# 1974 English Greyhound Derby

The 1974 Spillers Greyhound Derby took place during June with the final being held on 29 June 1974 at White City Stadium.
The winner was Jimsun and the winning owners Joe De Mulder and Miss Lesley Walker received £13,500. The competition was sponsored by the Spillers.

## Final result

At White City (over 525 yards):
| Position | Name of Greyhound | Breeding | Trap | SP | Time | Trainer |
| 1st | Jimsun | Monalee Champion - Lady Expert | 1 | 5-2 | 28.76 | Geoff De Mulder (Hall Green) |
| 2nd | Myrtown | Myross Again - Longstown Lassie | 3 | 2-1 | 28.86 | Eddie Moore (White City - Manchester) |
| 3rd | Ballymaclune | Yanka Boy - Kitty True | 6 | 5-1 | 28.90 | Ger McKenna (Ireland) |
| 4th | Soft Light | The Grand Light - Knockmoylan Kate | 4 | 6-1 | 28.92 | Joe Bennett (Private) |
| 5th | Blackwater Champ | Monalee Champion - Athnid | 5 | 13-8f | 29.00 | Peter Payne (Private) |
| 6th | Handy High | Handy Valley - Black Highbird | 2 | 20-1 | 29.20 | Paddy Milligan (Private) |

### Distances

1¼, ½, head, 1, 2½ (lengths) The distances between the greyhounds are in finishing order and shown in lengths. One length is equal to 0.08 of one second.

## Competition Report

Patricias Hope returned for an attempt to win an unprecedented third Derby but he was up against the ante-post favourites that included Juvenile and Wood Lane winner Myrtown, Irish entries Ballymaclune and Lively Band and Laurels victors Black Banjo and Over Protected.
Black Banjo failed to progress from round one but Blackwater Champ, (the Pall Mall Stakes champion) and Jimsun recorded the best times of 28.53 & 28.54 respectively. In a very strong heat two of round two the dream of Patricias Hope ended with his connections retiring him with immediate effect. Myrtown, Jimsun, Blackwater Champ and Acomb Dot all won their heats and remained unbeaten.
The first semi-final saw Soft Light provide a shock when beating Jimsun by a length whilst Acomb Dot finished last. Blackwater Champ took heat two with Myrtown taking the third and the final qualifying place.
A crowd of 33,000 turned up to see the sports premier race and they watched the Irish hope Ballymaclune trap well and take an early lead. Favourite Blackwater Champ lost any chance after missing the break. Jimsun showed good early pace to overtake and impede Handy High when moving up to second place and then challenged along the back straight before going onto win by just over a length in 28.76sec. Myrtown finished well to take second place.

## Quarter finals

Heat 1 :
| Pos | Name | SP | Time |
| 1st | Acomb Dot | 9-4 | 28.68 |
| 2nd | Lively Band | 5-4f | 28.71 |
| 3rd | Ballymaclune | 7-1 | 28.95 |
| 4th | Economy Size | 25-1 | 29.13 |
| 5th | Deise Dreams | 4-1 | 29.37 |
| 6th | Greenane Bard | 50-1 | 29.47 |
Heat 2 :
| Pos | Name | SP | Time |
| 1st | Myrtown | 4-6f | 28.67 |
| 2nd | Soft Light | 7-1 | 28.81 |
| 3rd | Silver Thought | 40-1 | 28.84 |
| 4th | Spiral Cindy | 6-1 | 28.96 |
| 5th | Patricias Hope | 14-1 | 28.98 |
| 6th | Coin Case | 4-1 | 29.12 |
Heat 3 :
| Pos | Name | SP | Time |
| 1st | Jimsun | 4-7f | 28.69 |
| 2nd | Benson Cash | 20-1 | 29.07 |
| 3rd | Houghton Hiker | 50-1 | 29.10 |
| 4th | Two P.M. | 8-1 | 29.11 |
| 5th | Pass Me Not | 9-1 | 29.37 |
| 6th | Over Protected | 3-1 | 29.47 |
Heat 4 :
| Pos | Name | SP | Time |
| 1st | Blackwater Champ | 1-2f | 28.61 |
| 2nd | Monsoon Boy | 25-1 | 28.83 |
| 3rd | Handy High | 10-1 | 29.07 |
| 4th | Jingle Jockey | 40-1 | 29.09 |
| 5th | Crown Walter | 4-1 | 29.17 |
| 6th | Emerald Storm | 9-1 | 29.41 |

## Semi finals

First Semi Final :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | SP | Time | Trainer |
| 1st | Soft Light | 7-1 | 28.75 | Bennett |
| 2nd | Jimsun | 4-7f | 28.83 | De Mulder |
| 3rd | Ballymaclune | 8-1 | 28.85 | McKenna |
| 4th | Benson Cash | 50-1 | 28.95 | West |
| 5th | Monsoon Boy | 16-1 | 28.99 | Conroy |
| 6th | Acomb Dot | 5-1 | 29.19 | Malcolm |
Second Semi Final :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | SP | Time | Trainer |
| 1st | Blackwater Champ | 7-4 | 28.95 | Payne |
| 2nd | Handy High | 40-1 | 29.19 | Milligan |
| 3rd | Myrtown | 11-10f | 29.59 | Moore |
| 4th | Lively Band | 9-2 | 29.67 | Johnston |
| 5th | Houghton Hiker | 66-1 | 29.75 | |
| 6th | Silver Thought | 40-1 | 29.81 | |