Major Stakes Boost For Champion Puppy Series

IN a boon for owners and trainers, Greyhound Racing South Australia (GRSA) has announced a 75 per cent increase in prizemoney for the time-honoured Champion Puppy Series.

The event, first staged in 1981, will boast $25,000 in prizemoney in 2025, a significant rise from the $14,275 purse in 2024.

Heats are slated for Angle Park on Thursday, July 10 with the $17,000-to-the-winner finale to be staged a week later on Thursday, July 17.

The Champion Puppy is an age restricted classic for greyhounds whelped on or after July 1, 2023 (maidens excluded).

Included among the array of stars to have won the race include 2005 winner Bothing which went on to win the Group 1 National Distance Championship and sprint star Ernie Bung Arrow which scored in 2013 before going on to annex the Group 1 Adelaide Cup.

More recently,  Zinfandel Trace prevailed in 2024, using the race as a springboard to a successful staying career where she won the SA Distance Final by over 14 lengths.

Nominations for the heats of the Champion Puppy close with GRSA on Monday July 7 at 9am.

The Champion Puppy increase is part of a raft of changes made to SA feature events with more details to come.