The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has announced a number of new initiatives, which will see graded owners and trainers benefit from bumper prize money and funding of around £400,000, between February and March.
Replacing the Owners’ Bonus Series competitions, the new schemes are set be implemented following consultations with various stakeholders.
Peter Harnden, one of the Practitioner members on the Racing Committee, said “The Owners’ Bonus Series has worked really well for owners over the last six years, but it is always good to come up with new ideas.
“The Owners’ Bonus Owner & Trainer nights with added Prize Money across ten races will enable the benefit to be spread widely to lots of owners.
“Our recent trials of these type of events at Nottingham have proved hugely popular. The Mega and Mini Bonus events give a competitive element and the chance for graded runners to run for £1,000 is fantastic”.
The Mega Owners’ Bonus Series is to set comprise two round heats and final competitions for 12 or 18 graded greyhounds, with £1,000 and a presentation jacket the prize for the winner.
The Mini Owners’ Bonus Series, encompassing the same format, will feature a top prize of £500 plus presentation jacket.
Each GBGB track will stage three Mini Bonus Series and three Mega Bonus Series events during 2018.
All tracks will also be provided funds to run a number of Owner and Trainer Track Nights, with an additional £150 prize money added to tracks’ regular prize money levels across each of ten races on the card and trophies for all winners
Events, which will be subject to regular reviews, begin this week with heats of Mega or Mini Bonus Series competitions at Peterborough today (Weds 14 Feb) Nottingham (Fri 16 Feb), Shawfield (Fri 16 Feb) and Sheffield (Sat 17 Feb), and with the first Owner and Trainer track night currently scheduled for 24 February at Pelaw Grange.
Source: SBC News
