The Group 1 Ladbrokes National Futurity and Ladbrokes National Derby are time-honoured events with more than 120 years of history between them.
The inaugural National Futurity was run in 1964 as an event for bitches to complement the National Derby which had begun a year earlier. The first winner of the National Futurity was Cultured Girl. Some other brilliant females to have won the Futurity include Promises Free (1982), Winifred Bale (1983), Turbo Top (1984), and Striker Light (2017).
Here's our runner-by-runner guide of the 2024 Ladbrokes National Futurity:
Showed great early speed (5.35 to the first mark) in the heats and finished right on the heels of Gets Late Early in her first look at Wentworth Park and most importantly, in her first run over 520m. Now she gets the aide of the prized inside draw and with that run under her belt, she looms as arguably the one to beat. Could her and brother History’s Coming join Zipping Sapporo and Zipping Moose (2021) as siblings to win the Futurity/Derby double.
Hurricane Reign is a litter sister to Derby finalist History's Coming
The first of the regally-bred litter sisters for Team Finn hoping to give the kennel their first Futurity win since Winsome Charlee in 2013. She hasn’t shown as much promise as some of the littermates Gets Late Early (six wins), Both Bowers Ace (seven wins), Poco Rico (six wins) and Binalong Time (six wins) but she does have an experience edge over most of her final field rivals. 10 starts at Wentworth Park (for two wins and five placings) cannot be understated and she’s drawn well.
Second fastest heat win (outside Aunt Virginia) and it was setup off the back of the fastest first section of all finalists. If she can go 5.30 to the post again from Box 3, she will take a power of running down. However, in her only other run at the track she produced a 5.63 first split. Has used a bit of the track in both runs at Wenty Park so may want to fan wide through the catching pen but will have two classy types baring down on her from Box 4 and 5.
Slowest of the four heat winners but did have to ride some hefty contact through the first turn which may have cost her a length or two. Her best of 29.71 would probably be good enough to win this race and importantly, she’s boxed to the advantage of her main danger in Aunt Virginia (5). Teresa has had a dozen starts at Wenty and barely has a bad run on the record (six wins and five placings) and she is the littermate to potential stars in Zipping Megatron and Zipping Optimise.
Backed up her scintillating 29.49 trial performance with an equally impressive race win in a time of 29.59 - that mark would have been good enough to win all bar one of the last 10 Futurity titles. She’s boxed poorly but she probably can’t lead them anyway so her best chance might be to tuck in behind the early speed and unleash down the back straight. She flew home in 11.62 in the heats so if she is on the tail of the leaders up the back, she will be mighty hard to hold out.
Second of the Victorians having a crack at our age-restricted bitches race and the kennel know a thing or two about winning big races away from home. Her heat performance was admirable and you’d think she will only improve after a look at Wentworth Park. She’s a 29.57 winner at Sandown but unsure she has the wheels to win this race from Box 6, and with so much talent underneath her, the best she can hope for is a spot on the podium.
GROOVEBIRD is attempting to win the Britton kennel it's first Futurity title since Circle Of Dreams in 2019
Slowest qualifier and poorly boxed so will find it difficult to feature in this final on a track she’s yet to win at in five attempts. Has gone 5.38 to the first mark so if she can repeat that, she may find herself near the front at the post first time around. Most likely gets caught wide on the track though and will have the added pressure coming down on her from a decent beginner outside. Long shot and is yet to break 30 seconds at Wenty Park.
Boxes win finals and unfortunately for Camilla Keeping, she will need a lot of luck to salute from Box 8. If she was drawn inside, you could make a case she’d be one of the hardest to beat. Her flying track and trip PB of 29.58 came just two weeks ago, she’s a multiple winner and is yet to miss the top two in five runs at Wenty Park, and she’s getting stronger with each race (equal second quickest run home time in the heats).
First held in 1963, the inaugural National Derby was taken out by Keen Linen, with the connections receiving £1500, for winning what was the richest greyhound race in the country.
Some of the champions of the sport have won the Derby, including Roman Earl (1966), General Jeff (1980), RAPID SUPREME (1985), and Worth Doing (1989).
Here's our runner-by-runner guide of the 2024 Ladbrokes National Derby:
A Young Star runner-up behind Rocket Riot in October, Blue Falcon was having his first race in close to three months in the heats and still managed to clock 29.95. Didn’t have the clearest path in running behind You Never Lose but was taking ground of him late, so with natural improvement to come and the added bonus of Box 1, Blue Falcon looks like a real threat in this race. Kennel is flying and is drawn to get a great run on the fence.
Second fastest qualifier for the final and oldest dog in the race which counts for something. Once he found the front in the heats, he was always going to be hard to hold out. That said, there was no early pace, so with the likes of History’s Coming, Good Odds Cobber and Eyes To Eyes drawn outside him in this field, he is set to cop all sorts of pressure early. Best hope is running 5.50 odd to the bend and hoping to find a spot behind the leaders. If he stays within a length or two of the them up the back, his run home time of 11.58 (fastest of all finalists) will put him right in the finish.
Continues a good run of form for the kennel and has the early pace to be on speed as they approach the first bend. It’ll be ‘hold your breath’ type stuff for Barry Gibbons as they whip past the post for the first time because the #1, #4, #6 and #7 will all be alongside Luai Banner and charging for the lead. Could give cheek if he finds the front but the heat time of 30.10 won’t be good enough to win this race and he would need to lower his track and trip PB of 29.98 by a few lengths to take it out.
Been the subject of good support since markets went up but he is the youngest dog in the race by some margin. Pushed Good Odds Cobber for the first 100m in the heats (5.37 first section) and didn’t shirk the task despite going down by 4.5 lengths. The time of 29.65 was fantastic for a first race start at the track and debut effort over 520m, and with that run under his belt, he should be able to find a bit more in the final. Needs some room to accelerate early on but has smashed the clock (and his rivals) at Bulli consistently and yet to miss a placing in nine starts.
Hasn’t quite found his mojo at Wentworth Park yet with four runs producing two placings only. His heat time of 29.80 was encouraging though and he has run 29.61 and 29.66 at Dapto so the grounding is there for him to go quicker at Wenty. The draw makes things tough though with the race favourites set to be all over him in the early stages. Already has eight wins from 17 starts and this race has been the target for a while so could surprise.
Deserved favourite after slashing efforts to win the Gosford Gold Cup two back (29.31) before coming back to Wenty Park and running 29.33 in the heats. The cherry draw certainly made life easier for ‘Cob’ last week, but Box 6 could prove more difficult. Main rival is drawn outside though which is handy, and his Box 6 record (unbeaten in three starts) suggests he will be OK. A repeat of the 29.33 effort wins this final and he went three tenths quicker than second fastest qualifier, Bianca’s Boy.
Has really come of age over the last few months with Nev Brown putting it down to the dog maturing beautifully. He’s had the most race starts in the field (31), he’s got the most wins (13), most wins at Wenty Park (6) and he’s clocked the second fastest time at track and trip (29.54), so there’s plenty to like about him. The box is a knock though (even though he’s run some big races from the pink) and I just can’t see him crossing the favourite.
Most lightly raced so probably has the biggest upside. Was a bit of a surprise packet in the heats (29.90) but did attract good support leading in so watch the market again. Knocked off Blue Falcon in the heats after a great front running effort but was paddling a bit late. Went 5.44 to the first mark in the preliminaries but several of these boy’s can run those numbers so can’t see how he gets near the fence. Having Good Odds Cobber and Eyes To Eyes drawn immediately inside could certainly help if he can follow that pair into the race.
