Newcastle Stadium to remember Jimmy Wright on All England Cup finals night
The Newcastle card on Premier Greyhound Racing All England Cup final night is going to be extra special this year with a celebration of the life of Jimmy Wright.
Jimmy Wright to be remembered at Newcastle
A professional footballer turned champion greyhound trainer who lost his life to Motor Neurone Disease will be remembered at Newcastle Stadium’s premier race night next month.
Jimmy Wright represented Leeds United and St Johnstone before finishing his career on the pitch in Australia.
He returned to the UK after his father was diagnosed with the condition which he inherited and lost his life to in February this year, two years after he first displayed symptoms.
Jimmy and his partner Angela Harrison won some of UK greyhound racing’s most prestigious prizes, including the Trainers’ Championship in 2019, the Gold Cup in 2017 and 2022 and All England Cup on three occasions – 2017, 2018 and 2021.
It is at the latter of those events where Jimmy’s life will be celebrated on Saturday, December 27, as Newcastle Stadium hosts the 75th running of the Premier Greyhound Racing All England Cup.Ten races – nine of which will be worth at least £1,000 to winning connections - will be run in remembrance of Jimmy and named after his most noticeable kennel stars from competitions of yesteryear.
They include Walshes Hill, winner of 28 of his 34 races between 2015 and 2016, All England Cup champions Moanteen Mikey and Droopys Expert plus multiple Category One hero Coolavanny Aunty among others.
The track will also host the inaugural Jimmy Wright Puppy Cup which will be open to 24 greyhounds and start on December 11.
Ian Walton, General Manager at Newcastle Stadium, hopes to see a strong turnout on the night to remember a legend of the sport.
“Jimmy was greyhound racing through and through,” said Walton.
“We were devastated to learn of his MND diagnosis and our thoughts this year have been very much with Angela, Jimmy’s family and those who knew him.
“It is only right to remember Jimmy at our showpiece fixture on December 27 when the £20,000 Premier Greyhound Racing All England Cup headlines a bumper card.
“More than £40,000 in prize money will be available on the night where we’ve worked closely with Angela to name ten races which will celebrate some of Jimmy’s greatest achievements. I’m sure it will be a celebratory and emotional evening in equal measure."
The full list of races being held in Jimmy’s memory include the Jimmy Wright Puppy Cup, Walshes Hill Sprint, Moanteen Mikey Standard, Coolavanny Bani Bitches, Coolavanny Aunty 640, Shellam Delano 895, Droopys Buick 480 Puppy, Droopys Expert 480 Standard, England V Scotland Invitation Standard and Shellam Maeby Maiden 640.All one-off races – excluding the concluding Maiden race - will be worth £1,000 to the winner, while the Jimmy Wright Puppy Cup carries a winning prize of £3,500.
Harrison added: “Jimmy was an active person who had a real zest for life.
“What he went through was awful, and something which will be forever hard to comprehend even though in Jimmy’s case his condition was inherited genetically.
“Greyhound racing kept Jimmy occupied his entire life and provided him with a purpose until the very end.
“We were fortunate enough to win the All England Cup on three occasions, and it’s lovely for Newcastle to remember Jimmy by naming a number of races on this year’s card in his honour.”
Tickets for the 2025 Premier Greyhound Racing All England Cup final on Saturday, December 27, are available online via www.newcastle-greyhounds.co.uk.
