50-Plus Cat One Comps on Greyhound Racing’s 2024 Calendar

by Roy Brindley, 6 November 2023

The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has published its 2024 calendar for Category One and Category Two competitions. The Open Race Planning Committee has produced the roadmap for the racing year ahead. It has been formulated to allow owners and trainers more time to plan campaigns for their dogs.

The Swindon circuit has been redesigned, and a new grandstand is under construction. Nevertheless, the Wiltshire track will host just one Category One competition in 2024. ©GettyImages

Next year’s open race schedule comprises of 57 Category One events, including the TV Trophy. The tender process for this formerly BBC-televised race – which traditionally takes place at a different track every year (but has not always done so) – is about to get underway.

The sport’s schedule in 2024 will again feature several Super Saturdays and Sundays, giving racegoers the chance to get up close to the big race action to maximise attendance. Many of the Category One finals will take place at the weekend, including the classics, the English Greyhound Derby at Towcester, and the St Leger and Oaks at Perry Barr.

Dreams Are Made of Category One Success

Unveiling the new calendar, the GBGB’s Racing Operations Executive, Scott Harvey, said: “Owners and trainers all dream of a moment in the spotlight and should be given every chance to achieve it, which is why each month will feature a Category One Puppy competition to maximise opportunity, excluding June when the Greyhound Derby takes centre stage.”

Harvey added: “Getting a Category One list as structured and as varied as this out now adds a level of reassurance, and this has been made possible by tracks and promoters working in collaboration.”

“Even our friends in Ireland have taken a keener interest in UK racing this year, and we have seen an increase in trainers coming over to compete in Category One events outside of the Derby. We expect that to continue in 2024.”

Two by Two by Two for SIS Greyhounds

Meanwhile, Sports Information Services (SIS), a company part-owned by Ladbrokes, William Hill and Fred Done (co-owner of Betfred) that provides content and production services to the betting industry in the UK, Ireland and further afield, has announced details of its greyhound schedule for 2024.

The new timetable consists of a minimum of 42 weekly fixtures across familiar and well-proven UK and Irish tracks. It is based on two meetings each morning, afternoon, and evening, with 12 races per fixture as standard. Early morning meetings have been discontinued.

The revamped schedule will see Irish tracks Kilkenny, Limerick, Mullingar, Shelbourne Park, Tralee, Youghal and Waterford feature as part of the SIS offering nine times a week. Doncaster, Harlow, Oxford, Suffolk Downs, Towcester and a newly GBGB licenced track, Valley in Wales, provide the action from the UK.

These could be joined by Henlow – a track currently under a cloud due to a pending court case regarding the lease of the stadium – and another former independent venue that hopes to join the ranks of licenced GBGB tracks, Askern.

Dog Racing Delivered With a Passion

Of the revamped SIS greyhound schedule, Paul Witten, Managing Director at SIS, said: “In formulating our streamlined new schedule for 2024, we were focused on delivering for greyhound tracks owned by greyhound people with a shared passion for the sport.”

“We believe our approach is sensible, sustainable, and positive for the industry. There will undoubtedly be minor tweaks as the schedule evolves to reflect where the balance of trainers and greyhounds sit across the tracks, but we now have the flexibility to deliver a programme that reflects the needs of a changing betting industry.”

“There is also a welcome increase in exposure for Irish tracks, which feature in more traditional time slots. This is a schedule we believe will deliver for the benefit of all stakeholders.”

SIS has new long-term agreements in place with bet365, William Hill, Paddy Power and Betfred to deliver live greyhound racing across both UK and Irish retail and digital channels. It also promotes this action to dozens of international operators.

Its live racing content is delivered as an end-to-end solution. It includes live streaming pictures, data, and on-screen graphics with betting triggers, in addition to an extensive range of markets and prices to provide seamless betting experiences.