1935 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

1935 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
←  1934 1936  →

The 1935 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the tenth year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. ^[1]

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
1935 English Greyhound Derby [2]	Greta Ranee
1935 Irish Greyhound Derby [3]	Roving Yank
1935 Scottish Greyhound Derby [4]	Olives Best

Summary

The sport remained extremely popular, with attendances exceeding 20 million for a fourth successive year. Racing was an affordable national pastime in the United Kingdom and Ireland and profits made by the tracks enabled the greyhound companies to flourish. Major-General Lord Loch (chairman) announced that the nations leading Greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) made an operating profit of over £136,000 during 1935 (a substantial figure at the time). ^[5]

The construction of new tracks had slowed considerably but the GRA announced their plans to build Harringay Arena. ^[5] and also purchased Stenhouse Stadium. ^[6]

Greta Ranee won the 1935 English Greyhound Derby before a record crowd of 88,700. ^{[2] [7]}

Tracks

Clyde F.C.'s financial difficulties led to them selling Shawfield Stadium to the Shawfield Greyhound Racing Company Ltd, continuing to play there as tenants. A similar problem arose at East End Park, home to Dunfermline Athletic F.C., the introduction of greyhound racing saved the club from going bankrupt. Four new directors joined the original three to form Romford Stadium Ltd and at Romford Greyhound Stadium they invested £17,000 to build extra stands and kennels. The company would also soon take ownership of the nearby Dagenham Greyhound Stadium. ^[8]

The Dearne Athletic and Sports Stadium closed resulting in the directors applying for a licence at Oaks Lane, off the Doncaster Road in Barnsley, but it was refused. Park Royal Stadium was enlarged for use by Acton and Willesden rugby league club and Captain Ramsbottom sold Towneley Stadium to the Burnley Corporation who then closed the track in November.

Tracks opened

Date	Stadium/Track	Location
5 March	Hendon Greyhound Stadium	London
11 September	Ipswich Stadium	Ipswich
unknown	Rye House Stadium	Hertfordshire
unknown	Galway Sportsgrounds	Galway
unknown	Mexborough Greyhound Stadium	Mexborough

Competitions

The pre-Derby events got underway and the Gold Collar saw St Leger champion Bosham defeat 1934 English Greyhound Derby runner-up Grey Raca by a head with hot favourite Jacks Joke and promising newcomer Great Ranee both unplaced in the final. ^[9]

For a third year running Creamery Border reached the Scurry Gold Cup final only to be beaten by a short head by Jack's Joke in a track record time of 23.15. Jack's Joke had already set a new track record of 23.27 in round one. The time set by Creamery border in his defeat was 23.19, the second ever fastest time. Despite the fact that he was coming up to five years old he went on to win the Chelsea Cup at Stamford Bridge, beating Ripe Cherry and setting a new track and world record of 28.01 seconds for 500 yards. When he was retired to stud he became a prominent sire and died aged fourteen and a half. ^[10]

Ataxy returned to White City in August and set a new 550 yard record when recording 30.97 sec and then set a second record over 525 yards recording 29.56 sec. After this Kitshine beat Curleys Fancy and Stout Heart in the Laurels final. ^{[11] [12]}

The St Leger went to Satans Baby (winner of the 1934 and 1935 Daily Mirror Trophy) after defeating a field that including Bosham. Kitshine completed a successful season when winning the Oaks. Ataxy had timed his runs too late for the Derby but was installed as hot favourite for the forthcoming Cesarewitch. The brindle defeated Brilliant Bob by twelve lengths in round one at odds of 1-6f, defeated Bosham in the second round opposition by over ten lengths and set a national record of 33.67. In the semi-final Ataxy broke the world record time over 660 yards, he ran in eight lengths clear of Grand Flight II recording 33.50. Unfortunately in the final Ataxy found considerable trouble and came home fourth. ^{[11] [12]}

A new competition called the Pall Mall Stakes took place at Harringay Stadium. Shove Halfpenny, sired by Town Treasure out of Princess Karl and whelped in July 1933 was the winner, despite the fact that it was his first important race, After winning his qualifying heats; he defeated his rival, Grand Flight II, in the final by a head after being baulked on the first bend. The final was actually held on 4 January 1936 being the last major event of year the heats were in December. ^{[11] [12]}

News

Brilliant Bob was retired to stud.

Principal UK races

Gold Collar, Catford (May 18, 400y, £1,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Bosham Leslie Reynolds 5-1 32.84 6 2nd Grey Raca Les Parry 10-3 32.86 4 3rd Fat Lincense Hammond 100-7 33.10 5 U Jack's Joke Claude Champion 4-5f 1 U Greta Ranee Albert Jonas 5-1 2 U Shed Labourer Dal Hawkesley 100-6 3

Grand National, White City (Jun 8, 525y h, £300) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Quarter Cross Sidney Probert 7-2 30.76 1 2nd Hawtrey Harry Buck 4-1 30.79 3 3rd King of the Road Sidney Probert 100-6 31.43 2 4th Kilganny Bridge Patrick Higgins 4-7f 32.07 4

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Jul 20, 525y, £130) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Olive's Best Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 4-7f 30.16 1 2nd Olive's Beauty 2 3rd Hillelevator 4 U Nsuak U Olive's Dearest U Konoto

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Aug 3, 400y, £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Jack's Joke Claude Champion 10-11f 23.15 TR 1 2nd Creamery Border Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 5-1 23.19 3 3rd Famous Judgment Johnny Bullock 9-1 23.67 4 U Cash Collector Dal Hawkesley 10-1 2 U Famous Judge Johnny Bullock 5-1 5 U Sherwood Tiger Harry Buck 20-1 6

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 30, 500y, £700) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Kitshine Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 3-1 29.05 6 2nd Curleys Fancy II Joe Harmon 13-8f 29.06 4 3rd Stout Heart Bill Cowell 6-1 29.09 1 U Garrick Jack Harvey 100-8 2 U Fresh Judgment Johnny Bullock 5-1 3 U Final Record Stanley Biss 5-1 5

St Leger, Wembley (Sep 27, 700y, £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Satans Baby Les Parry 10-11f 40.95 3 2nd Bosham R Bunday 11-8 40.97 1 3rd The Daw Sidney Probert 10-1 41.45 4 4th Money Over Sidney Probert 8-1 41.69 2

Oaks, White City (Oct 5, 525y, £300) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Kitshine Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 11-2 30.12 4 2nd Peakland Jean (Derby) 20-1 30.68 3 3rd Ripe Cherry Johnny Bullock 2-1f 30.70 5 U Chicken Sandwich Arthur Doc Callanan 10-3 1 U Flawless Jewel Johnny Bullock 3-1 2 U Gallant Ruth Harry Buck 7-1 6

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 23, 600y, £450) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Grand Flight II Jim Syder Sr. 33-1 33.97 6 2nd Shove Halfpenny Charlie Ashley 7-1 34.00 2 3rd Ataxy Charlie Ashley 1-4f 34.06 4 U Bosham R Bunday 33-1 1 U Money Over Sidney Probert 50-1 3 U Itchok Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 100-7 5

Key

U = unplaced
TR = Track Record

References

1. Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. Ringpress Books. ISBN   186054-010-4.
2. Dack, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years. Ringpress Books. pp. 70–71. ISBN   0-948955-36-8.
3. Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
4. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154. Raceform. ISBN   978-1-905153-53-4.
5. ""Greyhound Racing Association Trust." Times, 1 Feb. 1936, p. 20". The Times . February 1936. p. 20.
6. "Bid For Edinburgh Greyhound Track 30 November". The Evening Telegraph. 1935.
7. ""Greyhound Racing." Times [London, England] 8 July 1935". The Times .
8. Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN   0-85020-0474.
9. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   07207-1106-1.
10. "Hall of Fame". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
11. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-15-5.
12. Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   0-7207-1804-X.