The Eclipse is a greyhound racing competition held annually at Nottingham Greyhound Stadium.
It was inaugurated in 1938 at Lythalls Lane Stadium in Coventry. Following the closure of the stadium in 1964 the competition ended for a period of three years before briefly being re-introduced at Kings Heath Stadium.
Kings Heath closed down in 1971 which led to Hall Green Stadium acting as a temporary host before the race returned to its roots in Coventry at the Brandon Stadium. Coventry stopped greyhound racing in 1986, which resulted in Nottingham taking the event and holding it since. In 2022, the prize money increased with the sponsorship of Premier Greyhound Racing and the winners purse was £20,000.
Venues and distances 1938-1964 (Lythalls Lane, Coventry) 1967-1970 (Kings Heath) 1971-1972 (Hall Green, 480y) 1979-1985 (Brandon, Coventry) 1987–present (Nottingham, 500m)
Past winners YearWinnerBreedingTrainerTime (sec)SPNotes/ref1938 Cinderella of Waterhall Beef Cutlet Bill Cowell (Wembley)28.87 20/1dead-heat1938 Demotic MackBeef Cutlet - Kaiti Hill Charles Cross (Clapton) 28.87 10/11fdead-heat1939 Selsey Cutlet Future Cutlet – Happy Freda Leslie Reynolds (Wembley) 30.65 5/21942Ballynennan Moon Mr Moon – Banriogan Dann Sidney Orton (Wimbledon) 29.60 1/2f1943 Model Dasher Model Whiskey - Dashing Comet Tom Baldwin (Perry Barr) 29.81 9/21944Winnie of Berrow Beef Cutlet – Jubilee Joan Joe Farrand (Oxford) 30.40 6/11945 Robeen Printer Dans Leg - Deoc Deireannach George McKay (Coventry) 4/5fdead-heat1945 Prancing Kitty Tanist - Be Careful Kitty Paddy Fortune (Wimbledon) 4/1dead-heat1946 Judge's Nip 30.267/2 1947 Castletown Tiptoes Castledown Lad - Hotcap D Hayes (Coventry) 29.46 2/11948Whiterock Abbey Farloe Cutlet – Acetone Sidney Orton (Wimbledon) 42.45 11/4jf1949 Behattan Marquis Countryman - Behattan Bob Burls (Wembley) 29.49 4/11950Whistling Laddie Lone Seal – Whistling Rum Stan Martin (Wimbledon) 29.58 10/11951 Noble Greason Mad Tanist – Imperial Girl Jack Harvey (Wembley) 29.88 100/81952Crowned Champion Paddy the Champion – Tanist More Ron Chamberlain (Private) 29.65 11/81953Marsh Harrier Mad Tanist - Misty Paddy McEvoy (Private) 29.76 6/11956 Duke Of Alva Ballymac Ball - Marchioness Minnie Ted Brennan (Owlerton) 29.60 4/5f1960 Galbally Airways Imperial Airways – Brenda From Ards Dr Dennis O'Brien (Private) 29.74 5/4f1961Faithful Charlie Glittering Look – Lady Artic Jim Irving (Private) 29.25 1962Moyne Rocket The Grand Fire – Moyne Dancer Jack Harvey (Wembley) 29.31 1963 Piper Apache The Grand Genius – Wee Look Eric Adkins (Private) 29.69 1964 Shotblast Knockrour Again – Cleggan Lady Les Brown (Wolverhampton) 29.86 3/11967 Nancys Flash Prairie Flash – Biddy Mulligan Paddy Coughlan (Private) 26.24 1968 Winter Hope Newdown Heather – Final Score Des Dare (Private) 26.55 1969Golf Ball Again Newdown Heather – Lovely Ransom Noreen Collin (Private) 26.79 5/21970 Cool Breeze Handy Valley – Alley Rose John Coleman (Romford) 27.19 3/11971 Gypsy Jim Myross Again – Longstown Lassie John Coleman (Romford) 1972Mels Pupil Monalee King – Ella's Rocket Frank Baldwin (Perry Barr) 28.12 2/11979 Sarahs Bunny Jimsun - Sugarloaf Bunny Geoff De Mulder (Hall Green) 28.74 4/6f1980 Inca Boy Kilbelin Style - Anhid Express Leo Pugh (Hall Green) 28.42 7/4f1981 Red Prim Ballybeg Prim - Red Rosette Jim Barrett (Cradley Heath) 28.94 9/41982 Ardralla Victor Gaily Noble - Gay Lady Maurice Buckland (Norton Canes) 28.67 7/41983 Ballyard McEnroe Peruvian Style - Dainty Black Bertie Gaynor (Coventry) 28.83 3/11984 Tinahue Blond Ballarat Prince - Tinahue Mist Bertie Gaynor (Coventry) 28.67 7/11985 Parkers Gold Glenroe Hiker - Parkers Poacher Bertie Gaynor (Hall Green) 28.73 4/11987 Holiday Hope Tamarac - Bean Phaidin Pat Ryan (Monmore) 30.81 2/1jf1988 Gulleen Wishes Whisper Wishes - Seaway Linda Dave Conway (Swaffham) 18.62 5/21989 Westmead Harry Fearless Champ - Westmead Move Nick Savva (Private) 30.30 12/11990 Bawnard It Special Merchant - Bawnard Mona John McGee Sr. (Hackney) 30.69 12/11991 Moyglare King Ninth Wave - Moyglare Jip Pat McCombe (Belle Vue) 30.47 14/11992 New Level Murlens Slippy - Well Plucked Harry Williams (Sunderland) 29.94 9/4jf1993Tromora Mayor Manorville Major - Born To Race Norman Johnson (Norton Canes) 29.99 20/11994 Spit It Out Phantom Flash - Ivalog Michael Bacon (Perry Barr) 29.80 14/11995 Moyle Knight Daleys Gold - Still Knight David Pruhs (Peterborough) 29.85 9/41996 Some Picture Slaneyside Hare - Spring Season Charlie Lister (Nottingham) 29.83 3/1jf1997 Larkhill Jo Staplers Jo - Westmead Flight Nick Savva (Walthamstow) 30.48 1/1f1998 Laughta Man Ardraville Bridge - Bibis Princess Billy Mills (Perry Barr) 30.21 7/21999 Mumble Swerve Druids Wally - Rhincrew Diane Linda Jones (Walthamstow) 30.52 7/22000Blue Tex Thorgil Tex - Dons Pride Brian Clemenson (Hove) 30.03 6/4jf2001Bold Mossy Larkhill Jo - Annies Bullet Jim Reynolds (Walthamstow) 30.09 4/12002 Texan Fox Thorgil Tex - Ursulas Fox John McGee Sr. (Private) 29.74 7/22003 Rockforest Pride Judicial Pride - Brandy Mandy David Pruhs (Peterborough) 30.49 9/42004 Ballybrazil Hero Carlton Bale - Tycoon Kay Brian Clemenson (Hove) 30.53 3/12005 Fear Me No Tail Told - Femme Fatale Charlie Lister (Private) 29.47 4/5f2006Clash Harmonica Fortune Mike - Clash Minnie Charlie Lister (Private) 29.50 5/22007Rev Counter Top Honcho - Curryhills Fairy Chris Allsopp (Monmore) 29.91 6/12008 Wise Thought Climate Control - Sierra Mist Martin White (Private) 29.62 2/5f2009 Eye Onthe Storm Droopys Vieri-Bower Louise Mark Wallis (Harlow) 29.51 100/302010 Nambisco Big Daddy Cool-Airport Boss Carly Philpott (Private) 30.96 5/2jf2011 Mill Bling Bling Bombastic Shiraz – Respect For Lee Kelly Macari (Sunderland) 29.75 7/42012Sawpit Sensation Head Bound – No Joke Sherry David Hunt (Perry Barr) 29.16 11/2Track record 2013Bridge Honcho Hondo Black – Forest Baby Mark Wallis (Yarmouth) 29.29 3/12014Fit To Win Hondo Black – Have A FitTony Collett (Wimbledon) 29.5310/12015 Pinpoint Boom Shaneboy Lee – Newmarket Way Kelly Macari (Sunderland) 29.74 20/12016Droopys Buick Yeah Man – Droopys Hilda Jimmy Wright (Newcastle) 30.14 7/42017Bubbly Bluebird Droopys Sydney - Broadstrand Xola Paul Young (Romford) 29.624/12018 Dorotas Wildcat Ballymac Vic – Droopys Danneel Kevin Hutton (Monmore) 29.35 4/6f2019 Ice on Fire Crash – Bigmans Grainne James Fenwick (Newcastle) 29.25 4/9f2020 No race due to (COVID-19 pandemic)2021Signet AceLaughil Blake – Forest NataleeKevin Hutton (Towcester)29.4111/10f2022Slick SakinaDroopys Sydney – Droopys RingPatrick Janssens (Towcester)29.77 2/1f2023Newinn SydDroopys Sydney – Newinn MimiMark Wallis (Henlow)29.51 2/12024Romeo CommandDorotas Wildcat – Drive On BetsyPatrick Janssens (Towcester)29.873/12025Proper HeiressDroopys Sydney – Powerful Mush Mark Wallis (Private)28.958/11fTrack record
Sponsors 1994–1994 (Peter Derrick Bookmakers) 2001–2001 (John Smith's) 2002–2002 (Ladbrokes) 2003–2003 (Stadium Bookmakers) 2004–2017 (Betfred) 2018–2018 (MSCM Ltd) 2019–2020 (Carling Brewery) 2021–2021 (Arena Racing Company) 2022–2025 (Premier Greyhound Racing)
References