What are the Biggest Greyhound Races from Around the World?

When it comes to greyhound racing, many will say that the UK is its spiritual home. But races take place as far as Australia, and the Aussies can boast they are home to not only 65 racetracks, but also the world’s richest race - which we’ll mention in more detail further down. Sites like Betdaq have all the latest odds and daily cards for greyhound racing up and down the country - and beyond! So read on, as we rundown the biggest races.

1) Melbourne Cup

Not to be confused with the horse race, which shares the same name, the Melbourne Cup is Australia’s most prestigious greyhound race, and is undoubtedly, the world’s biggest and richest race, to boot. It is also the final event of the three-week Superdogs series - which carries over $1m in prize money. The Melbourne Cup usually has a total purse of $650,000, with $350,000 of that awarded to the winner. The race is held at Sandown Park in Melbourne, in November, and is raced over a distance of 515m.

2) Sandown Cup

Staying with greyhound racing down under, the Sandown Cup is Australia’s richest stayers’ race. It was established in 1963, when it was known as the Wollamai Cup, and is raced at Sandown Park, over a distance of 1,500m. The Cup is a listed race, which takes place each year in November and the prize pot stands at an equally impressive $250,000.

3) English Greyhound Derby

Inaugurated in 1927, the Derby is Britain’s most prestigious greyhound race. It usually takes place in May or June, with the final following on in either June or July. Over the years, the Derby has been staged at many different racecourses, including White City, Wimbledon, Towcester, and since 2019, it has been raced at Nottingham. The prize winnings can amount to £175,000. Last year’s event was postponed from May to October, amidst the coronavirus pandemic, but the winner was Deerjet Sydney, trained by Irishman, Pat Buckley.

4) Irish Greyhound Derby

Another race with a rich history, the Irish Derby was established unofficially in 1928, while the first recognised Derby took place in 1932, at Shelbourne Park, in Dublin. It’s vastly considered the most important race in Ireland’s greyhound calendar, and some say, it’s of equal prestige as its English counterpart. Over the years, the Irish Derby has changed venues, originally starting out at the now defunct Harold’s Cross in Dublin, as well as one-off races at Markets Field Greyhound Stadium in Limerick and Cork Greyhound Stadium - both of which are no longer in use. In the 1950s, Spanish Battleship won a hat-trick of Derby titles in succession, and is the most successful greyhound in this race.

5) Association Cup

We end back where we started, with a final Australian race. The Association Cup takes place each year in April, at Wentworth Park in Sydney. It’s a race that’s only open to Group 1 greyhounds and is amongst the richest races - with a prize fund of $250,000. The Cup takes place during the Golden Easter Egg carnival, a three-weekend event, which was inaugurated in 1990 - although the Association Cup was founded in 1965.

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