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Wembley Spring Cup
The Wembley Spring Cup was a greyhound racing competition held annually at Wembley Stadium. It was inaugurated in 1930, one of the earliest competitions. The race changed its name to the Blue Riband in 1981. Following the end of the Wembley Greyhounds the Blue Riband was transferred to Greyhound Racing Association The Greyhound Racing Association was a UK-based private company founded in 1925 and existed until 2019. It was involved in the management of sports venues, notably greyhound racing stadia. The GRA was responsible for introducing Greyhound racing ... (GRA) sister track Hall Green in 1999. Past winners Venues & Distances *1930-1980 (Wembley 525y/490m) References {{UK & Irish greyhound competitions Greyhound racing competitions in the United Kingdom 1930 establishments in the United Kingdom 1980 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena Sport in the London Borough of Brent Recurring sporting events established in 1930 Greyh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wembley Greyhounds
Wembley Greyhounds was the greyhound racing operation held at Wembley Stadium in London. History Origins After the 1924-25 British Empire Exhibition Wembley Stadium was in liquidation before eventually being purchased by Arthur Elvin. For the stadium to survive into the future it required much needed revenue and it was greyhound racing that provided it. Opening The first meeting was held on 10 December 1927 when 70,000 people witnessed the first ever winner called Spin claim the Empire Stakes over 525 yards. The Director of Racing and Racing Manager was Captain Arthur Brice, he was well known as the judge for the Waterloo Cup. Pre war history In 1928 the stadium introduced a major competition called the St Leger which became one of the most prominent classic races in the greyhound racing calendar ranking only lower than the English Greyhound Derby. The first ever running in 1928 was won by a local hound by the name of Burletta trained by Alf Mulliner. Over the following deca ... [...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] |
Leslie Reynolds
Leslie Reynolds (1906–1961) was a leading English greyhound trainer. He was a five times winner of the English Greyhound Derby which constituted a record until beaten by Charlie Lister in 2011. Early life Reynolds was born during 1906 in Oare, Wiltshire. He was the 'slipper' at the Waterloo Cup meetings and took up an appointment at Harringay Stadium in the late 1920s. Career Reynolds achieved his first classic success in 1932 when he won the St Leger at Wembley with a greyhound called Fret Not, a finalist in the 1932 English Greyhound Derby. He switched his trainer's attachment from Harringay to White City, London, during 1934. Before the war he had won a Cesarewitch, a Gold Collar and two more St Legers but his success was interrupted with the postponement of almost all racing in London for the duration of the war. He was forced to seek an attachment at Wembley because of the continued closure of White City. After racing resumed he won a Pall Mall Stakes, two Grand Prixs ... [...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] |
West Ham Stadium
West Ham Stadium was a stadium that existed between 1928 and 1972 in Custom House, in East London (it was in the County Borough of West Ham, in the county of Essex, at the time of the stadium's construction). The stadium was built in 1928 on Prince Regent Lane, near the site of the present-day Prince Regent DLR station. The venue was used for greyhound racing and speedway on weekdays and had no connection with West Ham United football club, who played at the nearby Boleyn Ground, Upton Park from 1904 until 2016. Greyhound racing Origins Plans for a very large stadium in a rural area near Plaistow Marsh, east of Canning Town were unveiled in the late 1920s and work began on the structure where an old sports ground (built in 1855) was situated that had belonged to the workers of the custom house of Royal Victoria Dock. The stadium was designed by Archibald Leitch, responsible for most of the major football stadia at the time including Anfield and Highbury. There was a large 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] |
Ballyhennessy Seal
Ballyhennessy Seal was a famous racing greyhound during the latter part of World War II and shortly afterwards. He is regarded as being one of the leading racing greyhounds in history and won the sports ultimate prize, the English Greyhound Derby. Profile 1942 Ballyhennessy Seal was whelped in April 1942, by Lone Seal out of Canadian Glory. He was bred and reared in Tralee, by L C O'Connell. 1943 His first trial and race was in June, at Tralee Greyhound Stadium. After he won a sweepstake, he was sold to England for £50 and raced at Catford Stadium for his new owners, Mrs F Stow and Mr E A Vivian. Within two weeks of his arrival he won the 18th Rochester Stakes, his first competition and races in England. He soon earned the nickname 'The Seal' and won his 1943 Puppy Derby heat at Wimbledon Stadium, by 14 lengths, in a time of 28.88 seconds. In the final he lost by a short head to Allardstown Playboy. Con Stevens (the Wimbledon Racing Manager) introduced a new invitation race ... [...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] |
1944 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1944 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 19th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The popularity of racing continued to grow with attendances and totalisator turnover both rising once again despite the wartime restrictions imposed in many other aspects of life. Attendances and annual totalisator turnover increased significantly once again. The totalisator turnover saw an increase in excess of 20% from the previous year when a figure of 74,845,814 was declared. The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) recorded a record profit of £578,000 but the GRA chairman and managing director Francis Gentle (son of William Gentle) announced that government restrictions on racing fixtures and excess profits taxation was affecting the business dividends. The taxation was the equivalent of £2,000 per day. The headlines created during the year revolved around the success of two greyhounds Ballynennan Moon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1943 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1943 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 18th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary War time attendances remained strong but there were no known new tracks opened. The only major competitions to take place were again the Scottish Greyhound Derby and Irish Greyhound Derby. The phenomenon that was a continual growth of attendances and annual totalisator turnover was observed once again, attendances paid £60,382,219 in bets on the totalisator alone. An astonishing figure in 1943, especially taking into account the war. Ballynennan Moon Ballynennan Moon continued to be the outstanding performer of the year, he continued where he had left of in 1942 and raced in eighty consecutive weeks of racing. He won the Joe Harmon Memorial Stakes, the Charlton Spring Cup and the Metropolitan Cup. Competitions ''Bilting Hawk'' won the Scottish Derby and a new puppy called ''Ballyhennessy Seal'', whelped in April 1942, by Lone Seal out o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1942 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1942 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 17th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Summary The year continued to be dominated by the effect of World War II. The only major races that had not been suspended were the Irish Greyhound Derby and Scottish Greyhound Derby. Many race meetings held throughout the country helped with the war effort with money collections made frequently for various funds. The crowds remained healthy and the racing provided a welcome distraction from the war. The distraction was so significant that the annual totalisator turnover set another new record, reaching £49,989,183, government tax and track deduction remained at 6% each respectively. An example of the sports popularity was highlighted at the House of Commons when an issue was addressed. The issue concerned was when upwards of 500 personnel at an aircraft factory left without permission to attend an afternoon greyhound meeting. Ballynennan Moon Ballynennan Moon r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Park Royal Stadium
Park Royal Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in London used from 1931 until 1969. It is not to be confused with the Park Royal Ground built in 1907 by the Great Western Railway and used by Queens Park Rangers F.C. from 1907 to 1915. Origins The Royal Agricultural Society of England built showgrounds in 1903 intended to be used every year for their annual show. It served as the home stadium for Queens Park Rangers F.C. but was sold in 1907. Due to its proximity to central London and the local railway network, the site attracted industrial companies and buildings began to be constructed in the area, which soon became known as Park Royal. In 1931, just east of the old showgrounds and north of an athletic ground and engineering works a new stadium was constructed on the Abbey Road. Next door to the stadium was the newly built Park Royal Coachworks, which would also become a very well-known business. The stadium had two very large covered stands that ran the length ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
