Betfair Trainers' Championship 2009: Sheffield next year's host for special night of racing

General / Joe Dyer / 18 December 2008 / Leave a Comment

Exciting night of Betfair sponsored action goes north for the first time.

Betfair and the Greyhound Trainers' Association are delighted to announce that Sheffield has been chosen as the venue for the 2009 Betfair Trainers' Championship. It will take place on Tuesday March 17th, and will be screened live on Sky Sports.

Betfair have supported the event since 2006, and are currently in negotiations to extend their sponsorship to 2010 and beyond.

And Sheffield is a fitting venue, considering that Jon Carter, who has been the face of the track for nearly 50 years, recently won the Greyhound Writers' Association award for services to the industry and will be receiving the Harry Lloyd Trophy in London on January 25.

"I am absolutely delighted that the GTA have chosen Sheffield Sports Stadium to host the prestigious Betfair Trainers' Championship in 2009," said the track's assistant General Manager David Perry.

"There's no doubt that this is one of the highlights of the racing calendar, and we are all very much looking forward to welcoming our friends from Betfair and Sky, together with the top six trainers in the country and all their connections.

"The support of our parent company, A & S Leisure, has enabled Sheffield Sports Stadium to continually invest in the facilities at Owlerton, resulting in one of the best greyhound stadia in the country. This year, due to the kind funding from the BGRF, we have completely re-laid the track, and next year, we are planning to build an extension, doubling the size of the restaurant.

"I think the decision of the GTA to stage the Betfair Trainers' Championship at Owlerton is a fitting tribute to the investment in the Stadium, and will give us the perfect opportunity to showcase our superb track and facilities.

And John Haynes, organising the Betfair Trainers' Championship on behalf of the GTA, said: "As always we wanted a good galloping track and we wanted to go north.

"Earlier this year £140,000 was spent to re-lay the track at Sheffield; it is this commitment to greyhound welfare that should be recognised.

"It goes without saying that it will be a great night's racing, and the Sheffield management team have promised to pull out all the stops.

"I can't recall the Championship being staged further north than the Midlands in the past, so I have asked our sponsors to offer the southern trainers some thermal combination underwear, with the Betfair logo printed across the seat!"

Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin added: "There has been a lot of speculation about what track would host in 2009, and I think there were a couple of [1.01] losers in the market if what certain people tell me is correct!

"I look forward to meeting all those concerned at our annual Trainers' Championship lunch before the event. The date is still to be decided, but I am provisionally looking at February 25th, if that suits with all the trainers.

"It is hoped one makes it home before 7.30am on February 27th this time, though..."