1948 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

1948 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
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The 1948 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 23rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. ^[1]

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
1948 English Greyhound Derby	Priceless Border [2] [3]
1948 Irish Greyhound Derby	Western Post [4] [5]
1948 Scottish Greyhound Derby	Western Post [6]
1948 Welsh Greyhound Derby	Trev's Perfection [7]

Summary

The annual totalisator turnover was £99,449,342, which although the fourth highest ever recorded was also the second consecutive drop since 1946. ^[8] The minimum betting stake on the track totalisator was increased from two to four shillings but quickly changed back following a widespread slump. ^[9] The government ban on mid-week racing continued. ^[10]

Western Post and Priceless Border claimed the big Derby races but Local Interprize was the star of the year, after he claimed four classic competitions. They were the Gold Collar, Scurry Gold Cup, Welsh Greyhound Derby and the Cesarewitch. ^{[7] [11] [12]}

Competitions

A greyhound called Narrogar Ann from a litter of six, out of the bitch Winnie of Berrow (winner of the 1944 Eclipse) came to prominence when successful in the Western Two year Old Produce Stakes. Narrogar Ann trained by Joe Farrand at Oxford Stadium beat littermates Narrogar Dusty and Narrogar Tommy who finished second and third respectively. Narrogar Ann would soon move to Leslie Reynolds at Wembley. ^[13]

Local Interprize won the Laurels and Welsh Derby, in the latter he recorded a seven length final win in a new track record time defeating a field that included the Scottish Greyhound Derby champion Western Post, an 84lb fawn and white dog. Local Interprize then won the Scurry final by eight lengths before losing out to Good Worker trained by former Surrey cricketer Jack Daley, in the Laurels. ^[14] Local Interprize finished the year by claiming a remarkable fourth classic when picking up the Cesarewitch trophy on 23 October. ^{[11] [12]}

Tracks

Rayleigh Weir Stadium in Southend-on-Sea was one of seven known track to open, three of them were in Ireland. Breck Park Stadium in Liverpool, closed following a devastating fire and fire also destroyed most of the stands at Long Eaton Stadium. ^[15] The total number of tracks in the United Kingdom with a betting licence was 209, of which 77 were affiliated to the National Greyhound Racing Society and raced under National Greyhound Racing Club rules. ^[16]

Tracks opened

Date	Stadium/Track	Location
?? March	Rayleigh Weir Stadium	Rayleigh, Essex
30 April	St Conleth's Park	Newbridge, County Kildare
17 May	Wisbech Greyhound Stadium	Wisbech
30 July	Youghal Greyhound Stadium	Youghal
13 September	Thurles Greyhound Stadium	Thurles
11 December	Mansfield Woodhouse Greyhound Stadium	Mansfield Woodhouse
??	Jesmond Dene Stadium	Tredegar

News

On 1 April, Fred Trevillion, Arthur Hancock (head kennel-man) and Trev's Perfection left on the Queen Mary for Raynham Park, Raynham, Massachusetts in the United States, where the dog was expected to make headlines. The venture was a failure and in five races he did not win one and returned to England in July. ^[15] Sir William Gentle died. ^[17]

Ireland

The Irish Greyhound Derby offered a record £1,000 first prize and attracted the Frank Davis trained Western Post; Davis put him with Paddy Moclair for the duration of the event. Moclair had originally bought the dog at the Limerick sales for £240 before selling him to Davis for £2,000. The fawn and white dog became the first winner of the Scottish and Irish Derby. ^{[4] [5]}

The Greyhound Racing Association set up the Kingsfurze breeding establishment at Naas in County Kildare, the seven acre grounds included a house, cottage and 15 runs. The greyhounds would transfer to training establishments within the GRA as soon as they were older enough. ^[18]

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (May 17 525y h, £350) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Joves Reason Ken Appleton 2-1 30.37 4 2nd Another Benny Gordon Nicholson 13-8f 30.45 5 3rd Wild Wave Dave Barker 5-2 30.61 2 4th Sunburst 6-1 30.67 3 N/R Baytown Pigeon Paddy McEllistrim

Gold Collar, Catford (Jun 5, 440y, £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Local Interprize Stanley Biss 8-13f 25.71 6 2nd Kerry Rally Paddy McEllistrim 20-1 25.77 3 3rd Ala Mein II Wembley 10-1 25.83 2 4th Tell Nobody 100-1 25.91 5 5th Clonroche Lad Ivy Regan 8-1 25.93 4 6th Northam Edward Leslie Reynolds 4-1 26.09 1

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Jul 17, 525y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Western Post Frank Davis 8-1 29.45 4 2nd Always There 7-1 29.57 5 3rd West End Dasher Bob Burls 12-1 29.61 2 4th Baytown Whitehorn 8-1 29.63 1 5th Sheevaun Paddy Fortune 4-6f 29.79 6 6th Fiddle Strings Jack Brennan 6-1 29.95 3

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 24, 400y £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Local Interprize Stanley Biss 5-4f 23.04 1 2nd Clonroche Lad Ivy Regan 3-1 23.68 6 3rd Willington Bob John Bassett 10-1 23.70 2 4th Rebel Robert R Hogben 5-1 23.72 5 5th Rio Cavallero Stan Biss 25-1 23.76 4 6th Ironmaster Bob Burls 7-1 23.92 3

Welsh Derby, Arms Park (Jul 28, 525y £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Local Interprize Stanley Biss 4-6f 29.32+ 1 2nd West End Dasher Bob Burls 9-2 29.88 3 3rd Western Post Frank Davis 5-1 30.04 5 4th Non Sectarian Girl 25-1 30.28 4 5th Singora 100-8 30.48 2 6th Circular Flex 100-6 30.50 6 +Track Record

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 25, 500y, £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Good Worker Jack Daley 5-2 28.49 5 2nd Whiterock Abbey Sidney Orton 4-1 28.51 6 3rd Drumnagrella Lad Frank Davis 6-1 28.71 4 4th Northam Edward Leslie Reynolds 10-1 28.83 2 5th Local Interprize Stan Biss 2-1f 28.87 3 6th Mad Birthday Stan Biss 6-1 29.27 1

Oaks, White City (Sep 18, 525y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Night Breeze Stan Biss 4-1 29.19 3 2nd Steps of Grac Jerry Hannafin 5-1 29.27 4 3rd Baytown Stream Stan Biss 10-1 29.30 5 4th Jersey Creamery Percy Stagg 1-1f 29.46 6 5th Favourite Topsy 5-1 29.54 1 6th Singora 50-1 29.78 2

The Grand Prix Walthamstow (Oct 9, 525y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Ruby Cut J P Bott 11-4 30.31 3 2nd Northam Edward Leslie Reynolds 4-1 30.47 1 3rd Doughery Boy Jonathan Hopkins 5-1 30.67 5 4th Baytown Fox Stan Biss 7-2 30.75 6 5th Orphan Star Fred Farey 10-1 31.15 4 6th Freckled Major Leslie Reynolds 7-2 31.31 2

St Leger, Wembley (Oct 2, 700y, £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Streets After Midnight Les Parry 5-2 40.40 3 2nd Captain Lake Jack Harvey 9-2 40.43 2 3rd Northam Star Leslie Reynolds 7-1 40.57 5 4th Mayfair Mike Leslie Reynolds 2-1f 40.85 4 5th Ramblers Destiny 8-1 40.95 1 6th Crafty Major 25-1 41.25 6

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 23, 600y, £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Local Interprize Stanley Biss 11-4jf 30.88 4 2nd Freckled Major Leslie Reynolds 5-1 31.02 6 3rd Captain Lake Jack Harvey 11-4jf 31.42 1 4th Whiterock Abbey Sidney Orton 3-1 31.46 3 5th Raths Record Gunner Smith 10-1 31.70 2 6th Confey Castle 25-1 32.02 5

Totalisator Returns

Extended content

The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1948 are listed below. Tracks that did not have a totalisator in operation are not listed. [8] Stadium Turnover £ London (White City) 7,872,357 London (Harringay) 5,658,313 London (Wembley) 4,160,092 London (Walthamstow) 3,242,896 London (Catford) 2,897,074 London (Wimbledon) 2,868,844 London (Stamford Bridge) 2,688,310 London (Clapton) 2,658,628 London (Wandsworth) 2,516,682 Manchester (Belle Vue) 2,321,345 London (New Cross) 2,040,786 London (Park Royal) 1,944,490 London (Hendon) 1,809,806 London (West Ham) 1,729,260 Southend-on-Sea 1,694,181 Brighton & Hove 1,681,503 London (Hackney) 1,568,791 Birmingham (Perry Barr, old) 1,388,477 Southampton 1,300,648 Edinburgh (Powderhall) 1,283,282 London (Charlton) 1,282,880 Glasgow (Shawfield) 1,260,513 Crayford & Bexleyheath 1,135,768 Birmingham (Hall Green) 1,131,130 Sheffield (Owlerton) 1,115,939 Coventry (Lythalls Lane) 1,070,031 Blackpool (St Anne's) 1,069,065 Sheffield (Darnall) 1,008,317 Bristol (Eastville) 994,548 Manchester (Salford) 992,895 Romford 991,055 Bradford (Greenfield) 966,390 Newcastle (Brough Park) 955,771 Glasgow (White City) 935,215 Glasgow (Albion) 930,871 Liverpool (White City) 916,473 Leicester (Blackbird Rd) 908,270 Chester 873,419 Cardiff (Arms Park) 777,369 Wolverhampton (Monmore) 766,597 Portsmouth 759,044 Liverpool (Stanley) 754,551 Glasgow (Carntyne) 718,661 Birmingham (Kings Heath) 711,495 Ramsgate (Dumpton Park) 700,403 South Shields 681,456 Leeds (Elland Road) 676,525 Reading (Oxford Road) 662,421 Stadium Turnover £ Rochester & Chatham 650,646 Slough 627,513 Gloucester & Cheltenham 618,328 London (Dagenham) 602,262 Gateshead 601,154 Newcastle (Gosforth) 600,222 Ashington (Co Durham) 493,816 Middlesbrough 484,634 Oxford 485,036 Glasgow (Firhill) 481,322 Bradford (City) 464,707 Newcastle (White City) 456,870 Stoke-on-Trent (Hanley) 450,629 Plymouth 446,505 Manchester (White City) 444,041 Yarmouth 428,635 Nottingham (White City) 420,698 Sunderland 416,914 Bolton 407,906 Liverpool (Seaforth) 385,078 Hull (Old Craven Park) 381,145 Stoke-on-Trent (Cobridge) 380,433 West Hartlepool 359,757 Derby 354,953 Exeter (County Ground) 354,494 Warrington 353,994 Long Eaton 348,566 Sheffield (Hyde Park) 340,467 Stanley (Co Durham) 328,754 Bristol (Knowle) 325,083 Blackburn 324,505 Preston 313,188 Aberdeen 311,843 Ipswich 276,202 Exeter (Marsh Barton) 270,931 Norwich (Boundary Park) 268,729 Houghton-le-Spring 265,147 Norwich (City) 249,350 Willenhall 197,117 Rochdale 196,953 London (Southall) 196,683 Luton 191,461 Newport 187,758 Tamworth 181,013 Doncaster (Spotbrough) 147,357 Taunton (Prior Park) 165,916 St Helens 158,777 Wigan (Poolstock) 158,582 Stadium Turnover £ Easington (Co Durham) 155,471 Ayr (Tams Brig) 153,830 Keighley 151,072 London (Stratford) 131,979 London (Harlington Corner) 127,624 Hull (Boulevard) 125,285 Oldham 114,811 Ramsgate (Newington) 111,109 Leeds (Parkside) 109,072 Staines 108,756 Kingskerswell (Devon) 103,488 Coundon (Co Durham) 96,531 Northampton 89,335 Kilmarnock 76,165 Rotherham 71,983 Peterborough 69,885 Liverpool (Breck Park) 69,638+ Wallyford (East Lothian) 68,784 Wishaw (North Lanarks) 65,655 Aldershot 62,681 Falkirk (Brockville Park) 59,939 Pelaw Grange 57,015 Workington 56,581 Stockport (Hazel Grove) 55,940 Wakefield 49,711 Glasgow (Mount Vernon) 48,004 Wigan (Woodhouse) 47,400 Durham City 46,843 Edinburgh (Stenhouse) 36,001 Glasgow (Coatbridge) 35,786 Barry 31,853 Belmont (Co Durham) 25,919 Wombwell (South Yorks) 25,279 Worksop 24,785 Armadale 22,205 Leicester (Coalville) 20,354 Thornton (Fife) 19,996 Rayleigh (Essex) 17,602 Irvine (Townhead) 14,873 Irvine (Caledonian) 12,756 Aberdare 10,563 Stockton-on-Tees (Belle Vue) 9,906 Wheatley Hill 7,065 Shirebrook 2,558 Thornley (Co Durham) 2,522 Leicester (Hinckley) 2,075 Doncaster (Stainforth) 1,320 Thurnscoe (S Yorks) 748 + closed during the year due to fire Summary Country No of tracks+ Turnover England 162 £ 92,163,823 Wales 9 £ 842,469 Scotland 38 £ 6,542,875 Total 209 £ 99,549,168 + number of tracks include those without a tote in operation

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. 86–88. ISBN   0-948955-36-8.
3. "Our Cricket Correspondent. "The Second Test Match." Times [London, England] 28 June 1948". The Times .
4. Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
5. Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
6. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154. Raceform. ISBN   978-1-905153-53-4.
7. Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound, page 320. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN   0-85020-0474.
8. Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1948.
9. "Remember When - August 1948". Greyhound Star. 2018.
10. ""Mid-Week Greyhound Ban To Stay." Times, 3 Mar. 1948". The Times . 3 March 1948. p. 4.
11. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-15-5.
12. Barnes, Julia (1991). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, Vol Two. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-61-9.
13. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   07207-1106-1.
14. "Good Worker best in Laurels final" . Daily Express. 25 August 1948. Retrieved 9 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
15. Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   0-7207-1804-X.
16. ""Betting On Dog Racing." Times, 11 Jan. 1950, p. 4". The Times . 11 January 1950. p. 4.
17. ""Sir William Gentle." Times, 3 Sept. 1948, p. 7". The Times . 3 September 1948. p. 7.
18. "Greyhound Star (Remember When - January 1965)". Greyhound Star. 26 January 2019.