# 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.

## Roll of honour

Major Winners :
| Award | Name of Winner |
| 1997 English Greyhound Derby | Some Picture |
| 1997 Irish Greyhound Derby | Toms The Best |
| 1997 Scottish Greyhound Derby | Some Picture |
| Greyhound Trainer of the Year | Linda Mullins |
| Greyhound of the Year | Some Picture |
| Irish Dog and Bitch of the Year | Some Picture / Borna Best |
| Trainers Championship | Linda Mullins |

## Summary

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.
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 in addition to reaching the 1997 Irish Greyhound Derby final. 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.

## Tracks

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.
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. 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.

## News

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.

## Competitions

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.
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.
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.
Sheffield (71 points) won the Red Mills Supertrack defeating Walthamstow (64) and Midlenhall (54) in the final.

## Principal UK races

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 |
Regal Scottish Derby, Shawfield (Apr 26, 480m, £20,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Some Picture | Charlie Lister | 1-1f | 29.02 | 5 |
| 2nd | Elderberry Chick | Pat Ryan | 4-1 | 29.36 | 3 |
| 3rd | Endon Tiger | Charlie Lister | 4-1 | 29.37 | 4 |
| 4th | Quick Tune | Gordon Hodson | 8-1 | 29.49 | 6 |
| 5th | Airmount Jeff | Charlie Lister | 3-1 | 29.57 | 2 |
| 6th | Donnas Dancer | Mrs S J Douglas | 25-1 | 29.61 | 1 |
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 |
B.T Global Finance Scurry Gold Cup, Catford (Jul 12, 385m, £2,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Shoreham Beach | Diane Stinchcombe | 10-1 | 23.78 | 5 |
| 2nd | Black Gem Charm | Phil Rees Jr. | 4-1 | 23.82 | 2 |
| 3rd | Small Fortune | John Coleman | 5-1 | 23.83 | 6 |
| 4th | Pavilion Rock | Sam Sykes | 11-8f | 23.95 | 1 |
| 5th | Stows Val | Linda Mullins | 11-4 | 24.07 | 3 |
| 6th | Official Figure | Graham Holland | 28-1 | 24.27 | 4 |
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 |
Laurent-Perrier Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Oct 4, 640m, £7,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | El Grand Senor | Linda Mullins | 12-1 | 39.38 | 2 |
| 2nd | Spring Rose | Charlie Lister | 4-6f | 39.56 | 5 |
| 3rd | Slaney Ash | Pam Cross | 8-1 | 39.62 | 3 |
| 4th | Lydpal Frankie | Tony Meek | 4-1 | 39.78 | 1 |
| 5th | Wandering One | Derek Knight | 8-1 | 39.84 | 6 |
| 6th | Lisnakill Lodge | John Faint | 20-1 | 40.14 | 4 |
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 |
Evening Standard TV Trophy, Wimbledon (Oct 28, 815m, £6,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Moanrue Slippy | Kelly Rockman | 51.35 | 5-1 | 6 |
| 2nd | Maid of Seskin | Brian Clemenson | 51.38 | 5-1 | 1 |
| 3rd | Lady Flyaway | Brian Clemenson | 51.54 | 2-1jf | 5 |
| 4th | Tralee Crazy | Nick Savva | 51.58 | 2-1jf | 3 |
| 5th | Marys Gem | Mark Lavender | 51.82 | 14-1 | 4 |
| 6th | Denise Dream | Ernie Gaskin Sr. | 51.90 | 20-1 | 2 |
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

Extended content :
The totalisator returns declared to the National Greyhound Racing Club for the year 1997 are listed below.
Stadium
Turnover £
London (Walthamstow)11,493,136
London (Wimbledon)8,081,088
Romford6,515,458
Brighton & Hove4,640,284
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
Crayford2,446,291
Peterborough2,203,740
Sunderland1,982,214
Stadium
Turnover £
London (Wembley)1,867,544
Milton Keynes1,713,564
Wolverhampton (Monmore)1,677,520
Glasgow (Shawfield)1,618,461
Portsmouth1,357,318
Newcastle (Brough Park)1,311,308
Yarmouth1,297,701
Nottingham1,237,500
Reading1,166,274
Oxford1,114,841
Harlow733,471
Canterbury707,236
Stadium
Turnover £
Bristol677,226
Poole515,781
Swindon508,826
Hull (New Craven Park)490,250
Swaffham199,447
Mildenhall186,876
Henlow (Bedfordshire)165,358
Doncaster (Stainforth)123,975
Sittingbourne85,000
Rye House78,000 :