2004 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

Irish racing was experiencing promising growth with increased prize money for competitions including the richest ever prize for a marathon event when the Corn Cuchulainn offered €50,000 for the winner at Harold's Cross.^[3]

The situation in Britain was not as simple after Richard Caborn, the Minister for Sport announced that it had been agreed that the bookmakers levy fund would increase to 0.5% in 2004, 0.55% in 2005 and 0.6% in 2006 and therefore doubling the sports income to £16 million within the three years.^[4] However the statement was incorrect because a 0.1% increase after three years would mean only a one sixth increase (16.6%).^[4] The promise turned out to be false because the levy fund actually decreased significantly over the next five years.^[5]

Droopys Scholes won the 2004 English Greyhound Derby^[6] and Like A Shot won the 2004 Irish Greyhound Derby.^[7] Charlie Lister won the Greyhound Trainer of the Year and Derby finalist, Arc, East Anglian Derby and Oxfordshire Gold Cup winner Fire Height Dan won the Greyhound of the Year.^[4]

Coventry opened under new management after an 18-year absence.^[4]

English Derby champion Farloe Verdict won the Scottish Greyhound Derby setting a new track record in the final. Brian Clemenson claimed his third successive Trainers Championship at Coventry. A brindle bitch called Roxholme Girl won the St Leger and the Gold Collar, the latter in a new track record time at the competition's new home of Belle Vue Stadium.^[4]

Trainer Tommy Foster retired from Wimbledon Stadium to concentrate on a small open race kennel and his son Jason joined Oxford Stadium.^[4]