1998 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

1998 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
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The 1998 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 72nd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. ^[1]

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
1998 English Greyhound Derby	Toms The Best [2] [3]
1998 Irish Greyhound Derby	Eyeman [4]
1998 Scottish Greyhound Derby	Larkhill Jo [5]
Greyhound Trainer of the Year	Linda Mullins
Greyhound of the Year	Toms The Best
Irish Dog and Bitch of the Year	Eyeman / April Surprise
Trainers Championship	Ernie Gaskin Sr.

Summary

The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) released the annual returns, with totalisator turnover at £78,981,066 and attendances recorded at 3,606,704. ^[6]

Irish Greyhound Derby champion Toms The Best trained by Nick Savva was voted Greyhound of the Year after finishing runner-up in the Scottish Greyhound Derby at Shawfield Stadium and winning the 1998 English Greyhound Derby. ^{[7] [8]}

Linda Mullins won Greyhound Trainer of the Year for the third successive year. ^{[7] [8]}

The industry lost Wembley when it was announced that greyhound racing would no longer take place there. The last race was held on Friday 18 December. A twist of fate resulted in a no race on that final night after a hare failure, just like 71 years previous when on the opening night in 1927 the same happened. ^[9]

Tracks

Independent track Long Eaton in the hands of the receivers Grant Thompson suffered a catastrophic grandstand fire on Sunday 27 December. The receivers had hoped to sell it for £1.5 million to developers but the Erewash council had voted unanimously (44-0) that the track would remain a sporting venue. However that plan was scuppered after the fire which local police treated as suspicious. With no grandstand anyone interested in bringing back racing had pulled out of negotiations. Leading owner, Pat Chambers, had been involved in a scheme to buy the track in January. ^[10]

News

Wembley Racing Manager John Rowley left the sport whilst Peter Miller moved to Hove. Wembley trainers Ken Tester and Terry Atkins relocated to Catford before switching to Crayford and Oxford respectively, Patsy Cusack joined Crayford and Hazel Dickson joined Wimbledon, John Haynes kept a small kennel to open race, while Wally Ginzel and Pam Heasman would both soon retire. ^{[7] [11]}

The Sporting Life closed in May after a merger with the Racing Post; it was the end of an era for the newspaper that had served greyhound racing for decades and its editor Bob Betts. ^[12] Subsequently the Racing Post sponsored a new festival of racing at Walthamstow. ^[7]

Seven-time champion trainer John McGee Sr. returned to England after spending four years in Ireland. He leased the Halls Green Farm kennels in Roydon, Essex, where former Walthamstow stars were reared, after selling his Woodlands Kennels in County Kildare. His relationship with the NGRC remained fractious and they announced that they would not be licence him until he met the £30,000 legal bill accumulated from the failed high court ban back in 1994. After agreeing a payment he was given an attachment at Rye House. Meanwhile at Peterborough Racing Manager Mike Middle retired and was replaced by Con Baker. ^[8]

Sheffield won the Supertrack (a competition between tracks); they beat the competition which included hosts Walthamstow by scoring 81 points; Walthamstow finished 2nd with 69 points with Henlow in third with 39. ^{[13] [14]}

Competitions

The last Grand National at Hall Green was won by a greyhound called El Tenor trained by Linda Mullins and owned by Italian film producer Mario Lanfranchi. The brindle dog had won the Essex Vase in 1996 before being disqualified and being switched to hurdles and then won 9 from 13 before the Grand National. During the final El Tenor came from off the pace to catch and beat Quote That and Mullins saw a gap in the open race circuit over stayers hurdles. No other greyhound could compete with him over staying hurdles events and he won many open races throughout the year and passed Poor Sue's record of 69 open victories when picking up another victory at Nottingham in December. ^{[7] [8]}

In the Pall Mall Stakes at Oxford Stadium Droopys Eric took a length off Carmels Prince's eight year old track record beating Blue Murlen in the process. Later following a major car accident Droopys Eric was injured with a kennelmate dying and passenger Olive Tasker seriously injured. Eric was withdrawn from the semi-finals. On 17 March, Ernie Gaskin Sr. won his third trainer's championship when winning the event at Sittingbourne. The event was the closest in history because Gaskin and Brian Clemenson tied on points, meaning that on count back the number of winners would determine the champion. However they also had an equal number of winners, which resulted in the decision that second placings would count. ^{[8] [15]}

During the Golden Jacket final Bubbly Princess won but was then disqualified by the stewards, the connections were waiting at the podium when the announcement took place. Linda Jones and the Bubbly Club lost the £7,500 first prize but Mario Lanfranchi the owner of El Onda gave the trophy away after not being happy at winning by default. ^{[8] [16]}

Principal UK races

Worthington Creamflow Bitter Grand National, Hall Green (Apr 7, 474m h, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st El Tenor Linda Mullins 11-10f 29.20 5 2nd Quote That David Mullins 8-1 29.22 2 3rd Why Brian Terry O'Sullivan 9-2 29.24 1 4th Chums Choice Robinson 12-1 29.36 6 5th Kevs Express Tom Foster 14-1 29.76 3 6th Stradeen Ranger Gary Baggs 4-1 29.94 4

Regal Scottish Derby, Shawfield (Apr 18, 480m, £20,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Larkhill Jo Nick Savva 5-4f 29.01 5 2nd Toms The Best Nick Savva 5-2 29.07 6 3rd Droopys Deniro Charlie Lister 20-1 29.15 4 4th Jonssen John McGee Sr. 5-1 29.29 3 5th Treasury Tag Francie Murray 6-1 29.43 1 6th Mi Sateen John McGee Sr. 6-1 29.58 2

Reading Masters, Reading (May 3, 465m, £20,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st You Will Call Jo Burridge 5-1 27.90 3 2nd Fawn Boy Nikki Adams 6-1 27.93 5 3rd Spoonbill Snowey Michael Bacon 6-4f 28.07 6 4th Enchanted Wood Roy Towner 20-1 28.11 2 5th Ceekay Linda Mullins 7-2 28.19 4 6th Frisco Sir Ray Peacock 8-1 28.29 1

Worthington Creamflow Bitter Scurry Gold Cup, Catford (Jul 11, 385m, £2,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Im Frankie Mick Puzey 9-1 24.40 3 2nd Leaders Highway Geoff De Mulder 4-1 24.48 4 3rd Union Decree Ernie Gaskin Sr. 4-9f 24.50 1 4th Lenson Gold Norah McEllistrim 10-1 24.76 2 5th Kilderry Mover John Coxon 25-1 25.00 5 6th Hello Buttons Linda Mullins 8-1 25.02 6

Syntegra Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 19, 555m, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Pure Patches Dinky Luckhurst 11-10f 34.68 5 2nd El Hombre Linda Mullins 2-1 34.86 1 3rd Homeside Knight Tom Gates 14-1 35.26 2 4th El Franco Linda Mullins 14-1 35.42 4 5th Bubbly Lad Linda Jones 10-1 35.60 6 6th Dalcash Sile Tony Taylor 7-1 35.62 3

Laurent-Perrier Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Oct 3, 640m, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Dans Sport Charlie Lister 6-1 39.79 6 2nd Honest Lord Lee Gifkins 2-5f 39.85 1 3rd Scart Eight Gary Baggs 25-1 39.95 4 4th Farloe Bonus Charlie Lister 4-1 40.09 5 5th Farloe Bramble Terry Dartnall 16-1 40.49 3 N/R Lydpal Frankie Tony Meek

William Hill Laurels, Belle Vue (Oct 17, 460m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Ardant Jimmy Sandra Ralph 10-1 28.05 4 2nd Ceekay Linda Mullins 7-4 28.13 1 3rd Ballygalda Mike John Walton 16-1 28.15 2 4th Quick Stop Tony Lythgoe 25-1 28.23 3 5th Tippins Garden June McCombe 12-1 28.25 5 6th Spoonbill Snowey Michael Bacon 5-4f 28.43 6

Evening Standard TV Trophy, Wimbledon (Oct 13, 868m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Note Book Gary Adam 3-1 54.75 6 2nd Thornfield Bob Brian Murfin 5-1 55.01 5 3rd Spenwood Wizard Ron Hough 4-1 55.15 1 4th Impulsive Girl Chris Emmerson 7-4f 55.31 3 5th Spenwood Gem Ron Hough 5-1 55.43 2 6th Annamore Blue Ernie Wiley 33-1 55.81 4

Wendy Fair St Leger, Wembley (Nov 6, 655m, £12,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Droopys Pacino Tony Bullen 4-1 39.67 3 2nd Lady Flyaway Brian Clemenson 14-1 39.91 2 3rd Hi Bob David Pruhs 10-1 39.92 6 4th Guest In Time Brian Clemenson 7-2 39.95 5 5th Let Me Run Brian Clemenson 7-2 40.17 4 6th Lydpal Frankie Tony Meek 4-5f 40.20 1

Thoroughbred Investments Oaks, Wimbledon (Nov 12, 480m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Sarah Dee Nick Savva 6-4f 28.82 4 2nd Droopys Maeve Henry Tasker 5-2 28.86 5 3rd Velvet Return Charlie Lister 5-2 29.12 6 4th Seskin Judy Angie Kibble 3-1 29.13 1 5th Westmead Gigi Nick Savva 10-1 29.27 2 6th Pure Penny Jason Foster 12-1 29.91 3

William Hill Cesarewitch, Catford (Dec 5, 718m, £5,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Fourth Ace Barry Wileman 9-4 47.01 1 2nd Droopys Paul (dh) Linda Mullins 1-2f 47.11 2 2nd El Onda (dh) Linda Mullins 9-2 47.11 4 4th Catch Mona Brian Clemenson 10-1 47.61 3 N/R Piercestown Gift Mick Bailey N/R Magpie Miss Ernie Gaskin Sr. dh=dead heat

Totalisator returns

Extended content

The totalisator returns declared to the National Greyhound Racing Club for the year 1998 are listed below. [17] [18] Stadium Turnover £ London (Walthamstow) 11,944,657 London (Wimbledon) 8,455,306 Romford 7,326,179 Manchester (Belle Vue) 4,925,733 Birmingham (Hall Green) 4,738,521 Brighton & Hove 4,738,292 London (Catford) 3,376,356 Sheffield (Owlerton) 2,894,945 Peterborough 2,891,227 Birmingham (Perry Barr) 2,553,614 Crayford 2,478,003 Stadium Turnover £ Sunderland 2,131,724 Poole 1,750,882 Wolverhampton (Monmore) 1,651,061 Glasgow (Shawfield) 1,647,828 London (Wembley) 1,538,480 Oxford 1,526,708 Milton Keynes 1,503,990 Nottingham 1,472,640 Portsmouth 1,328,722 Yarmouth 1,310,523 Newcastle (Brough Park) 1,204,602 Stadium Turnover £ Reading 1,114,281 Swindon 819,064 Harlow 784,315 Sittingbourne 701,967 Canterbury 637,481 Hull (New Craven Park) 483,231 Doncaster (Stainforth) 306,486 Rye House 196,420 Mildenhall 191,172 Swaffham 189,398 Henlow (Bedfordshire) 171,158

References

1. Hobbs, Jonathan (2008). Greyhound Annual 2008. Raceform. ISBN   978-1-905153-534.
2. "1998". Greyhound Data.
3. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 91. Raceform. ISBN   978-1-905153-53-4.
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. NGRC calendar. National Greyhound Racing Club. January 1999.
7. Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. ISBN   1-904317-07-3.
8. Hobbs, Jonathan (2004). Greyhound Annual 2005. Raceform. ISBN   1-904317-58-8.
9. "Greyhound racing: Hounded out after a 71-year run". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01.
10. "Long Eaton burns down". The Racing Post.
11. "When racing ruled Wembley". Betfair.
12. "The murder of this Sporting Life". The Guardian. 5 March 1999.
13. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1998) November edition". Greyhound Star. 2012.
14. "Remember When - November". Greyhound Star. 3 November 2019.
15. "Dash in for Value" . Daily Mirror. 19 March 1998. Retrieved 23 January 2022– via British Newspaper Archive.
16. "Greyhound Star (Remember When - February 1998)". Greyhound Star. February 2019.
17. Totalisator returns of National Greyhound Racing Club Licensed tracks. National Greyhound Racing Club. 1998.
18. Floyd Amphlett (March 1999). "Slow Climb". Greyhound Star.