Welsh Greyhound Derby
| Triple Crown race (discontinued) | |
 1929 Welsh Greyhound Derby winner Back Isle | |
| Location | Cardiff Arms Park |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1928 |
| Last run | 1977 |
The Welsh Greyhound Derby was a former classic greyhound competition held in Wales.[1]
It was held at the White City Stadium in Cardiff from 1928 to 1937. After the closure of this stadium the race switched to the Cardiff Arms Park from 1945 until 1977. It gained classic status in 1971.[2]
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.[3] 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.[4]
The famous Mick the Miller, who was a household name during the 1930s won the event in 1930.[5][6]
Past winners
| 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 | ||
| 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[7] | 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
Venues
- 1928–1937 (Welsh White City, Cardiff 525 yards)
- 1945–1974 (Arms Park, Cardiff 525 yards)
- 1975–1977 (Arms Park, Cardiff 500 metres)
References
- ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing, pages 129-130. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
- ^ 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.