1997 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1997 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 71st year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[ 1]
The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) released the annual returns, with totalisator turnover at £73,754,098 and attendances recorded at 3,523,900 from 5412 meetings.[ 6]
Some Picture trained by Charlie Lister was voted Greyhound of the Year after winning the 1997 English Greyhound Derby and the 1997 Scottish Greyhound Derby [ 7] [ 8] in addition to reaching the 1997 Irish Greyhound Derby final.[ 4] The black dog was also voted the leading dog in Ireland and won the Irish Dog of the Year and only just missed out on a £100,000 bonus prize offered by sponsors Regal to any greyhound winning the Scottish, English and Irish Derby.
Linda Mullins won the Greyhound Trainer of the Year for the second successive year.[ 9]
The year started badly when on 4 January the London Stadium closed its doors. The stadium had been rebuilt had huge cost and was now subject to rumours of fraud and malpractice. The reasons for administration was subject to investigation and even appeared on 'The Cook Report ', a popular TV show hosted by Roger Cook .[ 9]
On 27 October Eastville Stadium owned by the BS Group was sold for development, plans were announced for a new Bristol greyhound stadium that never came to fruition. The BS Group management switched the entire operation, including trainers, racing office staff and bookmakers forty miles up the M4 to the newly acquired Swindon , bought from British Car Auctions who had owned the track since 1983, even the Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) contract switched to Swindon.[ 9] Bristol trainers Terry Kibble, Ron Dix, Marjorie Millard and Peter Swadden all moved Swindon.
The racing ended at Dunmore Stadium in March 1997 and the last meeting attracted 3,000 patrons.[ 10]
Catford Racing Manager Jim Snowden left to be General Manager at Portsmouth replacing the retiring Bill Francis. Snowden was replaced by the Assistant Racing Manager Phil Donaldson. In Wimbledon the Merton council produced a feasibility study into putting a football stadium on Wimbledon Stadium which was dismissed by Wimbledon chairman Sam Hammam . A first season trainer called Seamus Cahill joined Catford.
The BBC severed their ties with greyhound racing as they continued to cut their sporting programs. Sky stepped in and would show the TV Trophy for the first time which led to the bizarre scenario whereby the event was held twice; once in April (BBC) and then again in October (Sky). The relationship with Sky was closely guarded by the Greyhound Racing Association who gained the upper hand in negotiations for the industry.[ 9] [ 1]
Derby semi-finalist Toms The Best hit a great run of form in the summer winning the Midland Gold Cup at Monmore and the Sussex Cup at Hove before heading for the Irish Derby and claiming the competition for Nick Savva .[ 4]
Spring Rose continued to perform well, reaching the Grand Prix final at Walthamstow and St Leger final at Wembley but she was upstaged by Tralee Crazy. The white and black bitch trained by Nick Savva won both the Cesarewitch at Catford and the St Leger.[ 9] [ 1]
Sheffield (71 points) won the Red Mills Supertrack defeating Walthamstow (64) and Midlenhall (54) in the final.[ 11]
Daily Mirror/Sporting Life Grand National , Hall Green (Mar 26, 474m h, £7,500)
Pos
Name of Greyhound
Trainer
SP
Time
Trap
1st
Tarn Bay Flash
Pat McCombe
9-1
29.07
5
2nd
Dynamic Display
Barry O'Sullivan
8-1
29.17
1
3rd
Scalp Ranger
Sam Sykes
25-1
29.23
3
4th
Wisley Wonder
Lorraine King
1-1f
29.31
2
5th
Glown Fox
Tom Foster
11-4
29.49
4
6th
Springwell Boost
Nikki Chambers
5-1
29.97
6
BBC TV Trophy , Hall Green (Apr 9, 815m, £6,000)
Pos
Name of Greyhound
Trainer
SP
Time
Trap
1st
Thornfield Pride
Yvonne Morris
12-1
52.17
5
2nd
Elbony Rose
Nick Savva
1-1f
52.18
2
3rd
Handy Score
Ernie Gaskin Sr.
8-1
52.19
4
4th
Wise Beauty
Patsy Byrne
4-1
52.33
1
5th
Musical Treat
Brian Clemenson
10-1
52.49
3
6th
Frisby Fanfare
Harry Crapper
5-1
52.99
6
Reading Masters , Reading (May 11, 465m, £20,000)
Pos
Name of Greyhound
Trainer
SP
Time
Trap
1st
Night Trooper
Nikki Adams
6-1
27.86
3
2nd
Blackwater Storm
A E Lindsay
14-1
28.42
2
3rd
Blue Murlen
Mick Smith
4-9f
28.45
4
4th
Final Climber
Tony Meek
25-1
28.51
5
5th
Droopys Eric
Henry Tasker
6-1
28.59
1
6th
Smart Dog
Brian Clemenson
14-1
30.99
6
BT Global Finance Syntegra Gold Collar , Catford (Sep 20, 555m, £7,500)
Pos
Name of Greyhound
Trainer
SP
Time
Trap
1st
Lenson Billy
Norah McEllistrim
1-2f
35.02
3
2nd
Homeside Knight
Tom Gates
6-1
35.10
4
3rd
Slow Jo
John Coleman
6-1
35.26
6
4th
Charpaidon
Sam Sykes
20-1
35.30
2
5th
Derrinasafa Dan
Alf Ellis
16-1
35.31
1
6th
Alastairs Effort
Terry Atkins
12-1
35.41
5
Ike Morris Laurels , Wimbledon (Oct 10, 460m, £7,500)
Pos
Name of Greyhound
Trainer
SP
Time
Trap
1st
El Premier
Linda Mullins
4-7f
27.36
6
2nd
Black Gem Charm
Phil Rees Jr.
8-1
27.62
3
3rd
Pingo
Seamus Cahill
6-1
27.76
4
4th
Run Freddie
Tommy Foster
25-1
27.92
2
5th
Coilltes Choice
Macmorough Mulkerrin
20-1
28.00
5
6th
Big Mistake
John Coleman
4-1
28.30
1
Wendy Fair St Leger , Wembley (Nov 14, 655m, £12,000)
Pos
Name of Greyhound
Trainer
SP
Time
Trap
1st
Tralee Crazy
Nick Savva
4-1
39.41
5
2nd
Lydpal Frankie
Tony Meek
6-1
39.61
3
3rd
Faultless Fred
Gloria Stringer
20-1
40.05
2
4th
Mystery Player
Sam Sykes
33-1
40.19
6
5th
Spring Rose
Charlie Lister
1-2f
40.31
4
6th
Weeford Carol
John Lambe
50-1
40.33
1
William Hill Cesarewitch , Catford (Dec 6, 718m, £6,500)
Pos
Name of Greyhound
Trainer
SP
Time
Trap
1st
Tralee Crazy
Nick Savva
1-2f
45.69
4
2nd
Dunmurry Flight
Ernie Gaskin Sr.
10-1
46.15
5
3rd
Musical Treat
Brian Clemenson
10-1
46.27
1
4th
Elderberry Flyer
Pat Ryan
16-1
46.31
6
5th
Hasty Bit
Paul Young
50-1
46.55
2
6th
Baby Grand
Norah McEllistrim
4-1
46.59
3
Thoroughbred Investments Oaks , Wimbledon (Dec 13, 480m, £6,000)
Pos
Name of Greyhound
Trainer
SP
Time
Trap
1st
Flashy Get
Ernie Gaskin Sr.
14-1
28.75
1
2nd
Seskin Judy
Angie Kibble
10-1
28.87
2
3rd
Cashen Sleeper
John McGee Jr.
20-1
28.99
6
4th
Frankion Jacky
Linda Jones
1-1f
29.01
5
5th
Be Bopa Lola
Phil Rees Jr.
6-1
29.17
3
N/R
Terrydrum Kate
Charlie Lister
Totalisator returns [ edit ]
Extended content
The totalisator returns declared to the National Greyhound Racing Club for the year 1997 are listed below.[ 13] [ 14]
Stadium
Turnover £
London (Walthamstow)
11,493,136
London (Wimbledon)
8,081,088
Romford
6,515,458
Brighton & Hove
4,640,284
Birmingham (Hall Green)
4,471,132
Manchester (Belle Vue)
4,388,067
London (Catford)
3,661,680
Sheffield (Owlerton)
2,553,582
Birmingham (Perry Barr)
2,483,949
Crayford
2,446,291
Peterborough
2,203,740
Sunderland
1,982,214
Stadium
Turnover £
London (Wembley)
1,867,544
Milton Keynes
1,713,564
Wolverhampton (Monmore)
1,677,520
Glasgow (Shawfield)
1,618,461
Portsmouth
1,357,318
Newcastle (Brough Park)
1,311,308
Yarmouth
1,297,701
Nottingham
1,237,500
Reading
1,166,274
Oxford
1,114,841
Harlow
733,471
Canterbury
707,236
Stadium
Turnover £
Bristol
677,226
Poole
515,781
Swindon
508,826
Hull (New Craven Park)
490,250
Swaffham
199,447
Mildenhall
186,876
Henlow (Bedfordshire)
165,358
Doncaster (Stainforth)
123,975
Sittingbourne
85,000
Rye House
78,000
^ a b c Hobbs, Jonathan (2008). Greyhound Annual 2008 . Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-534 .
^ "1997" . Greyhound Data.
^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 91 . Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4 .
^ a b c Fortune, Michael. The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-2006 . Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN 0332-3536 .
^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154 . Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4 .
^ NGRC calendar . National Greyhound Racing Club. January 1998.
^ "1997" . Greyhound Data.
^ National Greyhound Racing Club Calendar, July 1997 edition . National Greyhound Racing Club.
^ a b c d e Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003 . Raceform. ISBN 1-904317-07-3 .
^ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When) March edition". Greyhound Star . 1997.
^ "Sheffield Superteam". Vol. 16, no. 1. Greyhound Star. January 1998.
^ "Greyhound Star (Remember When - April)" . Greyhound Star.
^ Totalisator returns of National Greyhound Racing Club Licensed tracks . National Greyhound Racing Club. 1997.
^ "17.4% Rise in Attendance". Greyhound Star. March 1998.
UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Years
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UK & Irish greyhound competitions
English competitions
Current competitions
Former competitions
Irish competitions
Current competitions
Former competitions
Current greyhound stadiums in Great Britain licensed by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain
Licensed stadiums
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Greyhound stadiums in Ireland
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