The dawn of the Premier Greyhound Racing era was marked by Teaboy Brownie's triumph, making history as the first winner at Romford on New Year's Day. Under the guidance of trainer Nathan Hunt for the English Garden Tea Syndicate, Teaboy Brownie secured an all-the-way victory in the A3 category, covering the 400m distance in 24.24 seconds.
This British-bred pup, owned by the syndicate, celebrated his fifth career win, setting a positive tone for 2024. Nathan Hunt, coming off a remarkable 2023 with 111 open-race wins, commenced the new year on a high note.
Premier Greyhound Racing's debut unfolded simultaneously at Swindon, where Mohican Zoa, trained by Dalton Smith, claimed victory in the opener with a time of 29.24 seconds. The racing action continued at Monmore and Sunderland in the afternoon.
At Wolverhampton's Monmore, Craig Marston's Whisky Georgia won the A4 race in 29.32 seconds, narrowly defeating Knock Sallyann from Paul Sallis's kennel. Sunderland saw Limerick Hero, from Paul Miller’s kennel, emerge as the first winner in the A6 category with a time of 28.04 seconds.
Garry Nash, the managing director of Premier Greyhound Racing, expressed his excitement, calling it a momentous day for the sport. He acknowledged the collaboration with tracks, partners at Sky Sports Racing and Attheraces, and anticipated a positive future for greyhound racing.