Sport is something that is huge in Manchester and around the whole of the UK. While playing sport is something many of us love to do, watching sport is just as popular. While football, rugby, tennis, horse racing and cricket are some of the biggest UK sports, greyhound racing is also still widely followed by many in Manchester.
This is no surprise when you consider the city’s historical links with dog racing. Both the now closed White City and Belle Vue stadiums were, after all, among the most iconic in this sport at one time. Since first getting going in earnest around 1926, greyhound racing flourished due to the exciting nature of the racing itself and the fun time that people have when going to watch it. In addition, the greyhound racing calendar also boasts many top-level events to enjoy.
Being able to get closer to the action and inject more excitement into greyhound racing by betting on it also helps make it popular. Of course, winning some money – if you are lucky – is also a big draw! If you want to place a wager and you are looking for the best online greyhound racing betting sites, find out more information here.
But what are some of the best upcoming events in the UK to follow and maybe bet on?
East Anglian Derby
Held at the world-famous Yarmouth Stadium in Norfolk, this is easily one of the most prestigious greyhound races in the whole of the UK. It has been taking place since 1975 and is normally run in September each year. It is raced over 462 metres and sees £12,000 awarded to the winner. The second-placed dog gets around £2,500 and third place brings in around £1,500. Most winners usually get around the course in under 30 seconds and the quickest ever run to date was Any Dark, who made it round in 27.34 seconds in 2013.
St Leger
nother upcoming UK greyhound race to think about checking out or betting on is the elite-level St Leger. The 2021 version has heats starting on 16 September before semi-finals on 23 September and the final on 30 September. Held at the Perry Barr track in 2021, it will be run over a distance of 710 metres and the winner will net a cool £25,000.
reviously, this race was run at the Wembley track until 1998 but moved to Wimbledon before coming to Yarmouth and then Perry Barr in 2021. Perhaps the most famous St Leger moment in dog racing came in 2013 when Farloe Tango put in a scintillating performance. Of course, Mick The Miller’s run in 1931 also lives long in the memory, as do Mick The Miller’s double English Derby wins in 1929 and 1930.
Select Stakes
This race should take place in late July at Nottingham and so can still be classed as an upcoming fixture to look out for. A high-profile and prestigious race, it sees £7,500 go to the winner. As with the St Leger, this race use to be held at Wembley but moved to Nottingham after its closure. Held over 500 metres, it sees the six best dogs in racing picked out by the Greyhound Writers’ Association to battle it out. Tricky’s Dumbo was a memorable winner in 2019 with a 29.39 finish time but Jaspers Boy also merits a mention for his back-to-back wins in 1998 and 1999.
The English Oaks
The English Oaks starts on 7 October in 2021, with the final being held on 24 October. Swindon track is the location for the Oaks and it is set to take place over 480 metres. Ballymac Trend picked up the £15,000 prize money in 2020 with a fine run and other winners like Queen of the Suir, Ballinasloe Blondie and Domino Storm have previously caught the eye. Kevin Hutton is also a name that many will know, as he has won the Oaks multiple times in recent years.
UK greyhound racing upcoming events 2021
Whether it is seeing Robbie Stockdale unveiled as Rochdale’s new manager in football or Parkinson and Mahmood named in England’s T20 squad in cricket, sport is always full of news or events. The above shows not only the number of cool events in dog racing still to come but also just why this sport is still so widely followed.
