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1938 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

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1938 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
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The 1938 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 13th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[1]

Roll of honour

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Major Winners
Award Name of Winner
1938 English Greyhound Derby[2] Lone Keel
1938 Irish Greyhound Derby[3] Abbeylara
1938 Scottish Greyhound Derby [4] Roeside Scottie

Summary

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1938 in the United Kingdom was a place of tension due to the unrest in Europe and the ongoing negotiations between the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain and Germany. However the public continued to embrace greyhound racing which was an affordable national pastime. Attendances at the National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) licensed tracks topped 26 million with totalisator turnover recorded as £39,352,839.[5] The track tote deduction was 6% and the government tote tax was an additional 6%.

The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) significantly increased profits once again. The operating profit for 1938 was £278,000 (a substantial figure at the time) and attendances at GRA tracks increased rose to 4,408,412.[6] The GRA also invested heavily into their breeding facility on the company owned Fan Court Farm, on the Longcross Road in Chertsey, Surrey.[6]

Lone Keel won the 1938 English Greyhound Derby, he was jointly owned by Staines Greyhound Stadium's owner Jack Walsh and William Hill (the founder of the betting company.[7][8]

The All England Cup was introduced at Brough Park as the most significant event outside of London and the trophy was presented by Helen Percy, Duchess of Northumberland.[9]

Glen Ranger won the Golden Crest,[10] reached three major finals and broke multiple track records throughout the year.[11]

Tracks

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Six known tracks were opened, three of which were in Scotland. Independent tracks were common north of the border with many choosing not to apply for NGRC status and remaining as small unlicensed tracks.

Tracks opened

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Date Stadium/Track Location
9 July Denny Stadium Denny
14 September Hartlepool Stadium Hartlepool
1 October Coundon Greyhound Stadium Coundon, County Durham
3 November Houghton Stadium Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham
21 December Raploch Park Larkhall
unknown date North End Greyhound Stadium Cowdenbeath
unknown date Pontefract Greyhound Stadium Pontefract

Competitions

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Trainer Joe Harmon experienced considerable success with his pair of kennels brothers, Puppy Derby champion Junior Classic and Juvenile Classic and Trafalgar Cup champion Quarter Day. Junior Classic overcame a tough field in the Gold Collar, a competition that included 1937 English Greyhound Derby champion Wattle Bark, now trained by Leslie Reynolds and Scurry Gold Cup champion Hexham Bridge. One week earlier Juvenile Classic had jumped to glory in the Grand National.[12]

Jesmond Cutlet made an unsuccessful attempt at defending his Scottish Greyhound Derby title, when well beaten by favourite Roe Side Scottie in July and during the same month Orlucks Best won the Scurry Gold Cup, one year after he finished runner up in the same event.[13] Ballyhennessy Sandills retained his Laurels crown, a great achievement because the final consisted of Wattle Bark, Bealtaine and Roe Side Scottie.[14] Quarter Day claimed the Oaks from Gretas Rosary.

Nine days later Gretas Rosary picked up the St Leger winner's prize at Wembley. The blue brindle and white bitch had a qualifying heat in between the two classic competition finals and also accounted for the Irish Greyhound Derby winner Abbeylara.[15] Quarter Day then returned to White City, in November and won the valuable 'White City' invitation race.[15]

Ireland

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Abbeylara stood out as the leading greyhound in Ireland, the brindle dog easily won the Irish Greyhound Derby and the St Leger.[16][17] He also reached the English St Leger final.

News

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GRA trainer Eddie Wright moved from his Powderhall kennels to the Hook Estate and Kennels and a track attachment at Harringay and the GRA also moved Harry Buck from Belle Vue to White City.[15]

Principal UK races

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Key d/h = dead heat

Totalisator Returns

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Extended content

The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1938 are listed below. Tracks that did not have a totalisator in operation are not listed.[5]

Summary

Country No of tracks
(with tote) 		Turnover
England 81 £ 33,545,716
Wales 2 £ 304,077
Scotland 9 £ 2,189,090
Total 92 £ 36,038,883

References

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  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. Ringpress Books. pp. 75–77. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
  3. ^ Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
  4. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  5. ^ a b Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1938.
  6. ^ a b ""Greyhound Racing Association Trust." Times, 1 Feb. 1939, p. 22". The Times.
  7. ^ "OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. "Greyhound Racing." Times [London, England] 27 June 1938". The Times.
  8. ^ "1938". Greyhound Data.
  9. ^ "Duchess' first visit to dog track". Sunday Sun (Newcastle). 21 August 1938. Retrieved 9 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Glen Ranger wins big Eastville Classic". Western Daily Press. 12 September 1938. Retrieved 28 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Glen Ranger breaks 550 yards record". The People. 3 July 1938. Retrieved 28 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
  13. ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  14. ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  15. ^ a b c Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
  16. ^ Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
  17. ^ Fortune, Michael. "The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby". Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN 0332-3536.
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