McAlinden Cup
The McAlinden Cup was a greyhound racing competition held annually at Shelbourne Park in Dublin, Ireland.[1]
The race was also known by the name the Hugh McAlinden Memorial Cup.[2] Hugh McAlinden was the chairman of Belfast Celtic F.C.[3] and one of the founders of greyhound racing in Ireland introducing racing to Celtic Park in Belfast in 1927.[4]
The competition was a feature competition in the Irish racing calendar and was seen as a good test for the Irish Greyhound Derby because it was held over the same race distance and course. The event was inaugurated in 1939. In 1942 it was run at Cork Greyhound Stadium for the only time in its history when it was won by 1942 Irish Greyhound Derby champion Uacterlainn Riac.[5]
In 1944 Robeen Printer recorded 29.90 sec in the heats which was the fastest ever time recorded at Shelbourne Park by a bitch at the time.[5]
The event lost its status as a major race and was replaced by the Champion Stakes.[6]
Past winners
| Year | Winner | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Nore Prince | |
| 1940 | Another Dancing Willie | 30.47 |
| 1941 | Landys Style | 30.25 |
| 1942 | Uacterlainn Riac | 30.34 |
| 1943 | Mad Printer | 30.48 |
| 1944 | Robeen Printer | 30.17 |
| 1945 | Soft Day Matt | 30.12 |
| 1946 | Lemon Flash | 30.13 |
| 1947 | Snowstorm | 30.21 |
| 1948 | Tadja | 30.44 |
| 1949 | Prince Palatine | 29.85 |
| 1950 | Bronze Badge | 29.92 |
| 1951 | Bronze Badge | 30.15 |
| 1952 | Glittering Mad | 29.98 |
| 1953 | Rose of Meath | |
| 1954 | Imperial Toast | 30.14 |
| 1955 | Prince of Bermuda | 30.53 |
| 1956 | Romantic Slievmanon | 29.77 |
| 1957 | Mikos Prince | |
| 1959 | The Flogging Reel | |
| 1960 | The Grand Prince | |
| 1963 | Oklahoma Kid | 30.23 |
| 1964 | Granada Chief | 29.65 |
| 1965 | Nuts | 29.46 |
| 1966 | Newrath Dancer | 29.58 |
| 1967 | Rathinch Valley | 29.40 |
| 1968 | Philotimo | 29.23 |
| 1969 | Johnnys Dream | 29.35 |
| 1970 | Ballyhandy Duke | 29.43 |
| 1971 | Highland Drive | 29.34 |
| 1972 | Eighthouses | 29.70 |
| 1973 | Dark Mercury | 29.67 |
| 1975 | Not Run | |
| 1974 | Cyclone | 29.99 |
| 1976 | Game Parachute | 29.55 |
Venues & Distances
- 1939-1941 (Shelbourne Park, 525y)
- 1942 (Cork, 525y)
- 1963-1976 (Shelbourne Park, 525y)
References
- ^ Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland, page 205. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
- ^ Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound, page 101. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
- ^ "Belfast Celtic 1891 - 1949". Belfast Celtic.org.
- ^ "The Electric Hare Company". Academia.edu.
- ^ a b Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
- ^ Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing, page 261. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.