2021 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 96th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and the 95th year of greyhound racing in Ireland.
Roll of honour Major Winners Award Name of Winner2021 English Greyhound Derby Thorn Falcon2021 Irish Greyhound Derby Susie SapphireGreyhound Trainer of the Year Mark WallisUK Greyhound of the Year Signet AceIrish Greyhound of the Year Susie Sapphire
Arc/Entain Trainers Championship, Nottingham (6 Sep) Pos Name of Trainer Points1stKevin Hutton 452nd Angela Harrison403rd John Mullins384th David Mullins325th Mark Wallis286th Patrick Janssens20
Summary The main news throughout the year was the announcement of a five-year deal between Entain and ARC for a new joint venture of live broadcast rights from 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2029. The deal was described in some news articles as revamping and revitalising greyhound racing's wider betting appeal but in truth the deal although inevitable (a bookmaker owned industry had been predicted 20 years previously) was potentially a serious problem for a third of the industry. The deal in detail meant that the Entain/Ladbrokes Coral owned tracks (Crayford, Hove, Monmore and Romford) and the ARC tracks (Newcastle, Nottingham, Perry Barr and Sunderland) would form eight of the tracks with broadcast rights and they would likely be joined by two to four more tracks. This would mean that a further six to eight tracks would be financially unstable with no broadcast rights and would face an uncertain future. Shortly after the announcement Central Park Stadium was acquired by ARC, leaving Doncaster, Harlow, Henlow, Kinsley, Sheffield, Pelaw Grange, Shawfield, Swindon, Towcester and Yarmouth battling for rights before 2024.
The major disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continued with racing remaining behind closed doors until the return of crowds was allowed on 17 May. The Derby returned to Towcester Greyhound Stadium following two years at Nottingham. The 2021 English Greyhound Derby was won by Thorn Falcon for Belgian born Patrick Janssens, thwarting an Irish attempt at a third consecutive success.
News Just one week after being named the 2020 Greyhound of the Year Aayamza Royale broke the 900 metres track record at Monmore, recording 55.95 seconds. In May 2021 Kevin Hutton returned to train out of Towcester following its reopening and later in September 2021, won his fourth trainers championship (the first as the rebranded Judgement Night).
Towcester and Henlow owner Kevin Boothby announced his intention to re-open Oxford Stadium and Mildenhall Stadium (the latter would be known as Suffolk Downs) with renovation work beginning on the tracks in July, which continued until the end of the year. Originally he had hoped to open both tracks before Christmas but this did not materialise.
The Oaks was switched from Swindon to Perry Barr due to the ongoing saga surrounding Swindon's redevelopment.
Mark Wallis extended his Greyhound Trainer of the Year record to twelve titles.
Competitions Ireland The Champion Stakes was positioned in the racing calendar just before the Irish Derby and would give a great indication as to the form heading into the event. De Machine won the final, which contained six serious contenders for the Derby. Susie Sapphire was arguably the star in Ireland, after winning the Oaks she went unbeaten throughout the 2021 Irish Greyhound Derby and duly won the Irish greyhound of the year. Others that had a great year were Good Cody, Priceless Jet and Explosive Boy; Cody won the Sprint Cup and Kingdom Derby as well as reaching the Produce final; Priceless Jet was a St Leger and Champions Stakes finalist and won the Corn Cuchulainn; Explosive Boy reached the Irish Derby and Kirby finals and won the Produce.
UK Havana Class won the first Laurels to be staged at Perry Barr in April and shortly afterwards trainer Ricky Holloway won his fourth Grand National, this time with Meenagh Maverick. In May, Aayamza Royale became the fourth greyhound to win the TV Trophy twice, also setting a record of fours wins for trainer Mark Wallis in the process. Royale broke the track record to complete a memorable feat. In July, Aayamza Royale continued her stunning form by winning the £10,000 Regency.
Aayamza Royale was the leading contender to become the first greyhound since Westmead Hawk to win Greyhound of the Year for two consecutive years. She would be challenged by Space Jet (a newcomer that won the St Leger in a track record time), Thorn Falcon (the Derby champion), Signet Ace and Salacres Pippy. The award went to Signet Ace, who had claimed the Winter Derby, Eclipse and Select Stakes.
Principal UK finals
Ladbrokes Golden Jacket, Crayford (20 Feb, 714m, £17,500)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1st Punk Rock Mutley 633-1 45.78 Stuart Maplesden2nd Redzer Renae 44-1 46.12 Anthony Gifkins3rd Ragtime Storm 3 6-1 46.20Daniel Brabon4th Sweet Leaf 212-1 46.24Emma Richards5th Ahnid News 5 9-146.38 Mark Wallis6th Bo Shine Bullet 18-13f 00.00Mark Wallis
Arena Racing Company Laurels, Perry Barr (22 Apr, 480m, £6,500)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stHavana Class 2 3-1jf28.68 Liz McNair2nd Ivy Hill Skyhigh1 5-1 28.69 Mark Wallis3rd Sparta Master4 4-1 28.79Sharon Thompson4thCandy Man 6 10-3 28.80Carol Weatherall5thCoolavanny Kyser 3 3-1jf 29.02Mark Wallis6thAdeles Duke 5 10-1 29.22 Lee Field
RPGTV Grand National, Central Park (9 May, 480mH, £7,500)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stMeenagh Maverick 2 3-1 29.53 Ricky Holloway2nd Toolmaker Daddy6 11-4f29.65 Ricky Holloway3rdSeaglass Smokey 3 3-1 29.91 Patrick Janssens4thNomansland Flyer 59-2 30.35 Ricky Holloway5thRoxholme Biscuit 4 9-2 30.55Ricky Holloway6thBang On Sonia 118-1 30.69 Nathan Hunt
Ladbrokes TV Trophy, Monmore (22 May, 900m, £10,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stAayamza Royale 4 8-13f 55.00 TR Mark Wallis2ndSavana Volcano 6 5-2 55.91 Diane Henry3rdGalaxy Star 320-1 56.24 Stuart Maplesden4thOur Supreme Sue 1 50-156.27 Kelly Tobin5thSporting Pat 2 11-2 56.55Jerry Griffin6thSouthfield Code 518-1 56.89 Kevin Hutton
BresBet East Anglian Derby, Yarmouth (15 Sep, 462m, £15,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stAntigua Storm 1 7–4f 27.78 Mark Wallis2ndBockos Jon Jo 4 3–1 27.86 Patrick Janssens3rdKing Bruno 6 11–227.94 Liz McNair4thBillis Tudor 5 6–1 27.99Mark Wallis5th Lylas Boy2 33–1 28.15 Nathan Hunt6th Aussie Captain3 3–1 28.37Patrick Janssens
ARC St Leger, Perry Barr (30 Sep, 710m, £10,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1st Space Jet3 10–3 42.59 (TR)Matt Dartnall2nd Night Time Danny4 5–2 42.69 Steve Rayner3rd Antigua Mememe 514–1 42.95Mark Wallis4th Savana Volcano6 9–242.98 Diane Henry5thGuiri Steve 1 11–143.34 Christopher Fereday6th Blueberry Bullet 2 2–1f 43.38Mark Wallis
ARC Oaks, Perry Barr (28 Oct, 480m, £15,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stBillys Diva12/128.88Maria Kennedy2nd Ritzy Lady69/128.94Jim Reynolds3rd Ballymac Trend39/129.44David Mullins4th Droopys Samantha29/129.45Kevin Hutton5thAnniversary Girl 533/129.65Kevin Hutton6th Skywalker Cilla410/11f29.73Mark O'Donovan
Ladbrokes Cesarewitch, Crayford (27 Nov, 874m, £10,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1st Salacres Pippy 35/2 56.56Peter Harnden2nd Blueberry Bullet213/8f 56.98Mark Wallis3rd Alaskan Dawn 44/156.99Heather Dimmock4th Antigua Lava 17/257.03Mark Wallis5th Mays Sabbath 522/157.17Patrick Janssens6th Nightingale Don 616/1 57.63John Mullins
Principal Irish finals
Ladbrokes Easter Cup, Shelbourne (13 Mar, 550y, €25,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stKnocknaboul Syd 6 11-429.58 Pat Buckley2ndBeach Avenue 516-1 29.86 Paul Hennessy3rdBillys Diva 3 2-1jf29.87 John Kennedy4th Great Name That 12-1jf 29.94Liam Dowling5th Boylesportsbingo4 18-130.39 Paul Hennessy6th Golden Tiger 27-1 00.00Graham Holland
Con & Annie Kirby Memorial, Limerick (24 Apr, 525y, €80,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1st Stonepark Leo6 - 28.38 Mark O'Donovan2nd De Machine2 - 28.48 Brendan Matthews3rdAgent Stanley 1 - 28.52 Marie Gilbert4th Explosive Boy3 - 28.97Patrick Guilfoyle5thBallymac Merlin 5 - 29.29Liam Dowling6thSingalong Sally 4- 29.36Pat Buckley
Larry O'Rourke National Produce, Clonmel (5 Jun, 525y, €16,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stExplosive Boy 1 -28.28 Patrick Guilfoyle2nd Valegro2 - 28.31 Maurice Heffernan3rdDeadly Destroyer 3- 28.66Karol Ramsbottom4thGood Cody 5 - 28.73John Kennedy Jnr.5thCash Return 4 - 29.05 Brendan Maunsell6thCourtmac Chief 6 - 29.68 John A Linehan
Sporting Press Oaks, Shelbourne (19 Jun, 525y, €25,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stSusie Sapphire 13-128.15Owen McKenna2ndScooby Princess 44-128.46Jennifer O'Donnell3rdBillys Diva 26-4f28.53John Kennedy Jnr.4thBallydoyle Rossa 512-1 28.67Pio Barry5thFront Amani 67-428.74Robert G. Gleeson6thHighview Magnet 333-128.78Dolores Merriman
Boylesports Champion Stakes, Shelbourne (31 July, 550y, €20,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stDe Machine 311–2 29.41 Bendan Matthews2ndKilara Icon 414–1 29.69 Robert G Gleeson3rdPriceless Jet 55–1 29.72 Paul Hennessy4thBeach Avenue6 10–1 29.74Paul Hennessy5thDeadly Destroyer 1 10–11f 30.41Karol Ramsbottom6thBallymac Wild 2 9–2 30.42 Liam Dowling
Bar One Racing Irish Sprint Cup, Dundalk (15 Aug, 400y, €20,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stGood Cody2 - 20.86John Kennedy Jr.2ndDrahan Jet 4 - 21.14 Wayne Morris3rdEla Supremo 6 - 21.15 Peter Cronin4th Maybe Aye 5- 21.27 Peter Cronin5th Blue Corner3 -21.66 Thomas Shields6thCorbrack Prince 1 -21.71 Robert G Gleeson
SIS Juvenile Derby, Shelbourne (16 Oct, 525y, €20,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1st Droopys Gloss 35/2cf 28.49 Martin 'Murt' Leahy2nd Serene Ace 45/2cf 28.87 Mark O'Donovan3rdOff The Pitch 6 5/1 28.93 Marie Gilbert4thBarefoot Supremo 1 12/1 29.00Paul Hennessy5thDeadly Diego 55/1 29.14Karol Ramsbottom6thCrokers Spirit 2 5/2cf 29.21Matthew Harte
Irish Laurels, Cork (23 Oct, 525y, €30,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1st One Time Only 1 3–128.17 Thomas O'Donovan2ndSkywalker Barry 5 9–4jf 28.41 Mark O'Donovan3rd Epic Hero 4 20–1 28.76Thomas O'Donovan4th Ballymac Fairone 3 9–4jf28.97Liam Dowling5thSweep The Yard6 10–1 29.04 Graham Holland6th Droopys Good 1 9–2 29.22Owen McKenna
Matchbook Betting Exchange Irish St Leger, Limerick (27 Nov, 550y, €30,000)PosName of Greyhound Trap SP Time Trainer1stBallymac Merlin 4 8/129.68 Liam Dowling2nd Deerjet Sydney 3 5/1 29.73 Pat Buckley3rd Priceless Jet 64/1 29.84Paul Hennessy4thAllforthebest 5 8/1 30.01 syndicate5thRussian Glory 19/4f 30.12 Graham Holland6thPart Blake 2 5/230.33 Graham Holland
UK Category 1 & 2 competitions