1975 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1975 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 49th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[1]

1975 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
1975 English Greyhound Derby	Tartan Khan [2][3]
1975 Irish Greyhound Derby	Shifting Shadow [4][5]
1975 Scottish Greyhound Derby	Dromlara Master [6]
1975 Welsh Greyhound Derby	Baffling Bart [7]
Greyhound Trainer of the Year	Paddy Milligan
Greyhound of the Year	Pineapple Grand
Irish Greyhound of the Year	Ballybeg Prim

Summary

The National Greyhound Racing Club officially went metric from 1 January, which would mean all races being measured over metres instead of yards. The Irish authorities decided not to adopt the new system. The annual (NGRC) returns were released, with totalisator turnover at £69,220,977 and attendances recorded at 6,200,118, representing an increase in both.[8][9]

Pineapple Grand, a fawn bitch trained by Frank Baldwin was voted Greyhound of the Year after winning the Wembley Spring Cup, Laurels at Wimbledon Stadium and Oaks at Harringay Stadium.[10] Tartan Khan was unlucky not to get the vote after winning the 1975 English Greyhound Derby and the St Leger at Wembley.

The GRA Property Trust shares were suspended as it was revealed that the company had debts near to £20 million. The future of the company looked bleak.[11]

Tracks

Allied presentations re-opened a new Reading track at Bennett Road, just over one year after the Greyhound Racing Association had closed the venue at Oxford Road.[12] The new venue was built by owner trainer Bill Dore. Three independent tracks also opened at the Loomer Road Stadium in Chesterton at the Horton Road Stadium and at the Queens Park Football Ground (Bedford).[13] Yarmouth Stadium made their debut under NGRC rules by virtue of the permit scheme.[14]

Oxford Stadium Managing Director Ian Stevens (son of Con Stevens), acting for Bristol Stadium Ltd, sold Oxford to the City Council housing committee for £235,000 in October. A 27,000 strong petition was lodged with the local authorities and Tory MP Michael Heseltine called for a public meeting with a deadline set to find a new buyer. Shawfield Stadium suffered a devastating fire, destroying most of the facilities. Hull Kingston Rovers bought the Craven Park stadium back from the owners; they had previously sold it in 1938.[12] [14]

News

Brighton trainer Fred Lugg retired and was replaced by Doreen Walsh, the head kennelhand to George Curtis. Tom Baldwin died aged 77 and John Sherry gained a position as a trainer at Walthamstow Stadium after serving his apprenticeship at the kennels of Wembley trainer Tom Johnston.[12] [14]

Drynham Star broke the Derby Stadium track record over 590 metres in a re-run, despite already having run to the third bend before the hare broke down. Ramsgate trainer Peter Rich, former head man to John Coleman won all eight races at one meeting at his home track producing a 428,793-1 accumulator.[12] [14]

Competitions

Harringay introduced the Golden Jacket, a new event for stayers.[15]

Ireland

Peruvian Style, a light brindle 1973 whelp owned by Deirdre Hynes and trained by Tony Fahy had been beaten in the 1,000 Guineas final by Lively Band at Dundalk. Following this he went on to win the Tipperary Cup, made the semi-finals of the Laurels, won the Harp Lager Stakes at Dundalk and the Waterford Glass Stakes breaking the track record. Twelve consecutive wins were achieved after a Shelbourne Park event win before a winter rest.[4]

The Ger McKenna trained Ballybeg Prim was voted Irish Greyhound of the Year after winning the Irish Cesarewitch, Irish St Leger and the Shelbourne 600.[16]

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (April 12 500m h, £1,250) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Pier Hero Frank Melville 1-1f 30.65 1 2nd Weston Pete Colin West 5-1 30.81 4 3rd Tawny Black 16-1 30.82 5 4th Bachelor Rose 10-1 30.86 3 5th Try It Blackie Frank Melville 5-1 31.04 6 6th Killoneford Dash 5-1 31.18 2

Scurry Gold Cup, Slough (April 15, 434m, £1,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Longnor Lad Ben Parsons 4-1 26.77 5 2nd Clear Reason Mrs Dorin Clark 5-4f 27.21 2 3rd Grange Tim George Curtis 4-1 27.29 6 4th Monsoon Boy 5-1 27.57 1 5th Deire Na Fienna Terry Duggan 20-1 27.81 4 6th Star Vega Mrs.J.Hawkins 7-1 27.83 3

BBC TV Trophy, Monmore (April 23, 815m, £1,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Lizzies Girl Ted Williams 7-4jf 52.16+ 6 2nd Silver Lipstick Rowe 4-1 52.19 3 3rd Mcarthur Pride Tom Chamberlain 14-1 52.37 1 4th Captain Saul Gwen Lynds 20-1 52.53 5 5th Monavale Belle Vue 25-1 52.65 4 6th Chain Gang Frank Melville 7-4jf 52.71 2 +Track Record

Laurels, Wimbledon (May 16, 460m, £3,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Pineapple Grand Frank Baldwin 3-1 27.77 1 2nd Flip Your Top Bob Young 11-4 27.83 3 3rd Bealkilla Diver Pat Mullins 9-1 27.93 2 4th Hillside Kuda Sam Sykes 10-1 27.94 6 5th Slender Lead 9-1 28.08 5 6th Tory Mor Paddy Milligan 5-2 28.16 4

Welsh Derby, Arms Park (Jul 12, 484m £1,200) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Baffling Bart Paddy Milligan 3-1 29.37 3 2nd Clatra Glee Andy Agnew 12-1 29.89 6 3rd Greenane Spy M.Hickey 6-1 30.07 4 4th Domlara Master Bertie Gaynor 5-1 30.25 5 5th Main Avenue 11-4 30.28 2 6th That Silver John Coleman 3-1 30.50 1

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Shawfield (Aug 16, 485m, £2,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Dromlara Master Bertie Gaynor 7-1 29.30 2 2nd Macbeth 4-1 29.42 4 3rd Tory Mor Paddy Milligan 6-4f 29.58 5 4th Garford Joe 6-1 29.74 6 5th Kind Effort Pat Casey 20-1 29.80 3 6th Foreign Exchange Paddy Milligan 5-2 29.96 1

St Leger, Wembley (Sep 1, 655m, £2,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Tartan Khan Gwen Lynds 7-2 39.45+ 3 2nd Sandispec Clare Orton 13-8f 39.51 2 3rd Countville Natalie Savva 25-1 39.71 6 4th Dancing Dolores Paddy Reilly 5-2 39.77 1 5th Flashy Snoopy Frank Baldwin 16-1 39.99 5 6th Drynham Star Natalie Savva 5-1 40.15 4 +Track Record

Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 20, 555m, £2,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Abbey Glade George Curtis 11-4 34.97 4 2nd Dancing Dolores Paddy Reilly 3-1 35.55 5 3rd Foreign Exchange Paddy Milligan 9-4f 35.56 1 4th Westmead Land Natalie Savva 20-1 35.62 6 5th Mad Quest Colin West 14-1 35.78 3 6th Adioss Adam Jackson 7-2 35.82 2

Cesarewitch, Belle Vue (Sep 27, 815m, £2,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Silver Sceptre Reg Young 4-1 52.31 4 2nd Bonzo George Curtis 7-1 52.35 3 3rd Babe Monalee Dave Geggus 9-2 52.39 2 4th Favourite Animal Harry Bamford 5-1 52.93 6 5th Major Hope Frank Melville 5-1 53.07 1 6th Joys Image Ted Parker 5-2f 53.29 5

Oaks, Harringay (Nov 7, 480m, £1,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Pineapple Grand Frank Baldwin 8-11f 28.85 4 2nd Tory Mor Paddy Milligan 7-2 28.89 6 3rd Stylish Kilbeg Paddy Milligan 4-1 29.01 3 4th Fairland Flash Gordon Bailey 25-1 29.11 2 5th Gay Kathy Tom Johnston Jr. 10-1 29.19 1 6th Indianna Blues 66-1 29.41 5

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 151/152/153/154. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
3. "1975". 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. NGRC calendar. National Greyhound Racing Club. January 1976.
9. ""Sports in Brief." Times, 27 Jan. 1976, p. 12". Times Digital Archives.
10. Barnes, Julia (1991). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, Vol Two. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-61-9.
11. "Gleeson, Adrienne. "GRA Property shares suspended." Times, 24 Oct. 1975, p. 23". Times Digital Archives.
12. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
13. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
14. Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
15. Barnes/Sellers, Julia/John (1992). Ladbrokes Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-22-8.
16. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1975) December edition". Greyhound Star.