Springbok (greyhounds)

The Springbok was a greyhound racing hurdle competition last held at Brighton & Hove Greyhound Stadium in 2023.

The Springbok

Class	Category 2
Location	Central Park Stadium
Inaugurated	1937
Sponsor	Arena Racing Company
Race information
Distance	480 metres hurdles
Surface	Sand
Qualification	Hurdlers only
Purse	£5,000 (winner)

History

The event was inaugurated in 1937^[1] at the White City Stadium in London. The origins of the race came from a contingent of greyhounds that included Hawtrey, Raven Arms and Bobby Sparks that travelled to South Africa in the winter of 1936/1937 as a series of race tests for the country. In return the South African Greyhound Racing Association gifted a trophy to the Greyhound Racing Association and a perpetual award for a new race was created.^[2]

The event was held at White City until its closure in 1985 when it switched to Wimbledon Stadium. The event is the leading competition for novice hurdlers.^[3][4]

In 2017 the race switched to Central Park Stadium in Sittingbourne following the closure of Wimbledon Stadium. The relocation of the competition to Central Park continued a family legacy for the Cearns family who had been connected with the race when it was first held in 1937.^[5] In 2023, the race was held at Brighton & Hove Greyhound Stadium while track renovation was taking place at Central Park.^[6]

Venues and distances

• 1937–1985 (White City (London), 550y hurdles)
• 1986–2010 (Wimbledon, 460m hurdles)
• 2011–2016 (Wimbledon, 480m hurdles)
• 2017–2022 (Central Park, 480m hurdles)
• 2023–2023 (Hove, 500m hurdles)

Sponsors

• 1994–1995 (John Henwood)
• 2000–2006 (William Hill)
• 2007–2007 (Betfair)
• 2008–2009 (Stan James Bookmakers)
• 2010–2016 (William Hill)
• 2017–2021 (Cearnsport)
• 2022–2022 (Arena Racing Company)
• 2023–2023 (Coral)

Past winners

Year	Winner	Breeding	Trainer	Time	SP	Notes/ref
1937	Curious Jester		Sidney Orton (Wimbledon)	30.98	7/4f	[7]
1938	Bantown Banner		Eric Hiscock (Harringay)	30.85	5/4f
1939	Corporal of Waterhall		Paddy Fortune (Wimbledon)	30.42	3/1
1946	Alvaston Commando		Bill Cowell (Coventry)	32.33	7/4f
1947	Kids Delight		Albert Jonas (Stamford Bridge)	32.55	3/1
1948	Neff		Miss J Griffiths (Walthamstow)	30.97	4/7f
1949	Mighty Maharatta		Jerry Hannafin (Wimbledon)	30.94	5/4f
1950	Sunny Abbey		Jerry Hannafin (Wimbledon)	30.26	9/4
1951	Devil O'Leer	Bahs Choice – Baytown Nightingale	Norman Merchant (Private)	31.03	3/1
1952	Wild Der	Border Keeper – Gilmours Glory	Paddy McEllistrim (Wimbledon)	30.32	15/8
1953	Oriel Idol	Shaggy Lad – Rushton Curly	Dal Hawkesley (West Ham)	30.20	5/2
1954	Ventry Record	Record Choice – Anvil Block	Henry Parsons (Crayford)	33.60	8/1
1955	Riot O'Leer	Despot O'Leer – Magic Blissful	Jack Chadwick (Private)	32.66	7/2
1956	Harlington Harrier		Dal Hawkesley (West Ham)	32.80	7/1
1957	Racing Max	Ballybeg Surprise – Racing Fool	Reg Bosley (Hackney)	32.92	6/1
1958	Highway Tim	Magourna Reject – Hunston Bell	Mrs Rosealie Beba (Private)	32.25	5/1
1959	Downside	Barrowside – Celtic Beauty	Jack Harvey (Wembley)	32.24	9/4
1960	Shannon Dasher	Prince of Bermuda – Shannon Drive	Jimmy Maw (Private)	32.15	7/2
1961	Ballydrislane Customer	Quare Customer – Cold Lady	George Waterman (Wimbledon)	31.78
1962	Barrel Kissane	Champion Prince - Yoblstrap	Barney O'Connor (Walthamstow)	31.47	2/1	[8]
1963	Longstreet	Barrowside – Sallyscross Lady	Jack Harvey (Wembley)	31.88
1964	The Grange Destiny	The Grand Fire - Delienne	George Waterman (Wimbledon)	31.98	7/4
1965	Darn Hall	Crazy Parachute - Penicola	Bob Burls (Wembley)	32.33
1966	Husky Breeze	Pigalle Wonder – Jet Dancer	John Bassett (Private)	32.20
1967	High St Boy	Champion Tipp – Fire Siren	Colin McNally (Perry Barr)	31.50
1968	Haydens Star	Fairys Chum – Haydens Fire	Nora Gleeson (Private)	31.60	6/1
1969	Happy Harry	Crazy Society – Hiver Swanky	Phil Rees Sr. (Wimbledon)	31.92	7/4
1970	Bawnies Rocket	Come On Bawnie – Toor Lassie	Phil Rees Sr. (Wimbledon)	31.86	2/1
1971	Ragtime	Super Orange – Maggie From Cork	John Coleman (Wembley)	32.10	5/4f
1972	Jacks Ship	Rocket Ship – Amelia’s Pet	Bob Burls (Wembley)	32.16	11/10f
1973	Killone Flash	Forward Flash – Dancing Barrier	Randy Singleton (White City - London)	31.53	9/2
1974	Weston Pete	Monalee Champion – New Kashmir	Colin West (White City - London)	32.04	2/1
1975	Ashgrove Road	Spectre II – Ashgrove Star	Paddy McEvoy (Wimbledon)	31.51	9/2
1976	Stuart Captain	Ramdeen Stuart – Here For You	John Coleman (Wembley)	30.70	2/1f
1977	Autumn Groves	Itsachampion – Green Line	Frank Melville (Harringay)	31.31	9/4
1978	Super Hunter	Gaultier Fox – Fire Hunter	Phil Rees Jr. (Wimbledon)	30.47	8/15f
1979	Westmead Manor	Mels Pupil – Westmead Silver	Natalie Savva (Private)	31.28	6/4
1980	Bobcol	Westpark Mint – Black Katty	Norah McEllistrim (Wimbledon)	31.17	2/1
1981	Clashing Ash	Clashing – Ballycline Sara	Phil Rees Jr. (Wimbledon)	30.57	6-/1
1983	Space Top	Crazy Top – My Little Cugeen	Paddy Hancox (Perry Barr)	31.94	5/1
1984	Scarcely Unknown	Hunday Dook – Speech Mistress	Derek Knight (Hove)	30.69	6/4f
1985	Knight of Raft	Paradise Spectre – Lady Raft	Norah McEllistrim (Wimbledon)	28.65	8/11f
1986	Raffles Nitespot	Yankee Express – Raffles Bridge	Linda Mullins (Harringay)	28.59	5/1
1987	Lemon Yachtsman	Lindas Champion – Lemon Pearl	Philip Rees Jr. (Wimbledon)	28.36	7/2
1988	Skyline Prince	Sheskin Rocket – Apache Laura	David Kinchett (Wimbledon)	28.59	5/1
1989	Lemon Chip	Sinbad – Lemon Lisa	Philip Rees Jr. (Wimbledon)	28.87	6/1
1990	Ranger Supreme	Citizen Supreme – White Ranger	Norah McEllistrim (Wimbledon)	28.80	5/4f
1991	Fennessys Gold	Soda Fountain – Fast Mission	Ray Peacock (Catford)	28.41	5/1
1992	Double Rock	Printers Present – Dolores Daughter	Philip Rees Jr. (Wimbledon)	28.62	25/1
1993	Arfur Daley	Pond Mirage – Blue Mint II	Bert Meadows (Oxford)	27.80	3/1	Track record[9]
1994	Avoid The Rush	Manorville Star – Smokey Snowdrop	Bernie Doyle (Private)	29.44	7/2	[10]
1995	Arrogant Prince	Ballinderry Flash - Proverbia	Tom Foster (Wimbledon)	28.35	7/4jf	[11]
1996	Colorado Joker	Green Gorse – Denver Minnie	Philip Rees Jr. (Wimbledon)	28.32	4/1
1997	Simon Simon	Murlens Abbey – Lovely Lovely	Gary Baggs (Walthamstow)	28.21	5/1
1998	Frisco Sir	Flashy Sir – Forever Roving	Ray Peacock (Wimbledon)	28.05	3/1
1999	Ballinabola Gale	Batties Whisper – Ballinaboola Lil	Jason Foster (Catford)	28.11	1/1f
2000	Lenson Eddie	Perfect Whisper – Culbidagh Rose	Ray Peacock (Wimbledon)	28.70	8/13f	[12]
2001	Rossa Ranger	Come On Ranger – Emmerdale Pine	John Counsell (Private)	28.92	1/1f	[13]
2002	Opus Joe	Roanokee - Glin Abbey Sharp	Pat Thompson (Crayford)	28.51	7/4	[14]
2003	Deep Sensation	Spiral Nikita – Sensational	Jim Reynolds (Walthamstow)	28.51	3/1jf	[15]
2004	Farloe Chinook	Thorgil Tex – Seanos Peer	Maxine Locke (Wimbledon)	29.23	20/1	[16]
2005	Druids Mickey Jo	Top Honcho – Druids Villa	Seamus Cahill (Wimbledon)	28.14	8/13f	[17]
2006	Kaysers Hill	Roanokee – Aghadown Phantom	Tom Foster (Private)	28.61	6/4f	[18]
2007	Blackmagic Jamie	Daves Mentor – Glown Mist	Ernest Gaskin Jr. (Walthamstow)	28.62	8/1	[19]
2008	Hotdog Jack	Droopys Vieri – Hare Star	Seamus Cahill (Wimbledon)	28.38	1/2f	[20]
2009	Bomber Bailey	Confident Choice-Garry Special	Mark Wallis (Harlow)	27.96	6/1	[21]
2010	Royal Honcho	Honcho Classic-Prina Donna	Seamus Cahill (Hove)	28.59	5/4f	[22]
2011	Clonkeen Theo	Top Honcho-Good Luck	Jason Foster (Wimbledon)	29.47	8/1
2012	Westmead Melanie	Droopys Maldini – Mega Delight	Nick Savva (Private)	29.59	10/11f	[24]
2013	Westmead Meteor	Droopys Vieri – Westmead Olivia	Ricky Holloway (Wimbledon)	29.38	9/4f	[25]
2014	Cornamaddy Jumbo	Ardkill Jamie – Cornamaddy Maid	Mark Wallis (Yarmouth)	29.45	11/8f	[26]
2015	Reculver Ozzie	Farley Turbo – Lemon Bolt	Barry O'Sullivan (Crayford)	30.05	8/11f	[27]
2016	Ballymac Manix	Ballymac Vic – Moyar Kite	Seamus Cahill (Hove)	29.11	2/1	[28]
2017	Yassoo Martin	Blackstone Gene – Droopys Quinta	George Andreas (Central Park)	29.88	8/1	[29]
2018	Lenson Wilson	Scolari Me Daddy – Killduff Kerry	Ricky Holloway (Central Park)	29.63	4/9f	[30]
2019	Burgess Brandy	Vans Escalade – Borna Helena	Ricky Holloway (Central Park)	29.67	9/4	[31]
2020	Burgess Doc	Droopys Jet – Badminton Maid	Lee Field (Monmore)	30.06	6/4f	[32][33]
2021	Droopys Rex	Duke Special – Droopys Start	David Mullins (Romford)	29.94	7/2	[34]
2022	Lenson Doolin	Azza Azza Azza – The Other Tessa	Ricky Holloway (Private)	29.39	1/4f	[35]
2023	Droopys Chaser	Laughil Blake – Droopys Zero	Paul Young (Romford)	29.67	2/1f	[36]
2024	Not held