The Greyhound Derby first round will now be 28 heats across two nights
There was an announcement made at lunchtime that the opening round of the Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd. English Greyhound Derby will be across two nights not three.
Two nights of heats now for the Derby
Towcester will stage next week's first round of the Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd. English Greyhound Derby across two nights - not three as originally intended.
Heats will now take place on Friday and Saturday - May 1 and May 2 - after a 166-strong entry made for 28 heats, with bumper 14-race Derby cards set to be staged on each night.
The decision was made in consultation with the Greyhound Board of Great Britain and Towcester is confident the revised format will deliver two of the most action-packed opening nights the Derby has seen.
The two-night structure is also expected to ease the travel burden for trainers, a number of whom could otherwise have faced trips to Towcester across three separate evenings.
Explaining the decision, Towcester's head of racing James Chalkley said: "Three nights are always set aside, but having '28 heats certainly gave us an option which we felt might suit everyone.
"However, until knowing the exact numbers in terms of entries, we couldn't even consider that. Thursday bookings had been taken but we are now in touch with those who booked to explain the situation - and, of course, to those who have made travel arrangements.
"We are still racing that day, however, as part of our commitment to Premier Greyhound Racing (PGR).
"And in terms of making it two first-round nights as opposed to three, we are hopefully helping trainers in terms of travel to and from Towcester on possibly three nights for some."
Chalkley has confirmed that of the 28 heats, 25 will be for six runners and three will be five-runner contests. That comes after the news this morning that Bouncing Monarch has been withdrawn by trainer David Fradgely.
A separate draw will be held to determine which of the six-runner heats will be four-to-qualify. The remainder, including the two five-runner heats, will be three-to-qualify.
"That will give us the 96 runners into the second round and these, as scheduled, will be staged across two nights Friday and Saturday - May 8 and May 9."
2026 English Greyhound Derby - Full Schedule
Round 1 - Friday 1 May & Saturday 2 May
Round 2 - Friday 8 May & Saturday 9 May
Round 3 - Saturday 16 May
Quarter-final - Saturday 23 May
Semi-final - Saturday 30 May
Final - Saturday 6 June
