
20. Web site: 2012 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
21. Web site: 2013 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain. 10 November 2018. 5 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180505065733/http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsRace.aspx?id=327363. dead.
22. Web site: 2014 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
23. Web site: 2015 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
24. Web site: 2016 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
25. Web site: 2017 Result. Greyhound Board of Great Britain. 9 November 2017. 10 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171110005140/http://www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsRace.aspx?id=2034994. dead.
26. Web site: 2018 St Leger final. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
27. Web site: 2019 St Leger Final. Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
28. Web site: Redzer Seals Irish Double. 17 November 2019. Greyhound Star.
29. Web site: 2020 St Leger final . Greyhound Board of Great Britain . 28 November 2020.
30. Web site: ARENA RACING COMPANY ST LEGER FINAL. Greyhound Board of Great Britain. 1 October 2021.
31. Web site: PREMIER GREYHOUND RACING ST LEGER FINAL . Greyhound Board of Great Britain . 6 October 2022.
32. Web site: Perry Barr meeting 23 Sep . Greyhound Board of Great Britain . 20 September 2023.
33. Web site: St Leger Final . Greyhound Board of Great Britain . 13 October 2024.