Grand National (Irish greyhound race)

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

Irish Grand National
Feature race (discontinued)
Inaugurated1928
Last run2020
SponsorGreyhound & Petworld Luxury Transport
Race information
Distance525 yards hurdles
SurfaceSand
Qualificationhurdlers only

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

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Year Winner Breeding Time Trainer SP
1928 The Tanker Steam Drifter – Border Gift Horan 4-1
1929 Merry Falcon 32.50 Magner
1930 Captain Koehle Creaves - Glenville Girl 32.20 Carroll
1932 Cowboy II Halifax – Saucy Nell 31.94 1-1f
1933 Hot Shot Solid Man – Cosa Bana 32.14 5-4
1934 Hot Shot Solid Man – Cosa Bana
1935 Orluck Mutton Cutlet - Sairshea
1936 Druze Red House – Black Looks 31.21 Joe McKenna 1-1f
1937 Cheers For Ballyduff Hes Next – Noomans Fancy V.O'Donoghue
1938 Pals Rover Roving Bunty – Palnetto 31.28 G Hely 2-1
1939 Lawyers Bouquet Lawyers Fee - Dunmurry Princess 30.93 P.Kelly 9-4
1940 Ballymakeera Gift Ammon Carb – Old Capwell 31.17 J.Curtin 2-1
1941 The Gunner Gay Brigade – La Lavelle 31.03 Miss K.Nolan 4-5f
1959 Dually Rapid Ballymac Ball - Marchioness Minnie 31.15
1960 Dawn Dancer Prince of Bermuda – Peaceful Dancer 31.40
1961 Tropical Splendour Northern King – Shaggy Dancer 31.15
1962 Indoor Sport Champion Prince - Yoblstrap 30.85
1963 Trojan Van Whirling Turk – Sitting Pretty 30.85
1964 Ashgrove Chief Golsto –Ashgrove Black 31.10 T Leahy
1965 Bolshoi Prince The Grand Prince – Bolshoi Artiste 30.65
1966 Bandit Go Go Rambo – Red Ruthie 30.95
1967 Olivers Leader Prairie Flash – Olivers Love 30.20 T Wade
1968 Rusheen Rhythm Pigalle Wonder – Flying Fashion 30.85 M Sullivan
1969 Hilcrest Pride Clonalvy Pride – Last Pot 30.65 Michael Collins
1970 Fire Hunter Carry On Oregon – Land Hunter 30.95 G Flynn
1971 Getaway Buff O'Leary – Fannie Caesar 31.04 T O'Connor
1972 Special Monalee Champion – Coil Valley 30.85 J Foley
1973 Special Monalee Champion – Coil Valley 29.75 J Foley
1974 Special Monalee Champion – Coil Valley 30.95 J Foley
1975 Own Kuda Kilbeg Kuda – Kitty Proud 31.00 J Noonan
1976 Pick Me Monalee Champion – Hunday Pet 30.14 M Sylver
1977 Pick Me Monalee Champion – Hunday Pet 29.96 M Sylver
1978 Bowery Music Westpark Thady – Cavity Block 30.40 P Jones
1979 Kerragh Sambo Own Pride- Keeragh Flo 30.20 Matt O'Donnell
1980 Killerisk Prince Killerisk Boy – Mermaids Hope 30.42 Mrs N Boyle
1981 Face The Mutt [5] Mutts Silver – Mill Road Cast 30.16 Mrs N Jackson
1982 Master Bob Greenview Bob – Bowery Lad 30.06 P Jones
1982 Arabian Knight Rita's Choice – Silly Sis 30.68 J Allen
1984 Buanait Offshore Diver – Brook Blonde 30.42
1985 Mars Mist Inny Mist – I'm Trendy 30.14 T O'Sullivan
1986 Sand Blinder Sand Man – Tranquility Sea 30.04 Mrs J Kenny
1987 Off You Sail Sail On II – It's You 30.48 Sam Sykes - England
1980 Handball Game Ball – Killowna Gem 30.19 T Lynch
1980 Handball Game Ball – Killowna Gem 30.06 J Rouse
1990 Gizmo Pasha Whisper Wishes – If And When 29.67 Linda Mullins - England
1991 Yacht Club Daleys Gold – Sand Melody 30.14
1992 Whos Lots[6] Balalika – Lyre Daisy 30.32 Tony Byrne
1993 Hillview Leader Leaders Best – Miss Melanie 30.27
1994 Bayview Blaze Dutch Delight – Ask Helen 29.72
1995 Super Gunboat Super Mecca – Gunboat Ann 29.91 Joe Kenny
1996 Gates To Heaven Murlens Slippy – Dark Vision 29.61 Robinson
1997 Simon Simon Murlens Abbey – Lovely Lovely 29.97 Gary Baggs - England 6-1
1998 Lynmac Flyer Droopys Fintan – Lady Cecila 29.61 Thomas Lynch 5-2cf
1999 Tarn Bay Flash Airmount Grand – Highmoor Mist 29.38 Dolores Ruth 6-4jf
2000 Autumn Merlin [7] Westmead Merlin – Miss Piggy 29.20 Mick Parker 5-4
2001 Switchtoplanb [8] Fat Fella – Call Back Kirby 29.43 Shem O'Donnell 6-1
2002 Bestofthebunch [9] Toms The Best – Staplers Rhythm 29.93 Keeley McGee 10-1
2003 Frightened Pig [10] Fly Fright – Miss Piggy 29.34 Jason Foster – England 8-1
2004 Joe Bananas [11] Larkhill Jo – Woman Power 29.32 Nick Colton – England 3-1
2005 Druids Aghadoe [12] Top Honcho – Druids Villa 29.76 John Brennan 4-1
2006 Taipan [13] Kiowa Shawnee So – Rookery Lady 29.66 Nick Colton – England 6-4
2007 Comans Joe [14] Jamella Prince – Springwell Sue 29.65 Jason Foster – England 4-5f
2008 Distant Legend [15] Hondo Black - Talktothehand 29.04 Julie Power 5-4f
2009 Distant Legend [16] Hondo Black - Talktothehand 29.10 Julie Power 3-1
2010 Junior Mac [17] Large Mack – Slick Mona 29.44 Paul Donovan - England 7-2
2011 Olivers Twist [18] Head Bound – Kewell Irony 29.05 Lisa Stephenson - England 2-1
2012 Baran Bally Hi [19] Tyrur Ted – Druids Judicial 29.44 Fraser Black 7-2
2013 Hypnotic Reason [20] Hondo Black – Handy Princess 29.72 David Stanbridge 12-1
2014 Razldazlnewstalk [21] Kinloch Brae – Razldazl Alice 29.26 Dolores Ruth 1-2f
2015 Comeout Russell [22] Westmead Hawk – Lady Deise 29.73 Pat Kiely 4-5f
2016 Brinkleysdominic [23] Droopys Cain - Droopys Geneva 29.60 Pat Buckley 5-4f
2017 Offshore Bound [24] Head Bound - Inshaarla 29.07 Patrick Fitzgerald 3-1
2018 Lightfoot Prince [25] Candlelight King - Droopys Knox 28.88 Pat Kiely 2-1
2019 Lightfoot Kante [26] Candlelight King - Puma Girl 29.01 Pat Kiely 1-1f
2020 Razldazl Annie [27] Razldazl Billy - Razldazl Marilyn 29.37 Neilus O'Connell No SP+

+ No SP due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions

Venues & distances

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  • Shelbourne Park (525yH 1928)
  • Harold's Cross (525yH 1929–30, 1932, 1939, 1941)
  • Shelbourne Park (525yH 1933–1938)
  • Cork (525yH 1940)
  • Kilkenny (525yH 1959–1961)
  • Thurles (525yH 1962–1984)
  • Shelbourne (525yH 1985–2000)
  • Harold's Cross (525yH 2001–2016)
  • Curraheen Park (525yH 2017–2020)

Sponsors

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  • 2003-2006 (Baggot Racing)
  • 2008-2010 (Vetsearch Recharge)
  • 2012-2012 (SalacresRacingteam.com)
  • 2013-2014 (Centra)
  • 2017-2020 (Greyhound & Petworld Luxury Transport)

References

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  1. ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing, page 311. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  2. ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, page 349. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  3. ^ "IGB confirms closure of Harolds Cross Greyhound Stadium". IGB. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Feature Events" (PDF). Irish Greyhound Board. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Greyhound Star (Remember When - April)". Greyhound Star. 7 April 2019.
  6. ^ Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. Ringpress Books. p. 58. ISBN 186054-010-4.
  7. ^ "2000 final Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  8. ^ "2001 final Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  9. ^ "2002 Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  10. ^ "2003 Baggot Racing Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  11. ^ "2004 Baggot Racing final". Irish Greyhound Board.
  12. ^ "Baggot Racing 2005 Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  13. ^ "Baggot Racing 2006 Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  14. ^ "2007 Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  15. ^ "2008 Vetsearch final Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  16. ^ "2009 Vetsearch Recharge Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  17. ^ "2010 Vetsearch Recharge Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  18. ^ "2011 final". Irish Greyhound Board.
  19. ^ "2012 SalacresRacingteam.com Grand National". Irish Greyhound Board.
  20. ^ "Centra 2013 final Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  21. ^ "Centra 2014 final Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  22. ^ "2015 Result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  23. ^ "2016 Grand National result". Irish Greyhound Board.
  24. ^ "2017 final". Irish Greyhound Board.
  25. ^ "2018 Grand National final". Irish Greyhound Board.
  26. ^ "The 2019 Greyhound & PetWorld Luxury Transport Irish G Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  27. ^ "Greyhound & PetWorld Luxury Transport Irish Grand National Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 12 December 2020.