Greyhound racing will receive another boost this winter with the announcement of a second Track Championship, worth a total £160,000, which will be screened by SIS into betting shops.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural series, BAGS has unveiled this year’s championship with the aim of raising dog racing’s profile further among connections and fans, and provide further betting opportunities for LBOs.

Eighteen tracks will take part – following the addition of Peterborough – and will be split into six groups on a regional basis. The final will once again be on December 23 – a day when there is no horse racing.
Each of the tracks will stage one qualifying competition consisting of six different races, with each track supplying two runners per race.

The competition will kick off at Belle Vue with a Halloween thriller on Wednesday October 31 when the Manchester track will host Nottingham and Sheffield. The last qualifiers before the finals will take place at Romford on Thursday December 6 with Peterborough and Yarmouth the visitors.

Champions Monmore begin the defence of their title at Perry Barr on November 6 when Hall Green will be the third participating track.  The other three groups comprise of Kinsley, Newcastle and Sunderland; Oxford, Poole and Swindon; and Crayford, Hove and Sittingbourne.

Brent Dolan, Director of Operations, SIS Betting, said: “It proved a great series last year and this year, with an additional track, promises to be even better. It’s something that last year grabbed the attention of owners, trainers, fans and punters – in fact, everyone associated with the sport.”