Towcester in final stages of Juvenile Championship planning

Juvenile Championship planning underway

Towcester has confirmed its intention to stage a Juvenile Championship in 2026.

The prestigious 500m one-off produced one of the best races of 2025 when Proper Heiress led home Droopys Plunge and Bockos Diamond.

The last-named pair subsequently finished first and second in the Star Sports English Derby, with Bockos Diamond then lining up as the reigning Irish Derby winner, while winner Proper Heiress is now a six-time Category One winner. He later also reached the Irish Derby final.

“That was some race and we’re definitely keen on repeating it,” said James Chalkley, Towcester’s head of racing.

“We’re working on the finer details just now and will submit an application to the GBGB’s Open Race Planning Committee next week.

“Subject to approval, we hope to announce something in due course, but it will be before the Derby and, as last year, becomes a race which excites everyone for the main event itself.”

Towcester are without a Category One event until the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby, the final of which is on Saturday, June 6.

“As everyone knows there’s been some changes here at Towcester and, while we are staging both the Juvenile Classic and the Produce Stakes in the second half of 2026, the first half of the year has helped us prepare things as best as possible for the Derby.

“We continue to make huge improvements to the track.

“We’ve had tonnes of new sand put down, have replaced parts of the hare rail, and purchased new equipment, plus our new trainers - mainly from Swindon and Oxford - have settled in. This has allowed us to fulfil our commitments to Premier Greyhound Racing.

“We’re now racing five times a week with Sundays still very much the open-race day, but Saturday nights will be back down the line.”