Ex-Crayford man banks new Towcester deputy RM role

GRAHAM BANKS is to team up with Danny Rayment once again as the pair, who worked together for many years at Crayford, join forces at Towcester.

Banks has been confirmed as the Northamptonshire track’s new deputy racing manager, an appointment which follows Rayment becoming RM at the home of the 2025 Star Sports English Greyhound Derby.

Rayment and Banks will team up at Towcester later this month when Orchestrate take over control of the venue having secured a ten-year lease from the Hesketh family.

Banks and Rayment worked together at Crayford for some 20 years, with Banks also spending time in a joint-RM’s role at Doncaster, and both admit to have been devastated when it closed in January. “Like Danny has said, none of us will ever understand why it went,” he said. “Crayford was very popular and drew the crowds in - I saw it with my own eyes.

“It certainly took a while to come to terms with, but I suppose that’s sadly in the past now and this is an exciting opportunity for myself to stay within the sport I love,” added Banks, who worked for Greyhound Racing UK after Crayford closed. “That came about at a good time for me after Crayford closed and I really enjoyed writing about the sport - it’s certainly given me the experience of another side of greyhound racing. It also helped me keep in touch with trainers which is important looking ahead to Towcester.

“We made a point at Crayford to organise a staff trip to Towcester every year for the Greyhound Derby and, of course, it would be some honour to oversee a Derby if that’s going to be the case.”

Towcester and Dunstall Park are involved in a tender process for the right to stage the 2026 Star Sports English Greyhound Derby, a decision on which is expected imminently.