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McAlevey Gold Cup
The McAlevey Gold Cup was a greyhound racing Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around a track. There are two forms of greyhound racing, track racing (normally around an oval track) and coursing; the latter is now banned in most countries. Tra ... competition held annually at Celtic Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was introduced in 1938 for greyhounds bred in Ireland and not over two years of age. The competition was also known as the home-bred produce Stakes and offered a significant winner's prize of £600 in 1946. When the race was won by Dillies Pigalle in 1966 the winning time was a National Record. The event was not held from 1978 to 1980 due to the temporary closure of Celtic Park. The competition came to an end in 1983 following the permanent closure of Celtic Park. Past winners Venues & Distances *1938-1983 (Celtic Park, 525y) References {{UK & Irish greyhound competitions Greyhound racing competitio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Celtic Park (Belfast)
Celtic Park was a multi-use stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was used for football matches and was the home of Belfast Celtic F.C. Throughout the majority of its existence it was a greyhound racing track. The stadium was able to hold 50,000 spectators at its height, with 5,000 of those spectators seated. Football The stadium ceased to host Belfast Celtic matches when the team stopped playing competitive matches in 1949. Like Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, it was known as "Paradise" by its fans. The football team ran into financial issues and finally dissolved in 1960 but the stadium was then firmly established as a greyhound stadium. Greyhound Racing Origins Two Belfast bookmakers called Joe Shaw and Hugh McAlinden visited to Belle Vue Stadium in 1926 to view the new form of greyhound racing around an oval. They duly formed the National Racing Greyhound Company with the assistance of Paddy O’Donoghue and James Clarke. It was the first greyhound track to open in Irela ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1954 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1954 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 29th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour 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. Pauls Fun won the English Greyhound Derby for Leslie Reynolds securing a record fifth title for the trainer. The annual totalisator was £56,139,001. Competitions Prince Lawrence and Ardskeagh Ville claimed the pre-derby classics, the Grand National and Gold Collar respectively. Jack Harvey went on a significant thre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1967 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1967 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 41st year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) was formed to alleviate some of the ongoing problems of afternoon racing. The leading bookmaking firms funded BAGS who would pay the National Greyhound Racing Society (NGRS) a set fee for the off course rights. The NGRS would then distribute the money between all NGRC affiliated tracks. This system would continue until 1978. The first tracks selected to host the race meetings were Park Royal, Kings Heath, Stamford Bridge and Oxford. Government tote tax was reduced from 5% to 2.5%. The annual totalisator turnover was £66,216,938 but attendances dipped below 10 million for the first time since 1927. There were 6009 meetings. Tracks The expected sale of West Ham Stadium to the Greyhound Racing Association went ahead followed by the GRA purchase of Charlton Stadium. The GRA property trust ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1966 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1966 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 40th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The industry celebrated its 40th anniversary but the event was marred by the government extended betting tax to all greyhound tracks and attendances suffered because of the 1966 World Cup. Wembley however refused to cancel regular greyhound racing resulting in the World Cup match between Uruguay and France being played at White City Stadium. Dusty Trail is voted Greyhound of the Year after winning the Scottish Greyhound Derby, Select Stakes, International at Wimbledon and Anglo Irish International at White City, in addition to finishing runner-up in the Welsh Derby and reaching the Laurels final. Competitions The racing schedule suffered bad organisation, with the Welsh Greyhound Derby, Oaks and Scurry Gold Cup all clashing in July and the Scottish Greyhound Derby and St Leger clashing in September. The Regency at Brighton & Hove Greyh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1965 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1965 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 39th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The industry experienced a small rise in attendances and totalisator turnover for the first time since 1946. The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) affiliated tracks saw 11,213,730 paying customers at 5972 meetings with tote turnover of £58,480,219. However the possibility of future increases was unlikely because there was competition from television, which had found its way into many of Britain's households, bingo halls (a recent gambling rival) which was now established and dance halls pulled in the younger generation. In addition many companies that owned tracks had evaluated that selling them for redevelopment brought large short term financial gain, especially in major cities. Tracks Staines Greyhound Stadium was demolished, five years after closing and the Mexborough greyhound track called the Dog Daisy Stadium, which was situate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1964 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1964 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 38th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The Dagenham Coup incident that took place at Dagenham Greyhound Stadium on 30 June 1964 took all the headlines and became one of the most infamous moments in greyhound racing history. Despite the government reducing the totalisator tax to 5% from 10%, the industry saw a further fall in attendances. The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) affiliated tracks saw 11,208,657 paying customers at 6011 meetings with tote turnover of £50,178,166. Tracks The Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) acquired Catford Stadium. Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium owners Northumbrian and Crayford Trust Ltd joined the Totalisator Holdings group, owners of six other tracks. The Liverpool tracks of Seaforth Greyhound Stadium and White City Stadium (Liverpool) re-joined the NGRC set up after spells as independent tracks. A new independent opened called the Bosto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1963 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1963 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 37th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The Greyhound Afternoon Service was established whereby tracks supplied afternoon racing for the larger bookmaking clients. However the track promoters made a request for a guaranteed payment for the off course rights from all bookmakers taking bets from their stadium. Negotiations would continually take place between the stadiums, the National Greyhound Racing Society (NGRS) and the bookmakers. The problems had been ongoing since the introduction of the Betting and Gaming Act 1960. Clapton Stadiums Ltd owners of Clapton Stadium, Slough and Reading scrapped evening starting times in an attempt to disrupt the betting in bookmaker's shops. Tracks racing during the afternoon had already implemented this procedure. A further development resulted in the tracks ending the annual £100,000 agreement with the off course bookmakers to provide forecas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1962 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1962 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 36th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The decrease in attendances continued as a result of the Betting and Gaming Act 1960, which contributed to more track closures. Boundary Park Stadium in the Hellesdon area of Norwich closed on 1 December 1962, to become a redeveloped site for the Eastern Electricity Company. Rochdale switched to independent status and Charlton Stadium closed after difficulties (it would re-open four years later however), in the meantime their top event the Cloth of Gold would take place at Wandsworth Stadium. English Greyhound Derby finalist Dromin Glory, a brindle dog trained by John Bassett had a brilliant year winning both the Scottish Greyhound Derby and Cesarewitch at West Ham Stadium in consecutive months. This was achieved in addition to lifting the Birmingham Cup, Gymcrack and Select Stakes and was voted Greyhound of the Year. Competitions The G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1961 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1961 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 35th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The Betting and Gaming Act 1960 came into force on 1 January 1961. The effect was almost instantaneous with afternoon attendances collapsing. In an attempt to combat the decline, the National Greyhound Racing Society banned telephones at the track and did not allow results to be published before 9.00 pm. In addition they attempted delaying trap draws and enforced a copyright on the tote returns but the government legislation had effectively handed over the afternoon track trade to the bookmaker industry. Bizarrely the government handed horse racing a levy (a deduction from bookmaker's turnover that would be paid back to the racecourses), under the Betting Levy Act 1961. The levy was given because of the losses that horse racing would incur with daytime bookmakers shops opening. Greyhound racing was not given a levy which came as a furth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1960 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1960 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 34th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The National Greyhound Racing Club released the 1960 figures for their affiliated tracks, which showed that 14,243,808 paying customers attended 5,736 meetings. The totalisator turnover was £54,188,302 but government tote tax remained at 10% with track deductions remaining at 6%. Turnover and attendances remained stable but one piece of government legislation was about to have a dramatic impact on the industry. The Betting and Gaming Act 1960 was passed on 1 September 1960 and would come into effect four months later, on 1 January 1961. Tracks Staines Greyhound Stadium closed, forcing Jack Walsh to open a bookmakers shop in Egham, Surrey, Walsh had been part owner with William Hill of the 1938 English Greyhound Derby winner Lone Keel. Gerry Bailey and Jack Carter took over the lease at Rye House Stadium from the Lea Valley Regional Pa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1959 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1959 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 33rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary Mile Bush Pride was voted Greyhound of the Year after becoming only the second greyhound, after Trev's Perfection to win the Triple Crown which consisted of the English Greyhound Derby, Scottish Greyhound Derby and Welsh Greyhound Derby. Trained by Jack Harvey for owner Noel Purvis, a shipping magnate, the brindle greyhound also won the Pall Mall, Select Stakes and Cesarewitch in 1959. Competitions Irish Greyhound Derby champion Colonel Perry moved kennels from John Bassett to Tom Baldwin and finished a disappointing fourth in the final of the Gold Collar behind Dunstown Warrior. After his English Greyhound Derby success, Mile Bush Pride ran out an eleven and a quarter winner of the Welsh Derby, in 28.80 seconds, eclipsing the previous track record by over five lengths. Mile Bush Pride then achieved the Triple Crown by winning the Scotti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1958 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1958 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 32nd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The National Greyhound Racing Society (the management branch of the National Greyhound Racing Club agreed a deal with the BBC to provide an annual greyhound event which would be shown live on Sportsview. The race would be known as the Sportsview BBC Television Trophy with the venues to be changed each year. The first competition was at Wimbledon over 500 yards but it was soon discovered that the distance was too short for the viewers to remain interested, which resulted in a switch to longer distances the following year. The inaugural event was claimed by trainer Leslie Reynolds with a 20-1 shot called Town Prince. Pigalle Wonder was voted Greyhound of the Year, after a year that included winning the 1958 English Greyhound Derby at White City, Cesarewitch at West Ham Stadium and Pall Mall Stakes at Harringay Stadium. Competitions Pig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |