1990 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

1990 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
Greyhound of the Year and Scottish Derby champion Westmead Harry with Nick Savva
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The 1990 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 64th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. ^[1]

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
1990 English Greyhound Derby	Slippy Blue [2] [3]
1990 Irish Greyhound Derby	The Other Toss [4]
1990 Scottish Greyhound Derby	Westmead Harry [5]
Greyhound Trainer of the Year	John McGee Sr.
Greyhound of the Year	Westmead Harry
Irish Greyhound of the Year	Adraville Bridge

Trainers Championship, Hove (April 16)
Pos	Name of Trainer	Points
1st	Bill Masters	42
2nd	John McGee Sr.	41
3rd	Kenny Linzell	39
4th	Ernie Gaskin Sr.	33
5th	Linda Mullins	26
6th	Phil Rees Jr.	21

Summary

The greyhound betting levy bill was heard for a second time before parliament. The first had been read in 1989. ^[6] Extracts from the reading were described by Alan Meale (MP for Mansfield) - "The purpose of the Bill is straightforward; it is to amend the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963 to enable payment of a levy to the greyhound industry from moneys already deducted from punters for that purpose by the bookmakers in off-course betting establishments. There is a great need for this legislation. Greyhound racing is the second most supported spectator sport in Britain. As census figures show, more than 5 million people support the sport by going along to tracks every week. They attend 83 tracks, 48 of which are independent and 35 of which are registered with the National Greyhound Racing Club. The membership of that club and of the independents now amounts to more than 15,000 greyhound owners. More than 20,000 greyhounds are registered and in training. At least 10,000 race meetings are held every year, accommodating over 120,000 greyhound races. Unlike the horse racing industry, the greyhound industry receives no levy money whatever; although moneys are deducted at source in betting shops off-course, throughout Britain. That is a scandal of huge proportions because 10 per cent.—10p in every pound—is deducted from bets, under the legislation to which I have referred, with the purpose of 2% of that 10% coming back into the sport. Most punters are having that money deducted fraudulently because at present the only money that goes back into the greyhound industry returns via the Legislation is in place to ensure that a similar deduction benefits horse racing. Twenty-seven percent of all off-course betting is on greyhound racing, yet not one penny of that money goes back into the industry. Instead, it all goes into the pockets of bookmakers, who do nothing for that magnificent sport". It being half-past Two o'clock, the debate stood adjourned. ^[7]

In addition to this, new laws now required all sporting stadia to make safety improvements following the problems related to football. The industry felt that it was being persecuted by the government. ^[8]

In Ireland the racing industry received €3.5 million in the budget but the Bord na gCon was unhappy that they would only receive €500,000. ^[9]

The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) released the annual returns, with totalisator turnover at £104,779,742 and attendances recorded at 4,220,906 from 5803 meetings. Track tote deduction remained at 17.5%. ^[10]

Westmead Harry trained by Natalie Savva was voted Greyhound of the Year after winning the Scottish Greyhound Derby at Shawfield Stadium in a track record time, the Select Stakes, Blue Riband and Eclipse. Adraville Bridge was voted Irish Greyhound of the Year after winning the Laurels, National Produce and Dundalk International. ^{[7] [11]} John McGee won the Greyhound Trainer of the Year for the third successive year. ^{[7] [12]}

Tracks

Playbell Ltd (owners of Poole) removed the greyhound track to accommodate a larger football pitch but a new Perry Barr Stadium opened, promoted by Maurice Buckland at the former athletics stadium, this was six years after the closure of the old stadium at Walsall Road. ^{[11] [13]}

At the end of 1988 businessmen and race horse owner Terry Robson and Harry Williams had got together and decided to take on the Sunderland stadium. Williams a respected former trainer at Brough Park helped design the new track and over £1 million was spent rebuilding the facilities. There was a new restaurant, private boxes and an application to the NGRC. ^[11]

News

Champion trainer John McGee joined Hackney in place of Doreen Boyce. Chris Page took over as Walthamstow Racing Manager from departing Tony Smith. ^{[7] [11]}

Competitions

A brindle greyhound called Ravage Again dominated the sprint events, the greyhound trained by Willie Frew in Scotland by Tico out of Drominidy Rose had been bought for £5,500 by Frew, for owners David Fleming and Ian Rutherford. He won heat and final of a Clonmel sprint during the festival week and then after returning to Scotland, he continued to add to his winning sequence on the northern circuit. At 16 successive wins (in June) Ladbrokes offered 300-1 that he would better Ballyregan Bob's world record of 32 successive wins. Controversy over the wager surfaced when it was revealed that Ravage Again's two wins in Ireland would not been counted. ^[14]

Willie Frew sent to the greyhound to be trained in the south by Terry Dartnall, partly because he wanted to prove that he could beat the southern opposition as well. after 22 wins Ravage Again went unbeaten through the Etherington Golden Sprint at Hove, breaking the 285 metre track record in the heats and final. A close call at Hall Green ended with a short head victory before another win at Swindon. He returned north to Frew and won race 28 at Shawfield on 22 December, ending the year on course for a new world record. ^[15]

Dempseys Whisper scored a classic double, the fawn dog won both the Gold Collar at Catford Stadium and Grand Prix at Walthamstow Stadium. He completed a great year getting to the St Leger and Oaks final as well and was unlucky not to win the title of greyhound of the year. ^{[7] [12]}

Principal UK races

Daily Mirror/Sporting Life Grand National, Hall Green (Mar 30, 474m h, £5,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Gizmo Pasha Linda Mullins 4-6f 29.62 6 2nd Columbkille Jet Paddy Hancox 16-1 29.74 1 3rd Temple Garden W White 10-1 30.02 2 4th Ballysway Peter Payne 10-1 30.06 4 5th Greenfield Fling Paddy Coughlan 5-2 30.14 3 6th Deputy Tim Terry O'Sullivan 12-1 30.36 5

BBC TV Trophy, Walthamstow (April 4, 820m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Shropshire Lass Richard Hubble 11-4 52.48 3 2nd Sail On Valerie Ernie Gaskin Sr. 11-10f 52.84 6 3rd Trans Mercedes Maldwyn Thomas 3-1 52.86 2 4th Clonbrin Basket Graham Sharp 25-1 53.12 5 5th Home Hero Patsy Byrne 12-1 53.32 4 6th Grabel Paddy Hancox 25-1 53.40 1

Ladbrokes Scottish Derby, Shawfield (May 19, 500m, £10,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Westmead Harry Natalie Savva 5-4f 29.62+ 3 2nd Courtlough Lodge Trevor Cobbold 10-1 30.24 2 3rd Labana Mathew Geoff De Mulder 7-4 30.30 5 4th Leaders Best Matt O'Sullivan 10-1 30.36 1 5th Meadowbank Lad John Flaherty 6-1 30.39 6 6th Kilcurley Coal John McGee Sr. 20-1 30.51 4 +Track Record

David Richardson Scurry Cup, Catford (Jul 14, 385m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Ready Rubbed John McGee Sr. 5-1 23.76 1 2nd Always Drawing Norah McEllistrim 5-1 23.96 6 3rd Wonderbar Gordon Thwaite 14-1 24.04 5 4th Mandies Supreme Derek Tidswell 1-1f 24.14 4 5th Bettys Opinion Alf Ellis 33-1 24.17 3 6th Maggies Magic Natalie Savva 9-2 00.00 2

John Humphreys Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 23, 555m, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Dempseys Whisper Patsy Byrne 9-4f 34.84 5 2nd Curryhills Black Ernie Gaskin Sr. 5-2 34.98 4 3rd Herbie Lambug Mick Puzey 7-2 35.16 1 4th Chicita Banana John McGee Sr. 40-1 35.22 6 5th Shanavulin Bingo Ernie Gaskin Sr. 6-1 35.26 3 6th Catsrock Dan George Lynds 5-1 35.29 2

Websters Yorkshire Bitter Cesarewitch, Belle Vue (Sep 29, 853m, £5,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Carlsberg Champ Barry Silkman 5-4f 55.50 1 2nd Clonbrin Basket Graham Sharp 3-1 55.80 6 3rd Culzean Blizzard Nigel Saunders 7-1 56.04 5 4th Always Dangerous Ray Andrews 50-1 56.24 4 5th Shropshire Lass Richard Hubble 4-1 56.27 2 6th Hot Fluff Arthur Hitch 7-1 56.30 3

Laurent-Perrier Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Oct 13, 640m, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Dempseys Whisper Patsy Byrne 4-11f 39.07 4 2nd Make Magic Ernie Gaskin Sr. 16-1 39.39 2 3rd Sail Over Sam Sykes 20-1 39.43 3 4th Curryhills Press Tom Foster 9-2 39.59 5 5th Curryhills Brock Ernie Gaskin Sr. 16-1 39.79 6 N/R Hello Blackie Roger York

St Georges Hospital Oaks, Wimbledon (Oct 27, 480m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Liberal Girl Derek Knight 5-1 28.95 5 2nd Bay Road Jill Frank Aymes 5-1 29.17 4 3rd Cromarty Vi Maggie Lucas 16-1 29.33 3 4th Appleby Lisa Harry Dodds 9-4 29.83 2 5th Nice and Lovely Derek Tidswell 7-4f 29.97 6 6th Manor Park House Phil Rees Jr. 14-1 30.11 1

Wendy Fair St Leger, Wembley (Nov 16, 655m, £8,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Match Point Terry Kibble 7-1 39.92 3 2nd Sail Over Sam Sykes 9-2 40.08 2 3rd Westmead Harry Natalie Savva 11-8f 40.24 1 4th Between Times Gordon Hodson 25-1 40.36 5 5th Dempseys Whisper Patsy Byrne 9-4 40.66 6 6th Funny Old Game Diane Stinchcombe 33-1 40.98 4

Ike Morris Laurels, Wimbledon (Dec 23, 460m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Concentration Ger McKenna 4-7f 27.75 5 2nd Slippys Guest Norah McEllistrim 5-2 28.03 2 3rd Dempseys Whisper Patsy Byrne 10-1 28.21 4 4th Itsallovernow Ger McKenna 6-1 28.29 6 5th Miss Jessica Norah McEllistrim 33-1 28.31 3 N/R Premier Major Joanne Page

Totalisator returns

Extended content

The totalisator returns declared to the National Greyhound Racing Club for the year 1990 are listed below. [16] [17] Stadium Turnover £ London (Wimbledon) 16,337,901 London (Walthamstow) 15,964,920 Romford 9,216,479 Brighton & Hove 6,788,728 London (Catford) 5,745,804 Birmingham (Hall Green) 5,188,344 London (Wembley) 4,925,500 Manchester (Belle Vue) 4,532,605 Crayford 3,628,365 Glasgow (Shawfield) 3,010,948 Oxford 2,342,268 Edinburgh (Powderhall) 2,293,568 Canterbury 1,856,777 Stadium Turnover £ Wolverhampton (Monmore) 1,840,626 Ramsgate 1,838,249 Newcastle (Brough Park) 1,733,522 Portsmouth 1,680,484 Yarmouth 1,591,131 Reading 1,513,816 Sheffield (Owlerton) 1,372,886 Sunderland 1,202,878 Milton Keynes 1,141,365 Peterborough 1,079,569 Bristol 998,419 Rye House 950,878 Swindon 883,760 Stadium Turnover £ Henlow (Bedfordshire) 809,970 Nottingham 772,635 London (Hackney) 674,572 Hull (New Craven Park) 585,729 Norton Canes 453,140 Cradley Heath 448,650 Swaffham 410,471 Middlesbrough 400,629 Birmingham (Perry Barr) 292,448 Poole 221,708 Wisbech 50,000

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, pages 204-209. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-36-8.
3. "1990". Greyhound Data.
4. Fortune, Michael. The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-2006. Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN   0332-3536.
5. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154. Raceform. ISBN   978-1-905153-53-4.
6. ""Bets on the dogs 'need a levy'." Times, 22 June 1989, p. 11". The Times. Times Digital Archives. 22 June 1989. p. 11.
7. Barnes, Julia (1991). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, Vol Two. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-61-9.
8. James, A. R. (7 June 1990). "James, A. R. "Greyhound racing blow." Times, 7 June 1990, p. 39". The Times. Times Digital Archives. p. 39.
9. "Our Irish Racing Correspondent. "Racing will be major beneficiary of Budget." Times, 11 Apr. 1990, p. 43". The Times. Times Digital Archives. 11 April 1990. p. 43.
10. NGRC calendar. National Greyhound Racing Club. January 1991.
11. Barnes/Sellers, Julia/John (1992). Ladbrokes Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-22-8.
12. Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. ISBN   1-904317-07-3.
13. Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. Ringpress Books. p. 203. ISBN   186054-010-4.
14. "Ravage Again profile". Greyhound Data.
15. Sporting Life greyhound open race results in full. The Sporting Life. 1991. ISBN   0-901091-40-5.
16. Totalisator returns of National Greyhound Racing Club Licensed tracks. National Greyhound Racing Club. 1990.
17. "NGRC totalisator figures for 1990". No. 2323. Greyhound Owner. 25 January 1991.