# 1948 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1948 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 23rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

## Roll of honour

Major Winners :
| Award | Name of Winner |
| 1948 English Greyhound Derby | Priceless Border |
| 1948 Irish Greyhound Derby | Western Post |
| 1948 Scottish Greyhound Derby | Western Post |
| 1948 Welsh Greyhound Derby | Trev's Perfection |

## Summary

The annual totalisator turnover was £99,449,342, which although the fourth highest ever recorded was also the second consecutive drop since 1946. The minimum betting stake on the track totalisator was increased from two to four shillings but quickly changed back following a widespread slump. The government ban on mid-week racing continued.
Western Post and Priceless Border claimed the big Derby races but Local Interprize was the star of the year, after he claimed four classic competitions. They were the Gold Collar, Scurry Gold Cup, Welsh Greyhound Derby and the Cesarewitch.

## Competitions

A greyhound called Narrogar Ann from a litter of six, out of the bitch Winnie of Berrow (winner of the 1944 Eclipse) came to prominence when successful in the Western Two year Old Produce Stakes. Narrogar Ann trained by Joe Farrand at Oxford Stadium beat littermates Narrogar Dusty and Narrogar Tommy who finished second and third respectively. Narrogar Ann would soon move to Leslie Reynolds at Wembley.
Local Interprize won the Laurels and Welsh Derby, in the latter he recorded a seven length final win in a new track record time defeating a field that included the Scottish Greyhound Derby champion Western Post, an 84lb fawn and white dog. Local Interprize then won the Scurry final by eight lengths before losing out to Good Worker trained by former Surrey cricketer Jack Daley, in the Laurels. Local Interprize finished the year by claiming a remarkable fourth classic when picking up the Cesarewitch trophy on 23 October.

## Tracks

Rayleigh Weir Stadium in Southend-on-Sea was one of seven known track to open, three of them were in Ireland. Breck Park Stadium in Liverpool, closed following a devastating fire and fire also destroyed most of the stands at Long Eaton Stadium. The total number of tracks in the United Kingdom with a betting licence was 209, of which 77 were affiliated to the National Greyhound Racing Society and raced under National Greyhound Racing Club rules.

### Tracks opened

| Date | Stadium/Track | Location |
| ?? March | Rayleigh Weir Stadium | Rayleigh, Essex |
| 30 April | St Conleth's Park | Newbridge, County Kildare |
| 17 May | Wisbech Greyhound Stadium | Wisbech |
| 30 July | Youghal Greyhound Stadium | Youghal |
| 13 September | Thurles Greyhound Stadium | Thurles |
| 11 December | Mansfield Woodhouse Greyhound Stadium | Mansfield Woodhouse |
| ?? | Jesmond Dene Stadium | Tredegar |

## News

On 1 April, Fred Trevillion, Arthur Hancock (head kennel-man) and Trev's Perfection left on the Queen Mary for Raynham Park, Raynham, Massachusetts in the United States, where the dog was expected to make headlines. The venture was a failure and in five races he did not win one and returned to England in July. Sir William Gentle died.

## Ireland

The Irish Greyhound Derby offered a record £1,000 first prize and attracted the Frank Davis trained Western Post; Davis put him with Paddy Moclair for the duration of the event. Moclair had originally bought the dog at the Limerick sales for £240 before selling him to Davis for £2,000. The fawn and white dog became the first winner of the Scottish and Irish Derby.
The Greyhound Racing Association set up the Kingsfurze breeding establishment at Naas in County Kildare, the seven acre grounds included a house, cottage and 15 runs. The greyhounds would transfer to training establishments within the GRA as soon as they were older enough.

## Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (May 17 525y h, £350) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Joves Reason | Ken Appleton | 2-1 | 30.37 | 4 |
| 2nd | Another Benny | Gordon Nicholson | 13-8f | 30.45 | 5 |
| 3rd | Wild Wave | Dave Barker | 5-2 | 30.61 | 2 |
| 4th | Sunburst | | 6-1 | 30.67 | 3 |
| N/R | Baytown Pigeon | Paddy McEllistrim | | | |
Gold Collar, Catford (Jun 5, 440y, £600) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Local Interprize | Stanley Biss | 8-13f | 25.71 | 6 |
| 2nd | Kerry Rally | Paddy McEllistrim | 20-1 | 25.77 | 3 |
| 3rd | Ala Mein II | Wembley | 10-1 | 25.83 | 2 |
| 4th | Tell Nobody | | 100-1 | 25.91 | 5 |
| 5th | Clonroche Lad | Ivy Regan | 8-1 | 25.93 | 4 |
| 6th | Northam Edward | Leslie Reynolds | 4-1 | 26.09 | 1 |
Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Jul 17, 525y, £500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Western Post | Frank Davis | 8-1 | 29.45 | 4 |
| 2nd | Always There | | 7-1 | 29.57 | 5 |
| 3rd | West End Dasher | Bob Burls | 12-1 | 29.61 | 2 |
| 4th | Baytown Whitehorn | | 8-1 | 29.63 | 1 |
| 5th | Sheevaun | Paddy Fortune | 4-6f | 29.79 | 6 |
| 6th | Fiddle Strings | Jack Brennan | 6-1 | 29.95 | 3 |
Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 24, 400y £500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Local Interprize | Stanley Biss | 5-4f | 23.04 | 1 |
| 2nd | Clonroche Lad | Ivy Regan | 3-1 | 23.68 | 6 |
| 3rd | Willington Bob | John Bassett | 10-1 | 23.70 | 2 |
| 4th | Rebel Robert | R Hogben | 5-1 | 23.72 | 5 |
| 5th | Rio Cavallero | Stan Biss | 25-1 | 23.76 | 4 |
| 6th | Ironmaster | Bob Burls | 7-1 | 23.92 | 3 |
Welsh Derby, Arms Park (Jul 28, 525y £500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Local Interprize | Stanley Biss | 4-6f | 29.32+ | 1 |
| 2nd | West End Dasher | Bob Burls | 9-2 | 29.88 | 3 |
| 3rd | Western Post | Frank Davis | 5-1 | 30.04 | 5 |
| 4th | Non Sectarian Girl | | 25-1 | 30.28 | 4 |
| 5th | Singora | | 100-8 | 30.48 | 2 |
| 6th | Circular Flex | | 100-6 | 30.50 | 6 |
Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 25, 500y, £600) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Good Worker | Jack Daley | 5-2 | 28.49 | 5 |
| 2nd | Whiterock Abbey | Sidney Orton | 4-1 | 28.51 | 6 |
| 3rd | Drumnagrella Lad | Frank Davis | 6-1 | 28.71 | 4 |
| 4th | Northam Edward | Leslie Reynolds | 10-1 | 28.83 | 2 |
| 5th | Local Interprize | Stan Biss | 2-1f | 28.87 | 3 |
| 6th | Mad Birthday | Stan Biss | 6-1 | 29.27 | 1 |
Oaks, White City (Sep 18, 525y, £500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Night Breeze | Stan Biss | 4-1 | 29.19 | 3 |
| 2nd | Steps of Grac | Jerry Hannafin | 5-1 | 29.27 | 4 |
| 3rd | Baytown Stream | Stan Biss | 10-1 | 29.30 | 5 |
| 4th | Jersey Creamery | Percy Stagg | 1-1f | 29.46 | 6 |
| 5th | Favourite Topsy | | 5-1 | 29.54 | 1 |
| 6th | Singora | | 50-1 | 29.78 | 2 |
The Grand Prix Walthamstow (Oct 9, 525y, £500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Ruby Cut | J P Bott | 11-4 | 30.31 | 3 |
| 2nd | Northam Edward | Leslie Reynolds | 4-1 | 30.47 | 1 |
| 3rd | Doughery Boy | Jonathan Hopkins | 5-1 | 30.67 | 5 |
| 4th | Baytown Fox | Stan Biss | 7-2 | 30.75 | 6 |
| 5th | Orphan Star | Fred Farey | 10-1 | 31.15 | 4 |
| 6th | Freckled Major | Leslie Reynolds | 7-2 | 31.31 | 2 |
St Leger, Wembley (Oct 2, 700y, £600) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Streets After Midnight | Les Parry | 5-2 | 40.40 | 3 |
| 2nd | Captain Lake | Jack Harvey | 9-2 | 40.43 | 2 |
| 3rd | Northam Star | Leslie Reynolds | 7-1 | 40.57 | 5 |
| 4th | Mayfair Mike | Leslie Reynolds | 2-1f | 40.85 | 4 |
| 5th | Ramblers Destiny | | 8-1 | 40.95 | 1 |
| 6th | Crafty Major | | 25-1 | 41.25 | 6 |
Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 23, 600y, £600) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Local Interprize | Stanley Biss | 11-4jf | 30.88 | 4 |
| 2nd | Freckled Major | Leslie Reynolds | 5-1 | 31.02 | 6 |
| 3rd | Captain Lake | Jack Harvey | 11-4jf | 31.42 | 1 |
| 4th | Whiterock Abbey | Sidney Orton | 3-1 | 31.46 | 3 |
| 5th | Raths Record | Gunner Smith | 10-1 | 31.70 | 2 |
| 6th | Confey Castle | | 25-1 | 32.02 | 5 |

## Totalisator Returns

Extended content :
| Country | No of tracks+ | Turnover |
| England | 162 | £ 92,163,823 |
| Wales | 9 | £ 842,469 |
| Scotland | 38 | £ 6,542,875 |
| Total | 209 | £ 99,549,168 |