GONG TO THE DOGS

Jonathan Hobbs has eye on the prizes at the first bend in race for awards

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DECEMBER means awards season and the great and the good in many sports and pastimes will be voted on, nominated, and decided upon.

And greyhound racing is no different - albeit with a longer waiting time, or rather build up, to the awards themselves, which will take place in March.

Before then, the best performances of 2025 will be discussed, judged, and in some cases (GWA Services, Kennel-hand, Graded Greyhound etc) agreed on by a panel from various areas of the sport some time this month, with final decisions not required until the first week of January.

That allows the full racing year to be covered - and that might be apposite given Dunstall Park, greyhound racing's newest venue, is to stage a gala meeting on December 31. Top-class racing and a New Year’s Eve party is promised at Wolverhampton Racecourse.

More on that later. Back to the awards.

The 2025 GBGB Awards will be held at Easthampstead Park near Wokingham on Thursday, March 5. All are welcome.

These are effectively the Greyhound of the Year Awards, with runners nominated for various categories - Sprint, Standard, Stayer, Marathon etc - and an overall Premier Greyhound Racing-sponsored award for Greyhound of the Year.

Wicky Ned is the reigning Greyhound of the Year and he is up there again for this year’s honour. Success in the end-of-season PGR All England Cup at home track Newcastle puts him bang in contention.

Jimmy Fenwick’s dog is already this year winner of the Time 3 Steps To Victory and the Arc Select Stakes at Nottingham and must be in the conversation.

Penning this just a few days before the PGR Eclipse Final at Nottingham, so, too, is the red-hot favourite there Proper Heiress.