Hunt Cup
# Hunt Cup

The Hunt Cup is a greyhound racing competition held at Oxford Stadium in England.

## History

The race had its inaugural running during 1931 and was held at Reading Stadium (Oxford Road) over 400 yards, initially advertised as a major sprint event.

In 1933, an event at Blackpool Squires Gate Greyhound Stadium, also called the Hunt Cup was won by Beef Cutlet, who broke the world record for 500 yards straight in the semi-finals. However, the event was unrelated to this competition. From 1951 until 1957 the event was not held, but it was brought back in 1958 over 460 yards.

In 1974, the Oxford Road site was closed, and eventually the competition switched to the new Reading Stadium on Bennet Road by permission of the Greyhound Racing Association, who allowed Allied Presentations Ltd to re-introduce the event in 1978. However, once again the race ended because of yet another closure, when the stadium was sold by the council to developers during 2008.

After a 13-year absence, the event was brought back by promoter Kevin Boothby at Towcester Greyhound Stadium and Oxford Stadium.

## Past winners (since 1936)

| Year | Winner | Trainer | Time | SP | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1931 | Unknown | | | | |
| 1932 | Unknown | | | | |
| 1933 | Unknown | | | | |
| 1934 | Unknown | | | | |
| 1935 | Unknown | | | | |
| 1936 | Light Lucifer | Arthur Doc Callanan (Wembley) | 22.50 | 6/1 | |
| | 1937 cancelled due to insufficient entries | 1937 cancelled due to insufficient entries | 1937 cancelled due to insufficient entries | 1937 cancelled due to insufficient entries | 1937 cancelled due to insufficient entries |
| 1938 | Produski | Paddy Quigley (West Ham) | 22.11 | 9/4 | |
| 1939 | Brave Reward | J P Young (Private) | 22.51 | 7/1 | |
| | 1940-1944 not held | 1940-1944 not held | 1940-1944 not held | 1940-1944 not held | 1940-1944 not held |
| 1945 | Look Out Post | Jack Harvey (Wembley) | 22.14 | 7/2 | |
| 1946 | Ferry Robin | Paddy McEllistrim (Wimbledon) | 22.33 | 3/1 | |
| 1947 | Rowley | P. O'Shaughnessy (Wandsworth) | 22.32 | 6/1 | |
| 1948 | Kerry Rally | Paddy McEllistrim (Wimbledon) | 22.48 | 5/2jf | |
| 1949 | Burndennet Brook | Leslie Reynolds (Wembley) | 22.05 | 6/4f | |
| 1950 | Derrycrussan | Tom Smith (Clapton) | 22.00 | 4/6f | |
| | 1951-1957 not held | 1951-1957 not held | 1951-1957 not held | 1951-1957 not held | 1951-1957 not held |
| 1958 | Knockarea Chancer | Jack Harvey (Wembley) | 25.74 | 4/7f | |
| 1963 | Sir Walter | Jimmy Jowett (Clapton) | 28.05 | | |
| 1964 | Captain Pike | Phil Rees Sr. (Private) | 28.16 | 7/4jf | |
| 1965 | Silver Glory | Paddy McEvoy (Wimbledon) | 28.26 | | |
| 1966 | Shamrock Clipper | Phil Rees Sr. (Wimbledon) | 28.40 | | |
| 1967 | Lucky Me | Len Drewery (Private) | 28.33 | | |
| 1968 | Dreaming Prince | Reg Webb (Private) | 27.87 | 5/1 | |
| 1969 | Beaverwood Wind | Stan Martin (Wimbledon) | 27.89 | 7/4jf | |
| 1970 | Spotted Rory | Paddy McEllistrim (Wimbledon) | 28.48 | | |
| 1971 | Unknown | | | | |
| 1972 | Houghton Gyp | Barbara Tompkins (Private) | 28.01 | 5/2 | |
| 1973 | 21 June | | | | |
| | 1974-1977 not held | 1974-1977 not held | 1974-1977 not held | 1974-1977 not held | 1974-1977 not held |
| 1978 | Westmead Manor | Natalie Savva (Bletchley) | 39.65 | | |
| 1980 | Mogeely Honour | Terry Dartnall | 42.64 | 4/1 | |
| 1981 | Curragh Bridge | John Honeysett (Crayford) | 42.31 | 5/1 | |
| 1982 | Wolf Cub | Ray Iremonger (Slough) | 41.24 | 3/1 | |
| 1983 | Astrosyn Doll | Ray Peacock (Harringay) | 41.42 | | |
| 1984 | Hot Candy | John Copplestone (Portsmouth) | 42.08 | 8/1 | |
| 1985 | Spill the Beans | Tony Meek (Swindon) | 41.28 | | |
| 1986 | Milltown Genius | Kenny Linzell (Walthamstow) | 41.71 | 11/4 | |
| 1987 | Lowerton Susie | (Wimbledon) | 41.14 | | |
| 1988 | Waltham Abbey | Adam Jackson (Wembley) | 41.17 | | |
| 1989 | Trans Mercedes | Maldwyn Thomas (Reading) | | 8/11f | |
| 1990 | Coloured Panther | Jo Burridge (Portsmouth) | 41.55 | 7/2 | |
| 1991 | Snow Shoes | John McGee Sr. (Canterbury) | 41.16 | 2/1f | |
| 1992 | Airmount Flash | Jimmy Gibson (Belle Vue) | 41.19 | 11/10f | |
| 1993 | Johns Banana | John McGee Sr. | | 8/1 | |
| 1994 | Sonic Blue | Arthur Hitch (Wimbledon) | | 5/2 | |
| 1995 | 5 Dec | | | | |
| 1996 | 14 Dec | | | | |
| 1997 | Lydpal Frankie | Tony Meek (Hall Green) | 41.49 | 9/2 | |
| 1998 | Palace Issue | Linda Mullins (Walthamstow) | 41.10 | 4/7f | |
| 1999 | Palace Issue | Linda Mullins (Walthamstow) | 41.80 | 8/11f | |
| 2000 | Palace Issue | Linda Mullins (Walthamstow) | 41.32 | 1/6f | |
| 2001 | Southlodge Rage | Nick Colton (Oxford) | 41.34 | 5/2 | |
| 2002 | Princess Manor | Jo Burridge (Poole) | 41.15 | 16/1 | |
| 2003 | Double Take | Andy Heyes (Belle Vue) | 40.50 | 7/4f | Track record |
| 2004 | Shelbourne Lyn | Nick Colton (Oxford) | 41.25 | 7/4f | |
| 2005 | Call Girl | Paul Foster (Swindon) | 41.94 | 5/2jf | |
| 2006 | Well Tutored | Terry Dartnall (Reading) | 41.31 | 4/1 | |
| 2007 | Spankee Moved | Heather Dimmock (Peterborough) | 41.18 | 9/4 | |
| | 2008-2020 not held | 2008-2020 not held | 2008-2020 not held | 2008-2020 not held | 2008-2020 not held |
| 2021 | Salacres Pippy | Peter Harnden (Towcester) | 42.90 | 9/4 | Track record |
| 2022 | Chelms Cub | Jason Heath (Hove) | 43.17 | 11/1 | |
| 2023 | Havana Lover | Liz McNair (Central Park) | 39.41 | 11/8f | |

## Venues & Distances

* 1931–1950 (Reading Oxford Road, 400y)
* 1958–1971 (Reading Oxford Road, 460y)
* 1972–1973 (Reading Oxford Road, 500y)
* 1978–1978 (Reading Bennett Road, 635m)
* 1980–2007 (Reading Bennett Road, 660m)
* 2021–2022 (Towcester, 712m)
* 2023–present (Oxford, 650m)

## Sponsors

* 1971, 1980 (Stadium Bookmakers)
* 1984–1989 (Hall's Oxford Brewery)
* 1990–1992 (Castlemaine XXXX)
* 1993–1996 (Carlsberg Tetley)
* 2021–2022 (Stadium Bookmakers)
* 2023–2023 (Bet365)
