1938 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

1938 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
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The 1938 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 13th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. ^[1]

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
1938 English Greyhound Derby [2]	Lone Keel
1938 Irish Greyhound Derby [3]	Abbeylara
1938 Scottish Greyhound Derby [4]	Roeside Scottie

Summary

1938 in the United Kingdom was a place of tension due to the unrest in Europe and the ongoing negotiations between the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain and Germany. However the public continued to embrace greyhound racing which was an affordable national pastime. Attendances at the National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) licensed tracks topped 26 million with totalisator turnover recorded as £39,352,839. ^[5] The track tote deduction was 6% and the government tote tax was an additional 6%.

The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) significantly increased profits once again. The operating profit for 1938 was £278,000 (a substantial figure at the time) and attendances at GRA tracks increased rose to 4,408,412. ^[6] The GRA also invested heavily into their breeding facility on the company owned Fan Court Farm, on the Longcross Road in Chertsey, Surrey. ^[6]

Lone Keel won the 1938 English Greyhound Derby, he was jointly owned by Staines Greyhound Stadium's owner Jack Walsh and William Hill (the founder of the betting company. ^{[7] [8]}

The All England Cup was introduced at Brough Park as the most significant event outside of London and the trophy was presented by Helen Percy, Duchess of Northumberland. ^[9]

Glen Ranger won the Golden Crest, ^[10] reached three major finals and broke multiple track records throughout the year. ^[11]

Tracks

Six known tracks were opened, three of which were in Scotland. Independent tracks were common north of the border with many choosing not to apply for NGRC status and remaining as small unlicensed tracks.

Tracks opened

Date	Stadium/Track	Location
9 July	Denny Stadium	Denny
14 September	Hartlepool Stadium	Hartlepool
1 October	Coundon Greyhound Stadium	Coundon, County Durham
3 November	Houghton Stadium	Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham
21 December	Raploch Park	Larkhall
unknown date	North End Greyhound Stadium	Cowdenbeath
unknown date	Pontefract Greyhound Stadium	Pontefract

Competitions

Trainer Joe Harmon experienced considerable success with his pair of kennels brothers, Puppy Derby champion Junior Classic and Juvenile Classic and Trafalgar Cup champion Quarter Day. Junior Classic overcame a tough field in the Gold Collar, a competition that included 1937 English Greyhound Derby champion Wattle Bark, now trained by Leslie Reynolds and Scurry Gold Cup champion Hexham Bridge. One week earlier Juvenile Classic had jumped to glory in the Grand National. ^[12]

Jesmond Cutlet made an unsuccessful attempt at defending his Scottish Greyhound Derby title, when well beaten by favourite Roe Side Scottie in July and during the same month Orlucks Best won the Scurry Gold Cup, one year after he finished runner up in the same event. ^[13] Ballyhennessy Sandills retained his Laurels crown, a great achievement because the final consisted of Wattle Bark, Bealtaine and Roe Side Scottie. ^[14] Quarter Day claimed the Oaks from Gretas Rosary.

Nine days later Gretas Rosary picked up the St Leger winner's prize at Wembley. The blue brindle and white bitch had a qualifying heat in between the two classic competition finals and also accounted for the Irish Greyhound Derby winner Abbeylara. ^[15] Quarter Day then returned to White City, in November and won the valuable 'White City' invitation race. ^[15]

Ireland

Abbeylara stood out as the leading greyhound in Ireland, the brindle dog easily won the Irish Greyhound Derby and the St Leger. ^{[16] [17]} He also reached the English St Leger final.

News

GRA trainer Eddie Wright moved from his Powderhall kennels to the Hook Estate and Kennels and a track attachment at Harringay and the GRA also moved Harry Buck from Belle Vue to White City. ^[15]

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (May 21, 525y h, £300) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Juvenile Classic Joe Harmon 2-1 30.35 5 2nd Bay Moon Joe Harmon 8-1 30.47 2 3rd Grakle Paddy McEllistrim 8-1 30.87 3 4th Mount Pottinger Jerry Hannafin 25-1 31.03 4 5th Lenins Ring Joe Harmon 4-7f 31.19 1

Gold Collar, Catford (May 28, 400y, £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Junior Classic Joe Harmon 11-8f 25.77 6 2nd Demotic Mack Charles Cross 100-7 25.87 2 3rd Sandfield Girl Archie Whitcher 6-1 26.19 3 4th Hexham Bridge Bill Cowell 5-1 26.51 1 5th Golden Alexander Jimmy Campbell 6-1 26.59 5 6th Wattle Bark Leslie Reynolds 7-2 26.69 4

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Jul 9, 525y, £240) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Roeside Scottie Michael Downey 1-1f 29.53 6 2nd Whispering Symphony Michael Downey 7-2 29.54 2 3rd Jesmond Cutlet Dal Hawkesley 6-1 29.86 3 4th Kinauld Demonstrator Eddie Wright 14-1 30.02 4 5th Model Hope J.W Day 10-1 30.18 5 6th Yarridge Heights Bill Cowell 10-1 30.34 1

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 23, 400y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Orlucks Best Charlie Ashley 11-8f 23.24 6 2nd Demotic Mack Charles Cross 4-1 23.40 5 3rd Kilcora Willie Charlie Ashley 8-1 23.44 4 4th Westley Bridge Jack Harvey 100-7 23.68 2 5th Ballyhennessy Sandills Sidney Orton 11-4 23.72 3 6th Found At Last Jack Power 100-7 23.96 1

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 12, 500y, £700) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Ballyhennessy Sandills Sidney Orton 11-8f 28.50 6 2nd Wattle Bark Leslie Reynolds 7-2 28.78 1 3rd Glen Ranger Les Parry 9-4 28.82 5 4th Bealtaine Joe Harmon 100-6 28.88 3 5th Roe Side Scottie Michael Downey 20-1 28.96 2 6th Woodstock Swift Joe Harmon 25-1 29.36 4

Oaks, White City (Sep 10, 525y, £300) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Quarter Day Joe Harmon 4-5f 29.49 5 2nd Gretas Rosary Eddie Wright 11-4 29.93 2 3rd Dogberry Davate E Harfield 100-8 30.49 3 4th Sally Maid A Rees 6-1 30.57 1 5th Oak Cutlet Marshall 8-1 30.61 4 6th Grey Ribbon Tom Lightfoot 33-1 31.25 6

St Leger, Wembley (Sep 19, 700y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Gretas Rosary Eddie Wright 7-4jf 40.82 4 2nd Gayhunter A Jack 7-2 40.98 2 3rd Keeries Pride Patrick McKinney 100-8 41.22 5 4th Catherine of Waterhall Bill Cowell 100-8 41.23 6 5th Neville the Devil Leslie Reynolds 10-1 41.43 3 6th Abbeylara Tom Black 7-4jf 41.59 1

The White City White City (Nov 5, 525y, £2,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Quarter Day Joe Harmon 2-1f 29.58 5 2nd Jesmond Cutlet Dal Hawkesley 100-7 29.98 3 3rd Roeside Scottie Michael Downey 7-1 30.46 6 4th Glen Ranger Les Parry 3-1 30.48 2 5th Cinderella of Waterhall Bill Cowell 10-1 30.56 4 6th Ballyjoker Sidney Orton 11-4 30.60 1

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Dec 12, 600y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Ballyjoker Sidney Orton 3-1 34.02 1 2nd d/h Barryreel Joe Harmon 8-1 34.34 2 2nd d/h Colonel of Waterhall Leslie Carpenter 6-1 34.34 3 4th Glen Ranger Les Parry 1-1f 34.42 4 5th Great Record Eddie Wright 10-1 34.44 5 6th Neville the Devil Leslie Reynolds 33-1 35.00 6

Key d/h = dead heat

Totalisator Returns

Extended content

The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1938 are listed below. Tracks that did not have a totalisator in operation are not listed. [5] Stadium Turnover £ London (White City) 4,003,332 London (Harringay) 3,033,931 London (Wimbledon) 2,210,504 London (Wembley) 1,617,278 London (West Ham) 1,590,106 London (Stamford Bridge) 1,475,624 Glasgow Stadia combined (Albion, Carntyne, Firhill, Shawfield, White City) 1,427,174 London (Walthamstow) 1,380,475 London (Clapton) 1,297,462 London (Catford) 1,090,357 London (Park Royal) 933,827 Manchester (Belle Vue) 863,352 London (Wandsworth) 862,614 London (Hackney) 810,869 London (New Cross) 715,021 Edinburgh (Powderhall) 593,481 Manchester (White City) 589,786 London (Hendon) 493,766 Newcastle (Gosforth) 464,145 Sheffield (Owlerton) 444,933 Liverpool (Seaforth) 425,460 Gateshead 410,589 Bradford (Greenfield) 407,166 Manchester (Salford) 375,136 Crayford & Bexleyheath 354,734 Newcastle (Brough Park) 352,634 Birmingham (Perry Barr, old) 351,205 Bristol (Eastville) 349,525 Birmingham (Hall Green) 346,452 Brighton & Hove 336,366 Stadium Turnover £ South Shields 336,519 London (Charlton) 312,690 Newcastle (White City) 298,775 Leeds (Elland Road) 292,579 Wolverhampton (Monmore) 291,069 Liverpool (White City) 286,394 Romford 283,486 Liverpool (Stanley) 245,642 Birmingham (Kings Heath) 245,213 Willenhall 236,918 Ashington (Co Durham) 228,360 Sheffield (Darnall) 226,229 Nottingham (White City) 219,514 West Hartlepool 216,326 Portsmouth 210,584 Southampton 206,895 Cardiff (Arms Park) 203,169 Gloucester & Cheltenham 196,112 Stanley (Co Durham) 193,962 Slough 182,949 Rochester & Chatham 182,458 Reading (Oxford Road) 177,686 Blackpool (St Anne's) 166,593 Plymouth 162,678 Stoke-on-Trent (Hanley) 154,673 Middlesbrough 141,108 Preston 134,087 Derby 132,324 Liverpool (Breck Park) 131,778 Stoke-on-Trent (Cobridge) 121,151 Exeter (County Ground) 117,118 Norwich (Boundary Park) 113,365 Stadium Turnover £ Sheffield (Hyde Park) 111,772 Ipswich 106,332 Newport 100,908 Houghton-le-Spring 92,793 Bradford (City) 88,653 Warrington 82,645 Coventry (Lythalls Lane) 75,886 Falkirk (Brockville Park) 71,816 London (Stratford) 61,503 Luton 59,050 Wigan (Poolstock) 55,205 Aberdeen 54,654 Edinburgh (Stenhouse) 42,136 Wallyford (East Lothian) 36,359 Wishaw (North Lanarks) 36,359 Doncaster (Spotbrough) 36,041 London (Southall) 34,405 London (Dagenham) 31,541 Rochdale 31,132 Norwich (City) 25,260 Bolton 22,001 Easington (Co Durham) 20,331 Thornton (Fife) 20,275 Coundon (Co Durham) 17,102 Leeds (Parkside) 16,470 Worksop 9,398 Rotherham 7,905 Castleford (Whitwood) 6,442 Ayr (Tams Brig) 4,594 Stockport (Hazel Grove) 2,437 Wombwell (South Yorks) 828 Summary Country No of tracks (with tote) Turnover England 81 £ 33,545,716 Wales 2 £ 304,077 Scotland 9 £ 2,189,090 Total 92 £ 36,038,883

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. 75–77. 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. Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1938.
6. ""Greyhound Racing Association Trust." Times, 1 Feb. 1939, p. 22". The Times . February 1939. p. 22.
7. "OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. "Greyhound Racing." Times [London, England] 27 June 1938". The Times .
8. "1938". Greyhound Data.
9. "Duchess' first visit to dog track" . Sunday Sun (Newcastle). 21 August 1938. Retrieved 9 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
10. "Glen Ranger wins big Eastville Classic" . Western Daily Press. 12 September 1938. Retrieved 28 September 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
11. "Glen Ranger breaks 550 yards record" . The People. 3 July 1938. Retrieved 28 September 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
12. Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN   0-85020-0474.
13. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   07207-1106-1.
14. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-15-5.
15. Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   0-7207-1804-X.
16. Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
17. Fortune, Michael. "The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby". Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN   0332-3536.