# 1968 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1968 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 42nd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

## Roll of honour

Major Winners :
| Award | Name of Winner |
| 1968 English Greyhound Derby | Camira Flash |
| 1968 Irish Greyhound Derby | Yellow Printer |
| 1968 Scottish Greyhound Derby | Lisamote Precept |
| 1968 Welsh Greyhound Derby | Swift Half |
| Greyhound Trainer of the Year | Phil Rees Sr. |
| Greyhound of the Year | Yellow Printer |
| Irish Greyhound of the Year | Russian Gun |

## Summary

A greyhound called Yellow Printer arrived on the racing scene and was regarded as the fastest greyhound for many years. The fawn dog was voted Greyhound of the year and won the Irish Greyhound Derby, in addition to setting a new world record over 525 yards of 28.30 seconds at White City Greyhounds.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was presented with greyhound called Camira Flash, to become the sports most prominent greyhound owner. The fawn and white greyhound was given to him at a charity meeting at Harringay Stadium just over a month before the Derby started, with the condition that all prize money earned would go to the Duke Of Edinburgh Awards Scheme. The greyhound went on to win the 1968 English Greyhound Derby.

## Tracks

The Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) closed the operation at Stamford Bridge on 1 August, which left a gap on the Bookamkers Afternnon Greyhound Service (BAGS), which was taken by New Cross Stadium. Stamford Bridge trainer Sid Mann switched his runners to West Ham Stadium.
Swindon Stadium changed over to National Greyhound Racing Club rules in April and Cambridge opened on the 6 October as an independent track.

## News

The foot and mouth disease had continued into early 1968, which forced racing to lose more fixtures. A new publication started called the Greyhound Magazine with the intention of giving the sport complete coverage, although the Sporting Life gave results coverage, it did not give an inside view of the sport itself.
In September the GRA moved all of the greyhounds out of the Clapton Stadium kennels at Claverhambury Farm and the West Ham Stadium kennels and put them at the training establishment at Hook Estate and Kennels, in Northaw. The kennels would now house all trainers from Harringay, White City, Clapton and West Ham which brought the estate under considerable pressure. Furthermore the move indicated that the GRA directors had earmarked Clapton and West Ham as possible future sales. Trainer Paddy Keane acted quickly and moved back to Ireland to train from kennels there. In a further change George Curtis left Portsmouth for Brighton.
Eastville Stadium became one of the first circuits to abandon grass, becoming sand based, many tracks would follow suit over the next decade. John Jolliffe, Racing Manager at Wembley Greyhounds retired after a 37 year career that started as Dundee Racing Manager, then Aberdeen and Cardiff, before his Wembley appointment.
Trainer Dick Carter and his wife Patricia were killed in a car crash on Christmas Eve 1968, leaving the Reading stadium management and bookmakers organising a trust fund for their two daughters.

## Ireland

The Bord na gCon invested heavily into Irish tracks, purchasing Shelbourne Park and putting £240,000 of investment into the track. It received an added bonus when it was decided that it would host the Irish Greyhound Derby every year from 1970.

## Competitions

In the Western Produce Stakes trainer Jim Morgan owned and trained the first three home, Happy Harry relegated sister Hiver Whitenose and brother Harrys Oppo to the minor placings. Tric Trac returned to racing for a short time, after taking a rest from stud duties and won the Wimbledon Champion Stakes; he died shortly afterwards following a kennel accident. Yellow Printer won the Wembley Summer Cup before heading for Ireland and the Irish Greyhound Derby. After returning to England he won the Anglo Irish International.
Forward King, one of the exceptional Leo Stack litter, won the St Leger at Wembley Greyhounds and the Scottish St Leger, the only dog ever to have won both. He also won the Wembley Gold Cup and the Cock of the North. He won half of his 70 open events but might never have reached a race track at all because when he was twelve months old, he escaped from his kennels and lived wild on the Yorkshire moors for several weeks before being recaptured.
The year ended with a major challenge at Limerick when the leading Irish star Flaming King trained by Tony Quigley, met Yellow Printer now under the charge of Paddy Milligan. The race was won by Flaming King and Yellow Printer's owner Pauline Wallis reacted by buying Flaming King for £5,000 from Frank Moran and taking him back to England.

## Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (April 20 525y h, £500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Ballintore Tiger | Norman Chambers | 1-3f | 29.50 | 1 |
| 2nd | Benmore Prince | Nora Gleeson | 11-2 | 29.88 | 4 |
| 3rd | Super Fame | Nora Gleeson | 12-1 | 30.44 | 6 |
| 4th | Handy John | | 25-1 | 30.58 | 5 |
| 5th | Big Crackers | | 33-1 | 30.90 | 3 |
| 6th | Shells Tiger | Clare Orton | 12-1 | 30.91 | 2 |
BBC Sportsview TV Trophy, Romford (Apr 23, 880y, £1,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time |
| 1st | Shady Begonia | Norman Oliver | 2-1f | 50.53 |
| 2nd | Hi There Snow | | | |
| 3rd | Poor Mick | Randy Singleton | | |
| 4th | Old Irish | Gilbert Shaw | | |
| 5th | Forward King | Ted Brennan | | |
| 6th | Miss Taft | Bob Burls | | |
Gold Collar, Catford (May 11, 570y, £1,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Shanes Rocket | Paddy Milligan | 7-2 | 33.39 | 3 |
| 2nd | Ballyneale Kim | Tom Reilly | 9-2 | 33.79 | 5 |
| 3rd | Greenville Boy | John Horsfall | 9-2 | 34.07 | 6 |
| 4th | Discretions | Dave Geggus | 7-4f | 34.09 | 1 |
| 5th | Breachs Bills | Paddy Milligan | 10-1 | 34.13 | 4 |
| 6th | Surprising Fella | Jack Smith | 8-1 | 34.37 | 2 |
The Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Jun 1, 600y, £500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Carmen John | J Millis | 10-1 | 41.16 | 5 |
| 2nd | Spotted Nice | Tom Johnston Jr. | 3-1 | 41.30 | 4 |
| 3rd | Lissadell Como | Jimmy Jowett | 4-1 | 41.62 | 2 |
| 4th | Conna Queen | | 10-1 | 41.72 | 1 |
| 5th | Fully Booked | Eric Adkins | 4-1 | 41.78 | 3 |
| 6th | Keen Dew | Tom Johnston Jr. | 3-1 | 00.00 | 6 |
Welsh Derby, Arms Park (Jun 29, 525y £500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Swift Half | Jim Irving | 9-2 | 29.58 | 5 |
| 2nd | Moose Jet | | 12-1 | 29.82 | 4 |
| 3rd | Hack Up Georgie | Phil Rees Sr. | 20-1 | 30.16 | 6 |
| 4th | Ballinaglough | | 20-1 | 30.32 | 3 |
| 5th | Discretions | Dave Geggus | 4-5f | 30.36 | 2 |
| 6th | El Campo | Jim Irving | 3-1 | 30.52 | 1 |
Oaks, Harringay (Jul 1, 525y, £1,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Shady Parachute | Phil Rees Sr. | 1-2f | 29.38 | 1 |
| 2nd | Shady Hobby | | 12-1 | 29.68 | 4 |
| 3rd | Brinmark Suzy | Jim Singleton | 8-1 | 29.71 | 3 |
| 4th | Sid's Rose | Noreen Collin | 4-1 | 30.11 | 2 |
| 5th | Ciarraidhe | John Bassett | 20-1 | 30.19 | 5 |
| N/R | Keymer Jill | Charlie Curtis | | | |
Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 13, 400y £1,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Foyle Tonic | Paddy Keane | 15-8f | 22.59 | 3 |
| 2nd | Bygone Time | Paddy Keane | 11-4 | 22.95 | 1 |
| 3rd | Monkhams Express | | 20-1 | 23.41 | 5 |
| 4th | Fionas Chance | Barney O'Connor | 12-1 | 23.47 | 2 |
| 5th | Hi Moments | | 2-1 | 23.57 | 6 |
| 6th | Model Grand | Dave Barker | 25-1 | 23.71 | 4 |
Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 9, 500y, £1,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Ambiguous | Paddy McEvoy | 8-1 | 28.10 | 4 |
| 2nd | Shady Parachute | Phil Rees Sr. | 4-5f | 28.11 | 5 |
| 3rd | Petrovitch | Jack Harvey | 6-1 | 28.43 | 1 |
| 4th | Kerry Long Ago | Paddy Milligan | 4-1 | 28.44 | 6 |
| 5th | Beaverwood Wind | Stan Martin | 12-1 | 28.62 | 3 |
| 6th | Duck Snatcher | Adam Jackson | 20-1 | 28.82 | 2 |
St Leger, Wembley (Aug 26, 700y, £1,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Forward King | Ted Brennan | 9-4 | 39.98 | 1 |
| 2nd | Cream Puff II | Tom Johnston Jr. | 5-2 | 40.22 | 3 |
| 3rd | Hiver Whitenose | Vicky Holloway | 15-8f | 40.26 | 5 |
| 4th | Ballygill Rover | Jim Singleton | 20-1 | 40.42 | 4 |
| 5th | Clueless Pigalle | Paddy McEvoy | 10-1 | 40.56 | 6 |
| 6th | Deise Flash | Jack Harvey | 33-1 | 40.86 | 2 |
Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Aug 31, 525y, £1,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Lisamote Precept | Joe Kelly | 5-1 | 28.93 | 1 |
| 2nd | Cu Luain | Jim Brennan | 7-1 | 28.95 | 2 |
| 3rd | Prairie Jet | Paddy Coughlan | 1-1f | 28.99 | 4 |
| 4th | Super Kid | Joe Pickering | 12-1 | 29.05 | 6 |
| 5th | Quiet Cheer | Joe Booth | 4-1 | 29.08 | 3 |
| 6th | Hack Up Georgie | Phil Rees Sr. | 8-1 | 29.12 | 5 |
Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 4, 600y, £1,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Deen Valley | Paddy Keane | 4-5f | 33.29 | 1 |
| 2nd | Badge of Fancy | Tom Johnston Jr. | 7-1 | 33.35 | 3 |
| 3rd | Prince Ringo | Jack Harvey | 8-1 | 33.41 | 6 |
| 4th | Willing Billie | Noreen Collin | 12-1 | 33.46 | 4 |
| 5th | Shady Begonia | Norman Oliver | 5-2 | 33.50 | 2 |
| 6th | Fire Trap | Paddy McEvoy | 12-1 | 33.74 | 3 |

## Totalisator returns

Extended content :
The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1968 are listed below.
Stadium
Turnover £
London (White City)6,309,024
London (Wimbledon)3,972,064
London (Harringay)3,711,958
London (Walthamstow)3,626,404
London (Wembley)2,887,589
Manchester (Belle Vue)2,280,860
London (Catford)2,199,834
London (West Ham)1,999,279
London (Clapton)1,933,664
London (Hendon)1,686,713
Romford1,638,605
Edinburgh (Powderhall)1,488,177
Manchester (White City)1,368,519
Birmingham (Perry Barr, old)1,368,054
London (Charlton)1,293,979
Brighton & Hove1,258,339
London (Hackney)1,250,685
Birmingham (Hall Green)1,240,832
London (New Cross)1,170,341
Newcastle (Brough Park)1,108,106
Stadium
Turnover £
Glasgow (Shawfield)1,043,003
London (Park Royal)1,036,574
Crayford & Bexleyheath946,751
Slough938,006
Wolverhampton (Monmore)910,976
Leeds (Elland Road)853,544
Glasgow (White City)851,393
Manchester (Salford)834,695
Sheffield (Owlerton)827,124
Bristol (Eastville)817,051
Newcastle (Gosforth)721,345
Southend-on-Sea717,160
Willenhall715,099
London (Stamford Bridge)703,205
Gloucester & Cheltenham686,844
Birmingham (Kings Heath)650,388
Cardiff (Arms Park)624,127
Liverpool (White City)587,254
Poole570,807
Reading (Oxford Road)551,253
Stadium
Turnover £
Derby524,353
Ramsgate (Dumpton Park)521,997
Bradford (Greenfield)504,981
Cradley Heath490,596
Rochester & Chatham469,712
Oxford427,720
Glasgow (Carntyne)416,034
Portsmouth394,804
Leicester (Blackbird Rd)361,202
Middlesbrough340,907
Nottingham (White City)301,450
Rayleigh (Essex)291,408
Hull (Old Craven Park)289,295
Preston282,625
Aberdeen239,956
Norwich (City)235,807
Wakefield176,812
Swindon95,860 :