Frank Kennedy Memorial
309 Days
To Go
Richmond
RACE RECORD30.18
Avg race time36.81
Avg 1st section9.53
The Frank Kennedy Memorial is a supporting feature on the Richmond club's night of night, the evening they stage the Derby and Oaks Finals.

Frank Kennedy was an iconic media figure in NSW during the halcyon days the sport in the 1960s and 1970s.

The former champion boxer became a trainer and promoter before pioneering greyhound broadcasts on 2KA Katoomba.

Frank’s big break came in the early 1960’s when he took over broadcasting the greyhounds on the old straight track at Richmond when Ian Craig went over to radio station 2UE.

The Richmond club asked Frank to fill in until a course announcer could be found, and so pleased with his work the club offered him the job as the permanent broadcaster.

Frank Kennedy went on to cover the action from Wollongong, Bulli, Gosford, Dapto and later moved to Sydney's 2UE and called at Wentworth Park and Harold Park.

Frank was an outstanding television performer he was a much loved panel member and remembered for his lively appearances on the Punters Post Mortem which was part of Channel 7’s Sunday Sports show.

Frank Kennedy died aged just 51 in 1977, and the race at the club he truly loved, in some small way, continues his memory.

The event was won in 2020 by promising middle distance performer Good Juan, then by a roughie in 2021, Syd Swain's Hundred Degrees at $26.

In 2022 it was the John Finn-trained Zipping Alabama who would take out the event before going back in distance soon after and winning her way through to the Million Dollar Chase Grand Final.

Zipping Alabama

In 2024, Aussie Brad won the race for trainer Mark Bell, who wound back the clock in his post-race victory speech in honour of the legendary race caller, 

“When I was a kid, my grandmother, she lived in the same street as Les Harper, next door actually. She had greyhounds and what we’d do, on a Sunday morning, we’d go over to grandma’s place and listen to the replays of the races,” Bell said.

“Back then you used to get a record, so we’d sit around and listen to the record be played of the races at Wentworth Park or Harold Park on the Saturday night and it was the man [Frank Kennedy], the greatest. My grandmother loved him, everyone, he was just the best race caller ever and still probably to this day.”

“It is special, I know it’s only a low grade race, 1-4 win, but it does mean a lot because the man was a genius. I had him [Aussie Brad] in Western Australia getting trained and was told he was no good so we advertised him over there for $2,000 and he’s won $34,000 since he’s come back, so he’s going alright."

2024 Frank Kennedy Memorial winner Aussie Brad with connections