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Oaks (Irish Greyhounds)
The Oaks is a greyhound racing competition held annually at Shelbourne Park. First held at Harold's Cross in 1930, the event was unofficial until 1932. It is an original classic competition in the Irish racing greyhound racing calendar and was officially inaugurated in 1932 following the decision by the Irish Coursing Club to issue a new list of classic races. The event was shared around several tracks in Ireland starting with Clonmel Greyhound Stadium from 1932-1933 and then the two Dublin venues of Shelbourne Park and Harold's Cross Stadium. Before World War II the old Cork Greyhound Stadium and Markets Field Greyhound Stadium in Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ... also both hosted the competition. After the war Shelbourne Park and Harold's Cross bo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shelbourne Park
Shelbourne Park is a greyhound racing stadium in the south Dublin inner city suburb of Ringsend. Greyhound Racing Opening The plans to open a greyhound track in Dublin were drawn up by Paddy O’Donoghue, Jerry Collins, Patsy McAlinden and Jim Clarke. Shelbourne Park opened on 14 May 1927 hot on the heels of Celtic Park (Belfast). The stadium located in the docklands in Ringsend was Dublin's answer to the Belfast track and the pair became the two most greyhound prestigious tracks in Irish racing. When opening in 1927 the track employed four resident trainers in Mick Horan, Paddy Quigley, Billy Donoghue and Ben Scally. History One year later it was decided to introduce the Easter Cup which commemorated the 1916 Easter Monday Rising in Dublin. However, the race soon became known for its own fame rather than its naming origins. The first winner was a greyhound called Odd Blade and the brindle dog went on to successfully defend his title the following year. Famously Mick the Mill ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1939 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1939 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 14th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary Despite the outbreak of World War II, another ten tracks opened, buoyed on by the attendances and profits generated. Attendances and totalisator turnover at National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) licensed tracks was on course for a record year but was disrupted, with many tracks closing in the latter part of the year. A record 92,000 attended the 1939 English Greyhound Derby final at White City and the totalisator turnover for the final was £14,341 and for the meeting it was £114,780 which set a new record for a greyhound meeting. The race was won by Highland Rum. The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) saw reduced profits, due to the closure of their London tracks from September. The operating net profit for 1939 was £151,000 and attendances at GRA tracks increased rose to 3,808,994. Tracks Oxford Stadium w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1953 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1953 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 28th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The annual totalisator was £61,522,849 which constituted a solid year. The main stars of the year were Spanish Battleship, in Ireland and Magourna Reject, in the United Kingdom. Competitions There was a surprise in store during the first major event of the year when 1951 Scurry Gold Cup runner up Mushera Silver won the Gold Collar, at 13-2 beating Monachdy Girlie by two lengths. The Scottish Greyhound Derby was cancelled for the second successive year due to insufficient entries but the Welsh Greyhound Derby received a high standard of entry. Glittering Look made amends for his unlucky Derby performance beating fellow Derby finalists Small Town, Galtee Cleo in addition to Endless Gossip and Ollys Pal. A competition called the London Tracks Coursing Cup (confined to London track greyhounds) was held near Cambridge and was won by Must Ventu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1952 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1952 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 27th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The annual totalisator was £64,263,725, which indicated that the industry had stabilised following a few turbulent years. The year focused on the performances of two greyhounds, Endless Gossip and Magourna Reject. Despite the fact that Magourna Reject had failed to land a classic competition during the year, he drew the crowds everywhere he went and Endless Gossip was denied the chance to win the Triple Crown because the Scottish Greyhound Derby had been cancelled. Competitions Match racing was still popular even twenty years after the Mick the Miller era. One such match was between XPDNC (the Grand National champion against this year's favourite Lambourn Blackflash. Lambourn Blackflash won by five lengths and both competed in the Grand National at White City during May. The two rivals qualified for the final, but it was a 20-1 shot (Whis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paddy Moclair
Paddy Moclair (1 September 1907 – 9 May 1983) was an Irish Gaelic footballer who played as a full-forward and as a full-back at senior level for the Mayo county team. After retiring from Gaelic football he was a leading greyhound trainer. Gaelic football career Moclair joined the team during the 1930 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement following the conclusion of the 1942 championship. During that time he won one All-Ireland medal, seven Connacht medals, six National League medals and one All-Time All Star Award. Moclair experienced a fourteen-year club career with Castlebar Mitchels and Ballina Stephenites, winning nine county championship medals. Retirement After retiring from Gaelic football he took up the training of racing greyhounds and gained a good reputation. His training career culminated in winning the 1948 Irish Greyhound Derby with a greyhound called Western Post on 4 September 1948. Cup Starting in 1971, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1951 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1951 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 26th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The annual totalisator was £65,548,855, a fifth consecutive drop since 1946 but considerably more stable than the significant decreases experienced during 1950. Once again the blame was directed towards the government and their tax policies of 10% tote tax and an additional 45% entertainment tax. Two tracks closed claiming that they could not continue to trade under the current taxation. In January Tamworth Greyhound Stadium and in May White City Stadium (Newcastle), the latter closed after the Managing Director Mr Whatley reported unmanageable figures. The tote receipts were £75,000 of which £47,000 was taken out by taxation. Restrictions on gambling were very much still considered by the government to be in the interests of the general public. A record 140 entries were received at the initial stage of the 1951 English Greyhound Derby, B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1950 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1950 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 25th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The annual totalisator was £70,408,231, a fourth consecutive drop since 1946. Seventy-one of the tracks were affiliated to the National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) which accounted for £61,068,000 of the total. The drop at the 71 tracks constituted 18% and paid attendances were 21,549,000, a drop of 10%. The returns further increased the friction between the industry and the government, with the former blaming the tote tax cost of £9,182,000 in addition to normal income tax on other areas of the business. Ballymac Ball continued his exceptional form from 1949 by winning the English Greyhound Derby. Tracks The Boyne Valley Greyhound Stadium in Navan and Spennymoor Greyhound Stadium both open. Competitions The News of the World in association with the National Greyhound Racing Club announced plans to sponsor a national intertrack competit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1949 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1949 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 24th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The annual totalisator turnover was a healthy £85,643,207, which although the fifth highest ever recorded was also the third consecutive drop since 1946. Another concern was the fact that there were 207 tracks operating which was 63 less than during 1934. The industry put the blame squarely on government legislation that continued to squeeze operating profits. The government however were under pressure from organisations such as the Committee of Churches and ordered a public session. They presented evidence to the Royal Commission of Betting Lotteries and Gaming attacking all forms of betting with greyhound racing being singled out in particular, with mention of all under 18s being banned from tracks and the deduction from the totalisator to be brought down from its current percentage with no gain for promoters through the operations of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1948 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1948 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 23rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The annual totalisator turnover was £99,449,342, which although the fourth highest ever recorded was also the second consecutive drop since 1946. The minimum betting stake on the track totalisator was increased from two to four shillings but quickly changed back following a widespread slump. The government ban on mid-week racing continued. Western Post and Priceless Border claimed the big Derby races but Local Interprize was the star of the year, after he claimed four classic competitions. They were the Gold Collar, Scurry Gold Cup, Welsh Greyhound Derby and the Cesarewitch. Competitions A greyhound called Narrogar Ann from a litter of six, out of the bitch Winnie of Berrow (winner of the 1944 Eclipse) came to prominence when successful in the Western Two year Old Produce Stakes. Narrogar Ann trained by Joe Farrand at Oxford Stadium beat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1947 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1947 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 22nd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary Racing was seriously affected by the Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom and the fuel crisis. Tracks were forced to close from 11 February and on 11 February Sir Guy Bower, a Department Secretary for the Government, had closed down all greyhound tracks to conserve fuel and when racing was allowed to return it was restricted to Saturdays. On 15 March the fuel ban was lifted after 29 days, but 160 meetings were lost in London alone. Despite the loss of nearly two months of racing the returns for the year were significant, the extraordinary year of 1946 would never be matched again but totalisator returns still reached £131,460,177. The government increased their tote tax deduction to 10%, earning over £13 million for the treasury, track deductions remained at 6%. The government was subject to criticism from the industry because of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1946 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1946 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 21st year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The greyhound racing industry experienced an extraordinary year in 1946, with all previous records in terms of attendances and totalisator turnover being broken. The year would be the pinnacle in the history of the sport and would never be matched again. Attendances were estimated to be around 75 million based on an annual totalisator turnover of £196,431,430. The figure equates to £8 billion today (2018), using a historic inflation calculator, which indicates the significance of the industry at the time. Trading on greyhound racing shares at the stock exchange were centre stage business. The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) recorded record attendances and profits at all of their tracks. The largest tote turnover was at White City and reached £17,576,190. Competitions Mondays News won the 1946 English ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1945 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1945 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 20th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The Second World War came to an end in Europe on 8 May, leaving time for the industry to complete a full racing schedule including a return of the 1945 English Greyhound Derby that was won by Ballyhennessy Seal. Attendances and totalisator turnover for NGRC tracks reached record highs, with over 50 million paying customers going through the turnstiles. It was also announced that the NGRC tracks had earned the government £120,000 for war charities during the duration. Annual totalisator turnover nearly doubled to 137,715,273 (a phenomenal sum in 1945). The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) recorded a record profit of £1,616,000 but £1,230,000 of that was allocated for the liability of excess profit tax and National Defence Contribution. The annual report indicated that greyhound racing had served servic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
