# 1985 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1985 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 59th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

## Roll of honour

Major Winners :
| Award | Name of Winner |
| 1985 English Greyhound Derby | Pagan Swallow |
| 1985 Irish Greyhound Derby | Tubbercurry Lad |
| 1985 Scottish Greyhound Derby | Smokey Pete |
| Greyhound Trainer of the Year | Kenny Linzell |
| Greyhound of the Year | Ballyregan Bob |
| Irish Greyhound of the Year | Ballintubber One |
| Trainers Championship | Kenny Linzell |

## Summary

The closure of White City in 1984 had hit the industry hard but two greyhounds by the names of Ballyregan Bob and Scurlogue Champ began to popularize the sport once again. Ballyregan Bob won 21 consecutive races by the end of the year including the Olympic final, Test and Essex Vase final. Trainer George Curtis then chose wisely as to which events to go for in order to preserve the chance of breaking the world record which stood at 31. He was voted Greyhound of the Year.
Scurlogue Champ became a crowd favourite with his remarkable running style and became a household name when winning BBC Television Trophy on 22 May at Monmore and setting 13 new track records around the country.
The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) released the annual returns, with totalisator turnover at £59,110,759 and attendances recorded at 3,786,216 from 4736 meetings. Track tote remained at 17.5% and government tote tax at 4%.

## Tracks

Southend closed after Boxing Day and Weymouth was redeveloped which ended the greyhound racing there. The Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium raced until 18 May before the stadium was closed for major redevelopment by Ladbrokes. Work started on a new stadium on a different part of the site and would become known as Crayford Stadium.
Brough Park was sold again when former trainer Kevin Wilde headed a management team that leased the track. Kinsley was taken over by John Curran and Keith Morrell and Poole shut for four months during renovation.
Whitwood in Castleford raced for the first time under NGRC rules after switching from independent status.

## News

An Act of Parliament was passed in July allowing tracks to choose their own days of racing. NGRC secretary Fred Underhill had campaigned to change the laws governing race days and frequency of race days.
On 12 December Ballyregan Bob risked losing his winning run when taking part in the John Power Showdown at Wembley, a race that included Scurlogue Champ. The run at the time stood at 19 wins and he only needed one win to match the 1974 record set by Westpark Mustard. In an anticlimax Scurlogue Champ failed to finish after pulling up lame leaving Ballyregan Bob to equal the record and annihilate the field. A future BBC TV trophy winner Glenowen Queen trailed in 11¾ behind in second place.

## Competitions

Smokey Pete trained by Kenny Linzell won both the Scottish Greyhound Derby and Edinburgh Cup, during the latter he defeated kennelmate Ballintubber One by a short head. It is the third time the pair have finished 1-2 in a competition following the same in the Select Stakes and Circuit.

## Ireland

The Irish Greyhound Board produced figures showing increases in export sales including exporting to Spain. Tico, a black dog by The Stranger out of Derry Linda first ran at Clonmel on 8 July for his breeder Jimmy Morrissey of Carrick-on-Suir and won in impressive fashion by ten lengths, recording 29.86 seconds for the 525 yards course. A few weeks later he came into the charge of Slough trainer, Arthur Hitch. Tico cost his new owner, Alan Smee, £5,000 and had a few acclimatising runs at Wimbledon towards the end of the year.

## Principal UK races

Grand National, Hall Green (Mar 30, 474m h, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Seamans Star | Arthur Boyce | 14-1 | 30.08 | 1 |
| 2nd | Knight of Raft | Norah McEllistrim | 11-10f | 30.12 | 5 |
| 3rd | Scottie Hero | Ted Dickson | 5-2 | 30.18 | 4 |
| 4th | Nursery Pet | Tom Johnston Jr. | 8-1 | 30.24 | 2 |
| 5th | Kilburn Jack | Ray Peacock | 5-1 | 30.26 | 6 |
| 6th | Jon The Smuggler | Tom Foster | 7-1 | 30.40 | 3 |
BBC TV Trophy, Monmore (May 22, 815m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Scurlogue Champ | Ken Peckham | 1-5f | 51.64+ | 5 |
| 2nd | Saucy John | Terry Dartnall | 6-1 | 52.42 | 2 |
| 3rd | Calmar | | 7-1 | 52.52 | 1 |
| 4th | Glenfort Sam | | 25-1 | 52.62 | 4 |
| 5th | Go Go Tiger | | 25-1 | 52.84 | 6 |
| 6th | Glins Lad | | 20-1 | 53.22 | 3 |
Scurry Gold Cup, Slough (Jul 13, 442m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Daleys Gold | Jerry Fisher | 4-5f | 27.23 | 6 |
| 2nd | Glamour Hobo | Charlie Lister | 6-1 | 27.31 | 5 |
| 3rd | Panama Jack | Ted Dickson | 50-1 | 27.32 | 4 |
| 4th | Westmead Account | Terry Atkins | 16-1 | 27.56 | 3 |
| 5th | Meadowbank Cue | Ted Dickson | 10-1 | 28.46 | 1 |
| 6th | Rodeen Jet | Charlie Coyle | 2-1 | 28.58 | 2 |
Scottish Greyhound Derby, Shawfield (Aug 10, 500m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Smokey Pete | Kenny Linzell | 7-2 | 30.29 | 4 |
| 2nd | Clod Hopper | Kenny Linzell | 10-1 | 30.73 | 2 |
| 3rd | Fearless Champ | Geoff De Mulder | 1-2f | 30.83 | 3 |
| 4th | Honeygold Sand | Bryce Wilson | 33-1 | 30.97 | 6 |
| 5th | Woodhill Smokey | Paddy Milligan | 8-1 | 31.45 | 1 |
| 6th | Westmead Chase | Natalie Savva | 7-1 | 00.00 | 5 |
St Leger, Wembley (Aug 30, 655m, £8,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Jet Circle | Ted Dickson | 11-4 | 40.14 | 4 |
| 2nd | Evening Light | Carol Aymes | 12-1 | 40.20 | 1 |
| 3rd | Comment | D Shaw | 4-1 | 40.30 | 6 |
| 4th | Special Bran | Paddy Hancox | 10-11f | 40.36 | 2 |
| 5th | Nursery Breeze | Gordon Hodson | 33-1 | 40.80 | 3 |
| N/R | Ballyregan Bob | George Curtis | | Lame | 5 |
Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 21, 555m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Black Whirl | Tom Gates | 5-1 | 34.99 | 5 |
| 2nd | Websters Flyer | C Smith | 4-1 | 35.01 | 6 |
| 3rd | Gun Man | John Honeysett | 10-11f | 35.04 | 1 |
| 4th | Rathkenny Lassie | Miss M Coleman | 6-1 | 35.16 | 4 |
| 5th | Nursery Breeze | Gordon Hodson | 33-1 | 35.22 | 3 |
| 6th | Glens Opinion | John Honeysett | 13-2 | 35.34 | 2 |
Cesarewitch, Belle Vue (Sep 28, 815m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Scurlogue Champ | George Drake | 1-3f | 54.62 | 6 |
| 2nd | Saucy John | Terry Dartnall | 20-1 | 55.10 | 1 |
| 3rd | Warflo | Kenny Linzell | 10-1 | 55.16 | 4 |
| 4th | Moordyke Nicky | Geoff De Mulder | 9-2 | 55.38 | 3 |
| 5th | Churchtown Pearl | Carol Evans | 12-1 | 55.66 | 2 |
| 6th | Mobile Bank | Ernie Gaskin Sr. | 16-1 | 56.10 | 5 |
The Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Oct 12, 640m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Slaneyside Gold | John Sherry | 5-1 | 40.00 | 5 |
| 2nd | Johns Dilemma | Graham Sharp | 12-1 | 40.30 | 6 |
| 3rd | Track Man | Adam Jackson | 7-4f | 40.32 | 2 |
| 4th | Lata | Kenny Linzell | 4-1 | 40.62 | 3 |
| 5th | Correct Number | Phil Rees Jr. | 12-1 | 41.06 | 4 |
| 6th | Jet Circle | Ted Dickson | 7-2 | 41.28 | 1 |
Oaks, Harringay (Oct 25, 475m, £7,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Spiral Super | George Curtis | 10-11f | 28.57 | 6 |
| 2nd | Micks Susie | Mick Puzey | 11-2 | 28.60 | 3 |
| 3rd | Ballyhaden Queen | Stan Gudgin | 9-2 | 28.68 | 5 |
| 4th | Mrs Cherry | Derek Knight | 11-2 | 28.76 | 1 |
| 5th | Sailing Maid | Paddy Coughlan | 14-1 | 28.96 | 2 |
| 6th | Chocolate Satin | Adam Jackson | 10-1 | 29.00 | 4 |
Laurels, Wimbledon (Dec 28, 460m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Ballygroman Jim | Ernie Gaskin Sr. | 7-4f | 27.68 | 2 |
| 2nd | Keeper Tom | Gary Baggs | 9-4 | 27.82 | 5 |
| 3rd | Lulus Hero | Gunner Smith | 6-1 | 27.88 | 1 |
| 4th | Glamour Hobo | Charlie Lister | 10-1 | 27.92 | 4 |
| 5th | Dusty Fag | Kenny Linzell | 6-1 | 28.10 | 3 |
| 6th | Barbaran | Mary Harding | 8-1 | 28.20 | 6 |
John Power Showdown, Wembley (Dec 12, 710m, £12,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Ballyregan Bob | George Curtis | 4-9f | 42.63+ | 4 |
| 2nd | Glenowen Queen (dh) | Dick Hawkes | 25-1 | 43.57 | 1 |
| 2nd | Track Man (dh) | Adam Jackson | 12-1 | 43.57 | 3 |
| 4th | Scurlogue Champ | Ken Peckham | 9-4 | dnf | 6 |

## Totalisator returns

Extended content :
The totalisator returns declared to the National Greyhound Racing Club for the year 1985 are listed below.
Stadium
Turnover £
London (Walthamstow)8,879,808
London (Wimbledon)6,009,555
Romford4,123,093
Brighton & Hove3,836,130
London (Harringay)3,369,474
London (Wembley)3,213,646
London (Catford)3,174,234
Slough2,999,195
Manchester (Belle Vue)2,251,949
Birmingham (Hall Green)2,103,220
Edinburgh (Powderhall)1,789,572
Sheffield (Owlerton)1,313,964
Newcastle (Brough Park)1,307,285
Stadium
Turnover £
Wolverhampton (Monmore)1,181,028
Glasgow (Shawfield)1,127,828
Ramsgate981,338
Yarmouth907,618
Portsmouth897,416
Maidstone785,448
London (Hackney)709,702
Milton Keynes615,645
Bristol556,442
Oxford496,808
Derby487,403
Reading471,947
Hull (Old Craven Park)393,365
Stadium
Turnover £
Crayford & Bexleyheath385,900
Rye House384,760
Poole380,668
Henlow (Bedfordshire)373,900
Cradley Heath338,210
Swindon318,277
Nottingham265,707
Peterborough255,363
Norton Canes246,346
Middlesbrough235,697
Coventry229,767
Ipswich222,118
Castleford23,223 :