The GBGB is excited to announce the successful negotiation of a two-year agreement to hold the prestigious TV Trophy event at Oxford in 2024 and Towcester in 2025.
The TV Trophy, established in 1958, will feature two rounds covering the marathon distance at both race tracks. Oxford will be the venue for the £15,000 to-the-winner competition over a distance of 847m. The event will comprise two heats on Saturday, March 16, with the top three from each heat advancing to the final a week later.
The historic Sandy Lane circuit last hosted this event over the old 845m course in 1987, with Dick Hawkes's fawn bitch Glenowen Queen emerging victorious. Notably, Glenowen Queen had previously participated in the John Power Showdown at Wembley two years earlier alongside Ballyregan Bob and Scurlogue Champ.
Mark Moisley, GBGB Commercial Director, expressed his delight, stating, "We are pleased that Oxford and Towcester will be the hosts for the TV Trophy in 2024 and 2025. This aligns with our goal for the event to travel across the country, a tradition that has been a crucial aspect of the competition's history."
Moisley also extended gratitude to Entain for their past sponsorship, acknowledging their support after hosting the competition at all four of their tracks in recent years. He looks forward to an exhilarating edition of the competition at Sandy Lane in March.
Kevin Boothby, Towcester Racecourse and Oxford Stadium Managing Director, commented, "The TV Trophy is one of UK greyhound racing’s great events. My first memories of greyhound racing as a child are centred around the TV Trophy – it’s a fantastic spectacle."
Boothby expressed his pleasure in bringing the competition to Oxford for 2024 and Towcester in the following year. He teased that the finals night at Oxford would coincide with a spectacular St Patrick’s Day celebration, with full details to be confirmed soon.