Kilkenny trainers Paul Hennessey and Peter Cronin both have greyhounds nominated for the 2018 National Greyhound Racing Awards.
Gowran-based Hennessey’s Jaytee Jordan is nominated for the ‘Bitch of the Year’ award, having won the 2018 Sporting Press Irish Oaks.
Mooncoin man Cronin goes up against him for the same award, with Vancouver gaining a nomination. Vancouver reached the final of this year’s Munster Oaks in Waterford, was a winner of the Night of Stars Bitch 525 race and the Shelly Fennelly Memorial Final.
Also nominated for the same award is Ballymac Arminta for Kerry’s Liam Dowling.
Irish Greyhound Derby 2018 winner Ballyanne Sim is nominated for ‘Dog of the Year’, along with the Patrick Guilfoyle-trained Cabra Hurricane, winner of the Night of Stars 525 race, and Slippy Cian, trained by Graham Holland and owned by Limerick’s Full House Syndicate.
The ‘Special Merit’ award will be jointly presented to Bob Shanahan and Tim Keane, regular attendees at Limerick Greyhound Stadium. Bob has been a director of the stadium and a member of the local Advisory Council, as well as part of a number of syndicates, while Tim, also a member of the Advisory Council, is a former chairman of the Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders Federation and has owned greyhounds for nearly 50 years.
The ‘Hall of Fame’ award will be presented to Waterford’s Gerry Kiely.
The IGB ‘Welfare Award’ will be presented to Bridget Murphy (Ovens, Co. Cork), Patricia Tobin (Kilfeacle, Co. Tipperary) and Robert & Leslie Pullen (Loughrea, Co. Galway).
Gerard Dollard, CEO of the Irish Greyhound Board, commented: “The National Greyhound Racing Awards are a fitting way to showcase the very best that our sport has to offer, in both canine and human form. I wish to congratulate all nominees for their achievements. The high standard of quality across all categories is evidence of the commitment and passion that exists within the Irish greyhound sector.”
The winners of the awards will be revealed at a special ceremony in the Killashee House Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare, on Sunday, March 24.
Full list of nominees for the 2018 National Greyhound Racing Awards:
Dog of the Year
Ballyanne Sim
Cabra Hurricane
Slippy Cian
Bitch of The Year
Ballymac Arminta
Jaytee Jordan
Vancouver
Sprinter of the Year
Ardnasool Jet
Broadstrand Kiwi
Rossbirr Ranger
Stayer of the Year
Are Nagini
Ballykett Beauty
Javielenko
Brood Bitch of the Year
Ballydoyle Honey
Global Liberty
Sizzling Sarah
Stud Dog of the Year
Droopys Jet
Kinloch Brae
Laughill Blake
Future Star
Ballymac Anton
Killer Bee
Sliabh Liag
Special Merit Awards
Bob Shanahan
Tim Keane
Gerry Kiely
Welfare Awards
Bridget Murphy
Patricia Tobin
Lesley and Robert Pullen
