1956 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1956 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 30th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[1]

1956 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
1956 English Greyhound Derby	Dunmore King [2][3]
1956 Irish Greyhound Derby	Keep Moving [4][5]
1956 Scottish Greyhound Derby	Quick Surprise [6]
1956 Welsh Greyhound Derby	Not held [7]

Summary

Attendances and Totalisator turnover had stabilised, with the latter resulting in a turnover of around £55 million. The Churches' Council on gambling quoted a figure of £119 million but that figure was for total gambling spend within the industry.[8] One problem for the industry was the fact that the biggest names Spanish Battleship, Rushton Mac and Pauls Fun had all retired leaving the search for a new star.[9]

Competitions

No single greyhound was able to secure more than one classic race success, the main Derby titles went to Dunmore King and Keep Moving. The 1956 English Greyhound Derby runner-up Duet Leader won the Laurels at Wimbledon Stadium and the Derby final third Gulf of Darien, reached the St Leger final at Wembley and the Cesarewitch at West Ham Stadium.[10] The Welsh Greyhound Derby failed to take place again.[11]

Shipping magnate Noel Purvis, who owned two of the 1956 Derby finalists gained consolation when Belingas Customer won the Scurry Gold Cup over 400 yards, a distance better suited to the greyhound than the Derby distance.[12]

Ireland

The main interest in Ireland was in regard to Prince of Bermuda, the brindle dog owned by Ned Buckley was considered to be the fastest greyhound in training at the time but had disappointed in the 1956 Irish Greyhound Derby final. A match race was organised between Prince of Bermuda, Northern King and Duet Leader at White City which ended with the Irish hound coming out best, he was subsequently retired to stud.[10] [11]

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (May 5 525y h, £300) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Blue Sand Ken Appleton 15-8f 29.70 4 2nd Merry April Dennis Hannafin 4-1 30.34 3 3rd Jumping Pole Reg Bosley 11-4 30.62 5 4th Vintners Cup Jim Syder Jr. 6-1 30.66 6 5th Tanyard Tulip Jack Harvey 6-1 30.72 1 6th Vented Cask 33-1 30.96 2

Gold Collar, Catford (May 26, 440y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Ponsford Noreen Collin 10-1 25.69 1 2nd Rusty Chain Ron Chamberlain 8-11f 25.72 2 3rd Howardstown Tonic Hackney 8-1 25.75 5 4th Tax Diablo Jim Syder Jr. 6-1 25.78 3 5th Record Tass 7-2 26.10 4 N/R No Pay

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Jul 14, 525y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Quick Surprise Pat Mullins 1-1f 29.44 5 2nd Fodda Champion Harry Bidwell 3-1 29.50 3 3rd Rushton Spot Frank Johnson 3-1 29.58 2 4th The Burr 7-1 29.62 1 5th Grange Son 12-1 29.66 4

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 28, 400y £600) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Belingas Customer Ronnie Melville 10-3 22.82 4 2nd Claremount John Paddy McEvoy 5-2f 23.02 2 3rd Cree Starlight 6-1 23.16 1 4th Crostys Bell Paddy McEvoy 10-3 23.17 3 5th Maghernagaw Flier Sidney Orton 8-1 23.31 5 6th Westcourt Freedom 6-1 23.47 6

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 24, 500y, £1,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Duet Leader Tom Reilly 1-1f 28.13 1 2nd Cleos Gossip Bob Burls 5-2 28.19 6 3rd Cool Magourna 10-1 28.33 3 4th Claremount John Paddy McEvoy 5-1 28.51 5 5th Rosevale Paddy 7-1 28.61 2 6th Secret Armour Tom Reilly 10-1 28.75 4

St Leger, Wembley (Sep 10, 700y, £1,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Jakfigaralt Joe Booth 7-2 40.50 6 2nd Gulf of Darien Jack Harvey 5-4f 40.68 4 3rd Black Envoy Joe Booth 3-1 40.70 3 4th Whats Yat Leslie Reynolds 8-1 40.92 1 5th Grandbally Shaun Jack Harvey 10-1 41.40 5 6th Paracelsus Jack Harvey 25-1 41.41 2

The Grand Prix Walthamstow (Sep 25, 525y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Land Of Song Bob Burls 7-2 29.70 3 2nd Parkland Hero Mrs K.Roberts 11-10f 29.82 1 3rd Jan 7-1 29.88 4 4th Garbagh Bin Bob Burls 5-2 30.20 2 N/R Go Doggie Go Jack Toseland N/R Comin Champion Jim Syder Jr.

Oaks, White City (Sep 29, 525y, £500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st First But Last Jack Harvey 2-7f 29.08 6 2nd Dark Rose Paddy Fortune 9-2 29.52 1 3rd Magourna Belle 100-7 29.53 4 4th Rambling Cockeye 25-1 29.63 5 5th Speir Bhean Jack Harvey 20-1 29.75 3 6th Meanus Ann 66-1 30.55 2

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 12, 600y, £1.000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Coming Champion Jim Syder Jr. 9-2 33.02 4 2nd Gallant and Gay Joe Pickering 33-1 33.18 5 3rd Gulf of Darien Jack Harvey 9-4 33.22 3 4th Northern King Jack Harvey 7-4f 33.38 6 5th Jakfigaralt Joe Booth 9-2 33.42 2 6th Kilcaskin Kilian 25-1 33.48 1

References

1. Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. Ringpress Books. ISBN 186054-010-4.
2. Dack, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years pages 99/100/101. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
3. "1956". Greyhound Data.
4. Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
5. Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
6. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
7. Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound, page 320. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
8. ""£22M. More Spent On Gambling Last Year." Times, 16 Feb. 1957, p. 4". Times Digital Archives.
9. Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
10. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
11. Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
12. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.