The Welsh Greyhound Derby was a former classic greyhound competition held in Wales.[1]
| Triple Crown race (discontinued) | |
 1929 Welsh Greyhound Derby winner Back Isle | |
| Location | Cardiff Arms Park |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1928 |
| Last run | 1977 |
History
editThe competition was held at the White City Stadium in Cardiff from 1928 to 1937. The competition was sometimes run as a handicap race.[2]
After the closure of White City, the race switched to the Cardiff Arms Park from 1945 until 1977. It gained classic status in 1971.[3]
When the Cardiff Arms Park closed to greyhound racing there was no remaining fully licensed National Greyhound Racing Club track in Wales resulting in the race discontinuing.[4] During the vast majority of its existence the race formed part of the triple crown of racing alongside the English Greyhound Derby and Scottish Greyhound Derby.[5]
The famous Mick the Miller, who was a household name during the 1930s won the event in 1930.[6][7]
Venues
edit- 1928–1937 (Welsh White City, Cardiff 525 yards)
- 1945–1974 (Arms Park, Cardiff 525 yards)
- 1975–1977 (Arms Park, Cardiff 500 metres)
Past winners
edit| Year | Winner | Breeding | Trainer | Time | SP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Cheerful Choice | Mutton Cutlet – Glorious Still | Paddy Fortune (Welsh White City) | 30.73 sec | 8-11f | |
| 1929 | Back Isle | Spike Island – Giddy Fiddler | Cronin | 29.67 sec | 4-9f | |
| 1930 | Mick The Miller | Glorious Event – Na Boc Lei | Sidney Orton (Wimbledon) | 29.55 sec | 1-8f | Track Record |
| 1931 | Altamatzin | Wily Warrior – Looks Likely | Arthur 'Doc' Callanan (Wembley) | 29.88 sec | 2-1 | |
| 1932 | Reel Tom | Melksham Tom – Rigadoon | Billy Quinn (Ireland) | 29.87 sec | 5-1 | |
| 1933 | Beef Cutlet | Mutton Cutlet – Burette | John Hegarty (Welsh White City) | 29.56 sec | ||
| 1934 | Valiant Rufus | Red Robin – Hotel Avro | Leslie Carpenter (Gloucester) | 30.08 sec | 1/1f | |
| 1936 | Bully Ring | Mount Hillarys Boy – Brittas Belle | Robert Linney (Gloucester) | 30.28 sec | 4-1 | |
| 1937 | Genial Radiance | Johnny Peters - Reymerston | J.W.Day (Private) | 30.15 sec | 5-1 | |
| 1945 | Shaggy Lass | Castledown Lad – Shaggy Shore | G.H.Vickery (Private) | 29.75 sec | 4-5f | |
| 1946 | Negro's Lad | Kilrea Lad – Negro's Fire | Jack Toseland (Perry Barr) | 29.54 sec | 8-1 | Track record |
| 1947 | Trev's Perfection | Trevs Despatch - Friar Tuck | Fred Trevillion (Private) | 29.74 sec | 1-3f | |
| 1948 | Local Interprize | Ruby Border - Mythical Daisy | Stan Biss (Clapton) | 29.32 sec | 4-6f | |
| 1950 | Ballycurreen Garrett | Ballycurreen Duke – Ballymakeera Keeper | Jack Harvey (Wembley) | 29.22 sec | 100-30 | Track record |
| 1951 | Ballylanigan Tanist | Mad Tanist - Fly Dancer | Leslie Reynolds (Wembley) | 29.95 sec | 1-1f | |
| 1952 | Endless Gossip | Priceless Border - Narrogar Ann | Leslie Reynolds (Wembley) | 29.41 sec | 7-4 | |
| 1953 | Glittering Look | Glittering Smack – Knockrour Favourite | Tom 'Paddy' Reilly (Walthamstow) | 29.39 sec | 5-2 | |
| 1955 | Rushton Mac[8] | Rushton News – Rushton Panda | Frank Johnson (Private) | 29.40 sec | 1-2f | |
| 1957 | Go Doggie Go | Ballymac Ball – Marchioness Minnie | Jack Toseland (Perry Barr) | 29.38 sec | 5-4f | |
| 1958 | Our Defence | Defence Leader – Our Violet | Dennis O'Brien (Private) | 30.27 sec | 6-1 | |
| 1959 | Mile Bush Pride | The Grand Champion – Witching Dancer | Jack Harvey (Wembley) | 28.80 sec | 8-11f | Track record |
| 1960 | Fitz's Star | Cheerful Chariot – Fitz's Lass | Tom 'Paddy' Reilly (Walthamstow) | 29.48 sec | 4-1 | |
| 1961 | Oregon Prince | Knock Hill Chieftain - Burleigh's Fancy | Phil Rees Sr. (Private) | 28.86 sec | 2-5f | |
| 1962 | Summerhill Fancy | Knockrour Again – Brandon Princess | George Waterman (Wimbledon) | 29.07 sec | 3-1 | |
| 1963 | Fairys Chum | Knock Hill Chieftain – Fairy Julia | Bob Burls (Wembley) | 29.49 sec | 4-1 | |
| 1964 | Davo's Rink | Hopeful Cutlet – Move Along Kentucky | Tom Baldwin (Perry Barr) | 28.84 sec | 9-4 | |
| 1965 | Harmony | Mile Bush Pride – Perfect Queen | Jim Irving (Private) | 29.43 sec | 3-1 | |
| 1966 | I'm Quickest | Skips Choice – Gratton Star | Randy Singleton (White City) | 29.59 sec | 3-1 | |
| 1968 | Swift Half | Hack Up Chieftain – Imperial Astra | Jim Irving (Private) | 29.58 sec | 9-2 | |
| 1969 | Pallas Joy | Movealong Santa – Happy Now | Adam Jackson (Clapton) | 29.43 sec | 7-2 | |
| 1970 | Super Gamble | Flash Solar – Big Gamble | Paddy Coughlan (Private) | 29.46 sec | 2-1 | |
| 1971 | Spectres Dream | Spectres II – Jockeys Dream | Hugo Spencer (Portsmouth) | 29.22 sec | 16-1 | |
| 1972 | Patricias Hope | Silver Hope - Patsicia | Adam Jackson (Clapton) | 29.75 sec | 3-1 | |
| 1973 | Silly Rocket | Shanes Rocket – Silly Pride | Bertie Gaynor (Wolverhampton) | 29.56 sec | 11-8f | |
| 1974 | Dankie | Monalee Champion – Weela Heather | Colin West (White City) | 29.72 sec | 4-1 | |
| 1975 | Baffling Bart | The Grand Silver - Mosaduva | Paddy Milligan (Private) | 29.37 sec | 3-1 | |
| 1976 | Cameo Colonel | Own Pride – New Curriculum | John Gibbons (Private) | 29.63 sec | 10-1 | |
| 1977 | Instant Gambler | Itsachampion - Sabrina | Barbara Tompkins (Private) | 30.01 sec | 1-1f |
Discontinued
References
edit- ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing, pages 129-130. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
- ^ "Valiant Rufus wins Welsh Derby". Western Mail. 28 May 1934. Retrieved 17 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing, pages 104-105. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
- ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
- ^ Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
- ^ Dack, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years, pages 59-61. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
- ^ Tanner, Michael (2004). The Legend of Mick the Miller: Sporting Icon of the Depression. Newbury: Highdown. ISBN 978-1-904317-67-8.
- ^ "Rushton Mac wins easily". Western Mail. 28 June 1955. Retrieved 8 January 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.