The Juvenile is a greyhound racing competition held annually at Towcester Greyhound Stadium.
Sponsors 1957–1966 (Greyhound Express) 1978–1998 (Sporting Life) 1999–2023 (Racing Post) 2024–2025 (Time Greyhound Nutrition)
Race history It was inaugurated in 1957 at Wimbledon Stadium and was known as the Greyhound Express Merit Puppy Trophy but in 1964 it was renamed the Juvenile. The event is an invitation competition for the best six greyhounds who still have a puppy status.
In 2017 the race switched to Central Park Stadium in Sittingbourne following the closure of Wimbledon Stadium. The relocation of the competition to Central Park continued a family legacy for the Cearns family who had been connected with the race when it was first held in 1957.
From 2018 the competition was held at Owlerton Stadium before switching to Towcester Greyhound Stadium in 2021.
Venues 1957–2011 (Wimbledon, 460m) 2012–2016 (Wimbledon, 480m) 2017–2017 (Central Park, 480m) 2018–2020 (Sheffield, 500m) 2021–present (Towcester, 500m)
Past winners YearWinnerBreedingTrainerTime (sec)SPNotes/RefGreyhound Express Merit Puppy Trophy1957Beware Champ The Grand Champion – Beware of Me Paddy Fortune (Wimbledon) 1958Varra Black Nose Glittering Look – Typhoon JaneDennis Hannafin (Wimbledon) 1959Armed Escort Ballymac Ball – Little Expert Ted Brennan (Owlerton) 28.69 1960Ballinasloe Molly Northern Champion - Ballinasloe Baytown Crust W Tabbush 29.14 1961Sally's Chat Hi There – Sallys Gossip Tony Dennis (Private) 28.50 1962Rocket Ranger Solar Prince – Inlers Ena Phil Rees Sr. (Wimbledon) 29.23 1963Pineapple JoeClopook - Sight UnseenDennis Hannafin (Wimbledon) 28.52 5/4fThe Juvenile1964Hi JoeOdd Venture - Hi PooleNoreen Collin (Private)28.65 4/7f1965Morden MistSuper Orange - Denver HettyClare Orton (Wimbledon)29.08 4/6f1966Forward FlashCrazy Parachute - Supreme WitchJack Brennan (Owlerton) 28.50 10/11967Fire TrapClonmannon Fire – Spring Trap Paddy McEvoy (Wimbledon)28.06 5/11968Mountleader GlenBoro Parachute – Rose of York John Horsfall (Catford)28.53 100/71969Sovereign MintMaryville Hi – Cormackstown Beauty Peter Collett (Private)28.21 3/11970 Dolores Rocket Newdown Heather - Come On DoloresHerbert White (Private)28.24 7/21971Short InterviewThe Grand Silver - Pride Of Corrin Tom Johnston Jr. (Wembley)27.98 10/11972Black BanjoMonalee Champion - Brook DenselBarney O'Connor (Walthamstow)28.10 11/8f1973MyrtownMyross Again - Longstown LassieEddie Moore (White City - Manchester)28.11 5/4f1974Head The PollKilbeg Kuda – Zuider Zee Phil Rees Sr. (Wimbledon)28.56 7/11975Xmas HolidaySupreme Fun - Mary's SnowballPhil Rees Sr. (Wimbledon)28.31 7/4f1976Instant GamblerItsachampion - SabrinaDave Drinkwater (Bletchley) 28.98 9/41977Prince HillOwn Pride - Dainty BeautyJoe Kelly (Leeds)28.20 8/11978Schofield FishMinnesota Miller – Funny Fish Jack Coker (Oxford)28.26 10/11979Sport PromoterBreakaway Town - Kensington Queen Pat Mullins (Cambridge)27.70 8/11f1980Upland TigerFree Speech - Bresheen George Curtis (Hove)27.48 1/2fTrack record1981Kris Is BackAll Wit – Faypoint Flyer Tom Johnston Jr. (Wembley)28.16 9/21982Mountkeefe StarNameless Star – Hi Land Peg Geoff De Mulder (Coventry)27.86 12/11983Westmead MilosAll Wit - Westmead Satin Natalie Savva (Milton Keynes)27.73 3/11984Hong Kong MikeKnockrour Slave - AmaltheaRay Andrews (Belle Vue)27.80 6/4f1986Fearless ActionRon Hardy - Sarahs Bunny Geoff De Mulder (Oxford)27.64 8/11f1987Spiral DarkieLindas Champion - Spiral ThreeGary Baggs (Ramsgate)27.96 10/11988Wendys DreamTamarac - Up Town GirlTom Foster (Wimbledon)27.77 4/5f1989Bimbo BirdCitizen Supreme - Active BimboSam Sykes (Wimbledon)28.03 5/11990Druids JohnoWhisper Wishes - Hotsauce MistakePatsy Byrne (Canterbury)28.10 6/4f1991Slaneyside HareSkelligs Tiger - Slaneyside QueenGeorge Lightfoot (Norton Canes)27.76 7/-4f1992Right MoveDaleys Gold - Westmead Move Nick Savva (Private)27.66 7/21993Our TimmyAghadown Timmy - Neat DishJim Barrett (Cradley Heath)27.84 6/11994Ayr FlyerArdfert Sean - Slaneyside GloryDawn Wheatley (Nottingham)27.63 2/7f1995Bonmahon DarkieCarmels Prince - Debs TickTerry Dartnall (Wimbledon)27.66 11/10f1996Droopys Aldo Slippys Quest - The Other Point Henry Tasker (Perry Barr)28.35 9/4jf1997Black Gem CharmSlaneyside Hare - Perrys CharmerPhilip Rees Jr. (Wimbledon)27.98 5/4f1998Ground Zero Slaneyside Hare – Glue Vixen Geoff De Mulder (Milton Keynes)27.95 3/11999I'm Okay Cry Dalcash - Farloe PostBarrie Draper (Sheffield) 27.79 5/4f2000Knockanroe RoverMountleader Peer - Seanos MissPaul Stringer (Private)27.84 3/12001Reactabond Rebel Some Picture - Droopys LorrainePaul Young (Romford) 28.05 3/12002Top Savings Top Honcho - Too BreezyGarry Adam (Private)27.56 4/5f2003On Line DealStaplers Jo - Lady BallydanielPaul Young (Romford)28.21 3/12004Kinda SpookyTop Honcho - Kinda SwellLinda Jones (Walthamstow)28.44 6/12005Toms ViewToms The Best - Deneview PearlPhil McComish (Nottingham) 27.81 4/6f2006Droopys LomasiKnockeevan Major - Droopys BeautyStephen Dimmock (Milton Keynes)28.00 25/12007Express EgoTop Honcho - Airport ExpressOwen McKenna (Ireland) 27.42 6/4f2008Ballymac UnderBallymac Maeve - Ballymac LarkMatt Dartnall (Reading)27.81 4/7f2009Fear Zafonic Premier Fantasy-Farloe Oyster Charlie Lister (Private) 27.97 4/5f2010Ten Large Down Royal Impact - Honey Princess Diane Henry (Private) 28.10 8/12011Blue ArtisanDroopys Maldini – Poolie PrideHarry Williams (Sunderland) 28.59 6/12012Eden StarTop Savings – Aranock Val Barrie Draper (Sheffield] 28.59 6/4f2013Ballymac Eske Burnpark Champ – Ballymac Penske Barrie Draper (Sheffield) 28.41 5/4f2014Droopys OdellBlackstone Gene - Droopys Quinta Seamus Cahill (Hove) 28.84 6/12015Ballymac Brogan Ballymac Vic – Bawna Elsa Seamus Cahill (Hove) 28.39 9/22016Ballymac Ramsey Droopys Scolari – Ballymac RazlBarrie Draper (Sheffield) 28.65 7/22017Murrys ActTullymurry Act – Brave MeaveKevin Boon (Yarmouth)28.9912/12018Bull Run ButtonBallymac Eske – Tullowmac Java Barrie Draper (Sheffield) 28.869/42019Seaglass PhantomDroopys Jet – Beanfield Parke Patrick Janssens (Central Park) 28.605/22020Ice on FireCrash – Bigmans Grainne James Fenwick (Newcastle) 29.212/5f2021Ballymac TrendBallymac Best – Motobar Abigail Kevin Boon (Towcester) 29.627/12022Bubbly ApacheLoughteen Blanco – Droopys Berry Paul Young (Romford) 29.634/6f2023ArkadyDroopys Jet – Good Legacy David Mullins (Romford) 29.507/12024Faypoint HarveyDroopys Sydney – Roaming Shari Graham Holland (Ireland) 29.2111/8f2025Proper HeiressDroopys Sydney – Powerful Mush Mark Wallis (Private)28.6210/3
References