Wikipedia

2026 in UK and Ireland greyhound racing

2026 in UK and Ireland greyhound racing is the 101st year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and also marked the centenary of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom.[1][2] It is also the 100th year of greyhound racing in Ireland.[3]

2026 in UK and Ireland greyhound racing
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Summary

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The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) announced its Category One and Two schedules for 2026 on 5 December 2025, with eleven races worth £20,000 or more to the winner.[4][5] Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI) released its Classics and Features calendar towards the end of 2025, with eleven races worth over €20,000 or more to the winner.[6]

At the annual British greyhound of the year awards Proper Heiress won the 2025 greyhound of the year for champion trainer Mark Wallis.[7] Mongys Wild also trained by Wallis won two awards (stayer and marathon performer of the year)[7] and subsequently won the first £20,000 Category One race of the year after winning the Golden Jacket.[8] Mongys Wild (a white and fawn dog) had already won the former classic event the ARC Cesarewitch in January at Central Park.[9]

Amendments to the Rules of Racing introduced by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) came into effect in Great Britain on 1 January 2026, including new requirements on licensing information, greyhound retirement and injury policies at racecourses, and the publication of withdrawal reasons.[10]

On 26 January 2026, Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI) told the Irish Government in a pre-budget submission that rising welfare, veterinary and rehoming costs were placing increasing financial pressure on trainers and owners despite a recovery in attendance and commercial income. It said higher feed, transport and veterinary expenses were threatening the commercial viability of some participants and suggested that the Department of Agriculture could provide support through direct funding or VAT reductions. It also said that rehoming retired racing greyhounds had become increasingly difficult, with the number of dogs rehomed falling from 2,234 in 2021 to 1,100 in 2024.[11]

On 28 January 2026, amendments to the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill were considered during Stage 2 proceedings in the Senedd. The bill, which would make it an offence to operate a greyhound racing stadium or organise greyhound racing in Wales, had previously been approved in principle by the Senedd in December 2025 and is now at Stage 3 of the legislative process, where MSs may table further amendments for debate and voting in plenary.[12] Stage 3 proceedings were scheduled to be debated in the Senedd on 10 March 2026.[13]

On 29 January 2026, the Scottish Parliament voted 69–27 at Stage 1 in favour of the Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill, introduced by MSP Mark Ruskell, which proposes banning greyhound racing in Scotland.[14] During the debate, Minister for Agriculture Jim Fairlie said the bill would prevent racing from resuming at the Thornton track and that the Scottish Government supported the legislation because racing greyhounds on oval tracks involved inherent welfare risks that could not be eliminated through licensing or good practice.[15] The GBGB opposed the bill and criticised the proposal following the vote.[16]

On 5 February 2026, the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts was told that €19 million from the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund had been issued to GRI in 2024.[17]

On 18 February 2026, the Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill completed Stage 2 scrutiny in the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, where amendments were considered before the bill proceeded to Stage 3. No amendments were lodged at Stage 3 and the final debate and vote on whether to pass the bill were scheduled for 12 March 2026 in the Scottish Parliament.[18]

Major honours

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Major Winners
Award Name of Winner
2026 English Greyhound Derby
2026 Irish Greyhound Derby
GBGB Greyhound Trainer of the Year
GBGB Greyhound of the Year
GRI Greyhound of the Year

Principal British finals

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Principal Irish finals

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Calendar and results

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Date Competition Venue 1st prize Winner
17 JanARC CesarewitchCentral Park£12,500Mongys Wild[19][9]
23 JanCoral Essex VaseRomford£10,000Tiffield Tarquin[20]
19 FebARC Northern Puppy DerbyNewcastle£12,500Woltemade[21]
21 FebGolden JacketMonmore£20,000Mongys Wild[22]
28 FebLadbrokes Winter DerbyMonmore£10,000Bruce Bay[23]
28 FebTote Gold CupShelbourne€16,000Coloursaregreen[24]
7 MarJuvenile ClassicTralee€10,000Ballymac Deniro[25]
8 MarTime Irish CesarewitchMullingar€10,000Ballinabola Joe[26]
14 MarSandy Lane SprintOxford£3,000Beaming Isla[27]
16 MarBGBF British Breeders StakesNottingham£12,500
20 MarCoral Golden SprintRomford£10,000
20 MarThe Deadly Kennels McCalmont CupKilkenny€15,000
28 MarPremier Greyhound Racing Puppy DerbyMonmore£20,000
29 MarARC Kent PlateCentral Park£12,500
29 Marbet365 Hunt CupOxford£10,000
4 AprBresbet Easter CupShelbourne€25,000
11 AprArena Racing Company LaurelsDunstall Park£12,500
19 AprKAB Maiden DerbyOxford£10,000
18 AprArena Racing Company Grand PrixSunderland£12,500
18 AprCon & Annie Kirby MemorialLimerick€80,000
25 AprCoral Brighton BelleHove£10,000
26 AprBresBet GymcrackSheffield£17,500
2 MayDroopys Stud Select StakesWaterford€10,000
2 MayShelbourne 600Shelbourne€15,000
4 MayCarrick Aldo at stud National ProduceClonmel€20,000
17 MayOxfordshire SprintOxfordtbc
6 JunStar Sports & TRC Events & Leisure English Greyhound DerbyTowcester£175,000
12 JunCallaway ProAm at Stud Race of ChampionsTralee€15,000
13 JunSporting Press Online OaksShelbourne€25,000
27 JunARC Kent Silver SalverCentral Park£12,500
27 JunDonal Beatty Memorial Corn CuchulainnShelbourne€10,500
4 JulCentenary Agri Tipperary CupThurles€7,200
4 JulBoylesports Champion StakesShelbourne€20,000
5 JulTime Three Steps to VictorySheffield£10,000
10 JulCoral Coronation CupRomford£10,000
10 JulGuys and DollsRomfordtbc
12 JulTime Dundalk InternationalDundalk€20,000
12 JulTime Greyhound Nutrition JuvenileTowcester£10,000
23 JulTime Greyhound Feed Northern FlatNewcastle£12,500
23 JulARC Angel of the NorthNewcastle£7,500
25 JulTime Irish Puppy DerbyShelbourne€25,000
26 JulPall MallOxford£10,000
1 AugCoral Sussex CupHove£10,000
1 AugPremier Greyhound Racing RegencyHove£20,000
14 AugBar One Racing Irish Sprint CupDundalk€20,000
22 AugLadbrokes Summer Stayers ClassicMonmore£10,000
22 AugLadbrokes Gold CupMonmore£10,000
31 AugARC Puppy ClassicNottingham£12,500
31 AugARC Select StakesNottingham£12,500
12 SepBoylesports Irish Greyhound DerbyShelbourne€125,000
16 SepClick Competitions East Anglian DerbyYarmouth£15,000
18 SepCoral Romford Puppy CupRomford£10,000
19 SepARC Birmingham CupDunstall Park£12,500
19 SepPGR St LegerDunstall Park£20,000
20 Sep77th Produce StakesTowcester£10,000
11 OctUntold Racing Stewards CupStar Pelawtbc
17 OctBarOne Racing Irish LaurelsCork€30,000
17 OctPremier Greyhound Racing Kent DerbyCentral Park£20,000
18 OctSteel City CupSheffield£11,500
23 OctPremier Greyhound Racing Champion StakesRomford£20,000
24 OctPremier Greyhound Racing OaksDunstall Park£20,000
2 NovPuppy CollarOxford£10,000
8 NovCoral Gold CollarHove£10,000
8 NovGeorge Curtis/Ballyregan Bob MemorialHove£10,000
20 NovPremier Greyhound Racing ClassicSunderland£20,000
21 NovCallaway Pro Am at Stud Irish St LegerLimerick€30,000
29 Novbet365 Challenge CupOxford£10,000
30 NovPremier Greyhound Racing EclipseNottingham£20,000
12 DecCoral OlympicHove£10,000
20 Decbet365 Puppy OaksOxford£10,000
21 DecARC National SprintNottingham£7,500
26 DecPremier Greyhound Racing All England CupNewcastle£20,000

To be arranged/confirmed

References

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  1. ↑ "Celebrating 100 Years of Greyhound Racing in Great Britain". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 24 February 2026.
  2. ↑ "Greyhound Racing". South Gloucestershire Gazette. 24 July 1926. Retrieved 9 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ↑ "Belfast's New Sport". Northern Whig. 19 April 1927. Retrieved 9 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ↑ "GBGB Announce Category One and Two Racing Schedule". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  5. ↑ "Premier Greyhound Racing release their 2026 schedule". Greyhound News UK. 22 December 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "2026 Classics and Features Calendar Released". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Heiress sees off Mongys for Greyhound of the Year title". Racing Post. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "Mongys Wild shades a Golden Jacket thriller". Racing Post. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Mongys runs Wild with new track record in the Arena Racing Cesarewitch". Greyhound News UK. 25 January 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  10. ↑ "Rule Amendments – 1 January 2026 (Rules 2A, 4A, 6, 18, 69A and 102B)" (PDF). Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Greyhound Board of Great Britain. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  11. ↑ Foxe, Ken (26 January 2026). "Greyhound Racing Ireland sought State support as welfare and rehoming costs rose". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  12. ↑ Orford, Katy (12 February 2026). "Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill: what happened at Stage 2?". Senedd Research. Welsh Parliament. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill". Senedd Business. Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament). Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  14. ↑ Paton, Craig (30 January 2026). "MSPs back greyhound racing ban at first stage". The Herald. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "Meeting of the Parliament: 29 January 2026 – Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1". Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "Statement: Bill to ban greyhound racing in Scotland proceeds to Stage Two despite cross party opposition". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. 30 January 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "Committee of Public Accounts debate – Chapter 14: Bovine TB Eradication Programme". Houses of the Oireachtas. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  18. ↑ "Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill". Scottish Parliament. Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  19. ↑ "Arena Racing Company Cesarewitch Final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  20. ↑ "Coral Essex Vase Final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  21. ↑ "Arena Racing Company Northern Puppy Derby Final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  22. ↑ "Mongys Wild shades a Golden Jacket thriller". Racing Post. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  23. ↑ "LADBROKES WINTER DERBY 2026 FINAL". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  24. ↑ "Coloursaregreen gives Hennessy remarkable eighth Gold Cup title". SIS Racing. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  25. ↑ "Deniro talking as Dowling claims Juvenile Classic for a fourth time". SIS Racing. Sports Information Services Limited. 7 March 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  26. ↑ "Results: Mullingar – 8 March 2026". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  27. ↑ "Locke Beaming as Isla sees off big guns in Sandy Lane Sprint". SIS Racing. 15 March 2026.
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