Proper Heiress, 2025 Greyhound of the Year, retired after stunning career

Awesome 'Harry' a genuine Hall of Famer says Imperial Kennels boss

Proper Heiress, the reigning GBGB Greyhound of the Year, has been retired.

The Mark Wallis-trained, MWD Partnership-owned superstar of a tracker returned sore from the final of the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby at Central Park on Saturday and the decision has been taken to call time on a career which his trainer describes as "stunning".

Proper Heiress's final race came at the Sittingbourne venue in yet another Category One final - his ninth in all in the UK - when favourite for the Kent Derby final, an event during which he made a remarkable return to the track by setting a new 29.30sec track record for the 491m trip in the heats.

"That was incredible really," said Wallis. "He'd been off the track since reaching the English Derby semi-finals at Towcester, so to do that after three months off just showed the class of the dog. He won well again in the semis and all looked okay for him going into the bend on Saturday.

"He'd trapped well, which he needed to in a brilliant final, but moved off at the bend as Scooby The Lady came in and that ruined both their chances on the night. I suppose it's to his credit he still managed to finish third," added Wallis in reference to his run behind Maxine Locke's big-race winner Annadown Warrior.

Along with Mongys Wild, Proper Heiress ran riot for the 16-time champion trainer in 2025, especially, his five Category One wins during the year - six in all - ranking him up with the very best the boss of Imperial Kennels has trained - above his two Derby winners, Blonde Snapper and Kinda Ready, and a host of other major champions and big-race winners. Proper Heiress himself reached the final of last year's Boyle Sports Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park.

"He'd have to be right up there - and probably at the top," Wallis said of the September 22 son of Droopys Sydney and Powerful Mush, affectionately known as 'Harry'.

"Harry's certainly the best competition dog of my career and those six Cat One wins were all incredible, with track records thrown in for good measure, too!

"He made numerous finals, including the Irish Derby final which had always been an ambition, and also won the Juvenile Championship at Towcester in what was considered to be one of the best line-ups for that race there's ever been. 

"That career record, plus being Greyhound of the Year, makes him, in my opinion, the best dog never to have won a Derby - albeit getting to the Shelbourne final and making the semi-finals at Towcester.

"Harry was quite simply phenomenal really and a beautiful well-natured greyhound, too. Myself and Mike (Davis, MWD Partnership) and all the team at Imperial Kennels owe him a huge debt. He's given us so much fun

"We'll look at the options for breeding but ultimately we'll find him the best home we can as he deserves a great life after such a brilliant career. Indeed, in years to come I’m sure he'll be much spoken about as a definite 'Hall of Famer' of racing greyhounds."

Bought out of Enniscorthy having won his semi-final of the Kiltrea Kennels on his second and final start in Ireland in 28.69sec - he was withdrawn from the decider - Proper Heiress made a winning UK debut for Wallis and the MWD Partnership in September 2024.

Sent to Sheffield for the Steel City Cup, he made the semi-finals of that event at Owlerton Stadium, going out behind subsequent Greyhound of the Year Wicky Ned.

He then made the semi-finals of the Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse at Nottingham, eliminated behind Romeo Steel. But then the penny dropped - and some - when sent to Hove for the Coral Olympic

"Hove was definitely where he came of age," said Wallis. "He was just brilliant throughout that competition and then to defend the title a year later was also brilliant. He also set a track record for 500m during the Gold Collar - so Hove was definitely one of his favourites, and it's just a shame we can't now go for a third Olympic title. That would have been special, but he owes us absolutely nothing, of course."

Proper Heiress's 2025 campaign began with a place in the final of the Blue Riband at Towcester where he never got a run in a race won by kennelmate Table Toppers. However, he was back in the big-race groove in winning the Ladbrokes Winter Derby at Monmore - and his run of success was now in full swing.

Adding the Arc Kent Plate at Central Park to his haul, Proper Heiress then won the Time Greyhound Nutrition at Juvenile Championship at Towcester, defeating Irish Derby champion Bockos Diamond and subsequent English Derby winner Droopys Plunge in a field considered one of the best assembled for the prestigious one-off.

Disappointingly knocked out at the second round stage of the Star Sports English Derby a few weeks later, a spell off afterwards saw Proper Heiress return in scintillating form, which precipitated a huge last six months of the year.

He raced unbeaten through the Coral Sussex Cup, went to Ireland for the BoyleSports Irish Derby at Shelbourne and was a rare UK entry to reach the final behind Cheap Sandwiches on a huge night for the sport on both sides of the Irish Sea, before returning to Hove to set a new 500m track record of 28.57sec in the heats of the Coral Gold Collar before missing out on a place in the final when third in the semis.

However, soon back on the winning trail again, Proper Heiress won his next eight races, racing unbeaten back at Nottingham for the PGR Eclipse at Nottingham, setting a then new track record of 28.95sec in the final, before also dominating another Coral Olympic to sign off 2025 on a huge winning note.

Edging Mongys Wild, another hugely prolific and high-class Wallis-trained runner for the GBGB Greyhound of the Year honour, Proper Heiress made his 2026 bow at Central Park as defending champion in the Arc Kent Plate, winning his heat and semi-final before going down in the final behind record-breaking Scooby The Lady.

Laid off afterwards with the Star Sports English Derby his main target, Proper Heiress made the semi-finals of the Classic.

"He gave his all at Towcester but just came up short and we had a decision to make then," continued Wallis. "We decided to give him some time off, knowing he was coming up to four.

"We talked about retirement then, but he was bouncing as the days wore on, so decided for one last hurrah. We pinpointed three events, a maximum of nine races, but with the understanding that it could be over quickly if he wasn't at his best. Then he comes out and does a track record at Central Park!

"But that was the measure of Harry. Along with Mongys Wild and New Destiny, all of whom were around at the same time, he's given us some of the best times in the history of Imperial Kennels.

"We've been incredibly lucky and, while all three are retired, they're all set for amazing retirements - and we go again! But with special memories, for sure."