1954 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

1954 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
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The 1954 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 29th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. ^[1]

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
1954 English Greyhound Derby	Pauls Fun [2] [3]
1954 Irish Greyhound Derby	Spanish Battleship [4] [5]
1954 Scottish Greyhound Derby	Rushton Mac [6]
1954 Welsh Greyhound Derby	Not held [7]
Greyhound of the Year	Pauls Fun & Pancho Villa

Summary

Spanish Battleship secured a second consecutive Irish Greyhound Derby title becoming the first greyhound in history to do so. In addition to the Derby win, during the year he won the Tostal Cup at Harold's Cross Stadium and Easter Cup at Shelbourne Park before an injury curtailed his efforts in the Callanan Cup final. After his historic Derby win he would win the Tipperary Cup with two track record runs and a victory in the McCalmont Cup but would be a shock loser in the final of the McAlinden Cup for the second year running. ^{[5] [8]} Pauls Fun won the English Greyhound Derby for Leslie Reynolds securing a record fifth title for the trainer. ^[2]

The annual totalisator was £56,139,001. ^[9]

Competitions

Prince Lawrence and Ardskeagh Ville claimed the pre-derby classics, the Grand National and Gold Collar respectively. ^[7] Jack Harvey went on a significant three classic winning run; his Gold Collar finalist Demon King captured the sprinters classic the Scurry Gold Cup. ^[10] The following month during the Laurels, at Wimbledon Stadium Coolkill Chieftain picked up the £1,000 first prize and then in September his Laurels runner up Pancho Villa secured a four and half-length victory in the St Leger final. In addition he also won the Puppy Derby with Gulf of Darien. ^[11]

The Scottish Greyhound Derby moved to October in an attempt to gain more entries and this seemed to work when the competition received a good entry, including a pair of brothers who emerged to dominate the event. Rushton Mac (by Rushton News out of Rushton Panda) defeated his brother Rushton Spot, who was eliminated from the English Derby at the semi-final stage. Rushton Mac had previously won the Edinburgh Cup. The kennel brothers were trained by Frank Johnson and Rushton Mac won the Pall Mall Stakes and Select Stakes titles. ^{[12] [13] [11] [10]}

West Ham Stadium received a star studded line up for the Cesarewitch final in October. Matchlock beat a field in the final by seven lengths that included Derby champion Pauls Fun, St Leger champion Pancho Villa, Title Role and Barrowside. The last major event of the year was the Grand Prix and the Rushton brothers took the first two places again, only this time in a reversal of the Scottish Derby final. ^{[14] [11] [10]}

Kensington Perfection trained by Bill Higgins at Oxford Stadium completed an impressive four timer by winning four National Produce stakes finals at Stamford Bridge, Catford Stadium, Brighton & Hove Greyhound Stadium (The Regency) and Eastville Stadium. ^{[11] [10]}

Tracks

A new track in Weymouth opened during August; the site was on Radpole Lane and was known as the Wessex Stadium and Somercotes opened the following month. ^[15] Stanley Greyhound Stadium withdrew from the National Greyhound Racing Club under the 'Combine' licence. ^[16]

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (May 8 525y h, £300) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Prince Lawrence Joe Pickering 10-1 30.29 1 2nd Brighton Master Sidney Orton 10-1 30.53 2 3rd Ruddy Caution Paddy McEvoy 7-2 30.71 5 4th Tanist Farewell 3-1 30.89 3 5th Parkroe Bob Jack Young 6-1 31.01 4 6th The Flying Kingdom A.W.Way 2-1f 31.09 6

Gold Collar, Catford (May 29, 440y, £450) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Ardskeagh Ville Dave Barker 9-4 25.86 5 2nd Rathroe Surprise Bob Burls 10-1 26.10 3 3rd Demon King Jack Harvey 100-7 26.20 2 4th More Majors 33-1 26.36 1 5th Safe Keys Miss Mary Vaughan 8-1 27.00 4 6th Home Luck Stan Martin 1-1f 00.00 6

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 24, 400y £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Demon King Jack Harvey 4-9f 22.84 1 2nd Annaghneal Jim Syder Jr. 7-1 23.00 3 3rd Hertzog Dave Geggus 100-8 23.18 2 4th Mystery Rival Bert Stephens 50-1 23.54 5 5th Fitzs Marquis Tom Paddy Reilly 7-1 23.64 4 6th Explosive Gilbert Leslie Reynolds 8-1 24.04 6

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 20, 500y, £1,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Coolkill Chieftain Jack Harvey 1-2f 28.05 5 2nd Pancho Villa Jack Harvey 11-2 28.49 4 3rd Christopher Hemley Sidney Orton 10-1 29.13 6 4th Ashcott Boy Leslie Reynolds 10-1 29.17 3 5th Rathroe Surprise Bob Burls 20-1 29.41 2 6th Something Odd Dave Geggus 15-2 29.53 1

St Leger, Wembley (Sep 13, 700y, £1,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Pancho Villa Jack Harvey 1-1f 40.99 1 2nd Matchlock Ted Brennan 9-2 41.35 2 3rd Fly Prince George Crussell 100-8 41.55 5 4th Blue Bell Crosty 4-1 41.61 4 5th The Sherpa Noreen Collin 8-1 41.67 6 N/R Coolkill Chieftain Jack Harvey

Oaks, White City (Oct 2, 525y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Ashcott Winsome Bert Heyes 100-6 29.39 2 2nd Cree Dusk Sidney Orton 2-1f 29.49 1 3rd Velvet Doll Jack Harvey 5-2 29.53 5 4th Rimmells Pearl Jim Hookway 4-1 29.56 6 5th Gift of Pleasure Arthur Hancock 6-1 29.72 3 6th Waltzers Choice Reg String Marsh 6-1 29.76 4

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Oct 9, 525y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Rushton Mac Frank Johnson 5-2 29.20 2 2nd Rushton Spot Frank Johnson 6-1 29.32 5 3rd Hi There Jim Brennan 3-1 29.35 4 4th Prince Chancer Jimmy Jowett 6-4f 29.47 1 5th Stolen Seal 50-1 29.79 3 6th Tillside Beech 33-1 30.19 6

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 15, 600y, £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Matchlock Ted Brennan 7-2 33.03 6 2nd Rose of Cooleeney Wembley 1-2f 33.59 5 3rd Pauls Fun Leslie Reynolds 10-1 33.65 1 4th Pancho Villa Jack Harvey 10-1 33.69 2 5th Barrowside Jack Harvey 25-1 33.83 3 6th Title Role Jack Harvey 10-1 33.97 4

The Grand Prix Walthamstow (Oct 13, 525y, £750) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Rushton Spot Frank Johnson 10-3 29.57 5 2nd Rushton Mac Frank Johnson 5-2 30.09 6 3rd Cheeky Tony 25-1 30.17 4 4th Cooleen Surprise George Crussell 6-1 30.45 3 5th Step Inside Ron Chamberlain 7-2 30.47 1 6th Please Champion Miss K.G.Sanderson 9-4f 30.63 2

Totalisator returns

Extended content

The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1954 are listed below. Tracks that did not have a totalisator in operation are not listed. [9] Stadium Turnover £ London (White City) 4,367,000 London (Harringay) 2,967,000 London (Wimbledon) 2,464,000 London (Wembley) 2,429,000 London (Walthamstow) 2,298,000 London (Wandsworth) 1,748,000 London (Clapton) 1,681,000 London (Park Royal) 1,641,000 London (West Ham) 1,583,000 London (Stamford Bridge) 1,561,000 Manchester (Belle Vue) 1,558,000 London (Catford) 1,467,000 London (Hackney) 1,231,000 London (New Cross) 1,083,000 London (Hendon) 1,000,000 Manchester (White City) 867,000 London (Charlton) 843,000 Romford 837,000 Brighton & Hove 773,000 Glasgow (Shawfield) 760,000 Birmingham (Perry Barr, old) 747,000 Edinburgh (Powderhall) 721,000 Birmingham (Hall Green) 696,000 Newcastle (Gosforth) 673,000 Manchester (Salford) 652,000 Crayford & Bexleyheath 640,000 Newcastle (Brough Park) 635,000 London (Dagenham) 633,000 Cardiff (Arms Park) 614,000 Birmingham (Kings Heath) 559,000 Wolverhampton (Monmore) 547,000 Sheffield (Owlerton) 544,000 Bradford (Greenfield) 515,000 Gateshead 499,000 Glasgow (White City) 490,000 Leeds (Elland Road) 481,000 Slough 481,000 Southampton 478,000 Stadium Turnover £ Bristol (Eastville) 477,000 Glasgow (Albion) 466,000 Southend-on-Sea 462,000 Coventry (Lythalls Lane) 440,000 Liverpool (Seaforth) 424,000 Ramsgate (Dumpton Park) 394,000 Middlesbrough 384,000 Willenhall 372,000 Liverpool (White City) 352,000 Blackpool (St Anne's) 349,000 Sheffield (Darnall) 349,000 Glasgow (Carntyne) 348,000 Gloucester & Cheltenham 342,000 Ashington (Co Durham) 333,000 Reading (Oxford Road) 331,000 South Shields 324,000 Leicester (Blackbird Rd) 317,000 Bolton 310,000 Rochester & Chatham 309,000 Chester 294,000 Liverpool (Stanley) 272,000 Hull (Old Craven Park) 261,000 Derby 254,000 Bradford (City) 246,000 Preston 236,000 Nottingham (White City) 231,000 Aberdeen 225,000 Sheffield (Hyde Park) 214,000 West Hartlepool 210,000 Portsmouth 208,000 Plymouth 207,000 Newport 205,000 Oxford 205,000 Sunderland 205,000 Blackburn 203,000 Stanley (Co Durham) 197,000 Warrington 177,000 Stoke-on-Trent (Hanley) 175,483 Stadium Turnover £ Exeter (County Ground) 166,000 Glasgow (Firhill) 162,000 Norwich (Boundary Park) 1556,000 Luton 154,000 Yarmouth 151,000 Cradley Heath 141,000 Norwich (City) 138,000 Keighley 129,000 Bristol (Knowle) 124,000 Houghton-le-Spring 124,000 Ipswich 118,000 Stoke-on-Trent (Cobridge) 117,000 St Helens 133,000 Rochdale 97,000 Stockton-on-Tees (Belle Vue) 97,000 Rayleigh (Essex) 95,000 Wallyford (East Lothian) 95,000 Peterborough 92,000 Oldham 89,000 Easington (Co Durham) 77,000 Long Eaton 72,000 Swindon 67,000 Stockport (Hazel Grove) 63,000 Wakefield 60,000 Wigan (Poolstock) 54,000 Wigan (Woodhouse) 50,000 Durham City 46,000 Northampton 40,000 Rotherham 35,000 Tamworth 32,000 Doncaster (Spotbrough) 30,000 Coundon (Co Durham) 27,000 Workington 25,000 Spennymoor (Co Durham) 24,000 Aycliffe (Co Durham) 18,000 Irvine (Townhead) 6,000

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 page 96/97/98. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-36-8.
3. "1954". Greyhound Data.
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. Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
9. Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1954.
10. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   07207-1106-1.
11. Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   0-7207-1804-X.
12. Barnes, Julia (1991). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, Vol Two. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-61-9.
13. Barnes/Sellers, Julia/John (1992). Ladbrokes Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-22-8.
14. Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. ISBN   1-904317-07-3.
15. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-15-5.
16. "Stanley Quit, Thursday 7 October". Greyhound Owner. 1954.