# 1983 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1983 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 57th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

## Roll of honour

Major Winners :
| Award | Name of Winner |
| 1983 English Greyhound Derby | Im Slippy |
| 1983 Irish Greyhound Derby | Belvedere Bran |
| 1983 Scottish Greyhound Derby | On Spec |
| Greyhound Trainer of the Year | George Curtis |
| Greyhound of the Year | Yankee Express |
| Irish Greyhound of the Year | Im Slippy |
| Trainers Championship | Natalie Savva |

## Summary

The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) released the annual returns, with totalisator turnover slightly down at £61,932,148 and attendances also slightly down recorded at 4,245,995 from 5443 meetings. Track tote retention was 17.5%.
Im Slippy, a white and blue brindle dog was voted Irish Greyhound of the Year, he won the 1983 English Greyhound Derby at White City. Yankee Express, a brindle dog, trained by George Curtis was voted Greyhound of the Year after winning a second successive Scurry Gold Cup title at Slough, the October 1980 whelp had performed well in the Derby and also won the Pall Mall Stakes.

## Tracks

After failing to secure new premises at Oxleaze and Churchdown, the decision was made to close Gloucester & Cheltenham Stadium, the final meeting was held on 22 October. Many of the trainers and greyhounds were accommodated by the Swindon and Bristol Racing Manager's Bill Hiscock and Ken Whitrow respectively. Gloucester's leading trainer Janet Dickenson joined Bristol. Later in the year ADT (British Car Auctions) purchased Swindon and used its large car park as a base for their sales.
Ladbrokes sold Brough Park to Glassedin Greyhounds Ltd, headed by James Glass, father of female trainer Jane Glass. Cambridge had their NGRC licence cancelled and reverted once again to independent status leaving a some top trainers looking for a new attachment. Joe Cobbold went private and would eventually put the Utopia kennels in the hands of son and daughter in law, Trevor and Pam. Linda Mullins took up a position at Crayford, Theo Mentzis and Natalie Savva both went to Milton Keynes and Paddy Hancox moved from Perry Barr to Hall Green. Ayr Greyhound Stadium opened on 6 August.

## News

White City trainer Randy Singleton retired and was replaced by Ray Peacock and Frank Baldwin. Walthamstow Racing Manager Ray Spalding left to be replaced by Tony Smith. Seeding for open races was controversially scrapped as a recommendation from the Greyhound Racing Association's chief racing manager Bob Rowe, there was an opinion that segregating wide runners and railers in trap draws favoured those seeded wide.
Five track records fell on the English Greyhound Derby final night, including that for the Derby distance when Hay Maker Mack became the first dog ever to break the 29-second barrier, posting 28.95 seconds. Hay Maker Mack had won a Derby heat before being knocked out and his racing career ended soon afterwards, when he sustained a broken hock during the Essex Vase at Romford.
Decoy Lassie finished runner up in the Cesarewitch at Belle Vue but took consolation from winning the Steward's Cup and Cearns Memorial.
Whisper Wishes, an August 1981 black dog, son of Sand Man bred in Ireland by Mrs G. Naylor out of her brood bitch, Micklem Drive was put with Maidstone's Charlie Coyle. After a year that consisted of only 15 races, winning six of them including the Courage Select Stakes at Wembley he came into the ownership of Irishman John Duffy. Duffy pencilled in the following year's Derby for his hound.

## Ireland

The Boyne Valley Greyhound Stadium in Navan is suspended by the Bord na gCon after they discovered that it owed more than £5,000 in unpaid prize money. Irish star Supreme Tiger trained by Matt O'Donnell broke a hock when preparing for the Anglo-Irish International and was retired
English Derby champion Im Slippy returned to Northern Ireland and won the Guinness National Sprint at Dunmore remaining undefeated throughout the event and winning the final by four lengths from Ring Beacon in 29.30 seconds. He became one of a select few to win a Classic event on both sides of the Irish Sea. After being retired he went on to prove himself one of the most influential stud greyhounds of modern times.
Belvedere Bran won the £25,000 Carroll's 1983 Irish Greyhound Derby. Litter sisters Kerogue Nella and Kerogue Sarah finished first and second during the running of the Irish TV Trophy.

## Principal UK races

Daily Mirror Grand National, White City (April 2 500m h, £4,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Sir Winston | George Curtis | 5-1 | 31.09 | 5 |
| 2nd | Master Bob | Mark Sullivan | 13-8f | 31.13 | 2 |
| 3rd | Wolseleys Scout | Gunner Smith | 7-1 | 31.29 | 1 |
| 4th | Anner Duke | Phil Rees Jr. | 5-2 | 31.51 | 3 |
| 5th | Bonnet Up | Stan Gudgin | 3-1 | 31.54 | 6 |
| 6th | Black Steel | | 8-1 | 31.58 | 4 |
BBC TV Trophy, Walthamstow (Mar 3, 820m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Sandy Lane | George Curtis | 7-4 | 52.43 | 5 |
| 2nd | Adamstown Miller | | 33-1 | 52.77 | 4 |
| 3rd | Minnies Matador | Paddy Milligan | 5-4f | 52.87 | 2 |
| 4th | Glenbrien Ranger | | 14-1 | 52.93 | 6 |
| 5th | Jos Gamble | Jerry Fisher | 5-1 | 52.97 | 3 |
| 6th | Eastern Highway | | 10-1 | 53.15 | 1 |
Laurels, Wimbledon (May 6, 460m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Darkie Fli | F Stevens | 2-1f | 27.87 | 5 |
| 2nd | Raceway Mick | Adam Jackson | 5-1 | 27.99 | 3 |
| 3rd | Deep Gold | Paddy Milligan | 8-1 | 28.02 | 2 |
| 4th | Winning Line | Chandler - MK | 10-1 | 28.34 | 4 |
| 5th | Big Ideas | Terry Duggan | 4-1 | 28.44 | 1 |
| 6th | Aglish Poacher | Jerry Fisher | 5-2 | 28.47 | 6 |
Scurry Gold Cup, Slough (Jul 16, 442m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Yankee Express | George Curtis | 8-11f | 26.84 | 4 |
| 2nd | Squire Cass | Terry Dartnall | 9-1 | 27.18 | 2 |
| 3rd | Thor | John Cox | 5-1 | 27.34 | 1 |
| 4th | Sammy Bear | George Curtis | 10-1 | 27.42 | 6 |
| 5th | Ebony Chieftain | John Copplestone | 6-1 | 27.43 | 3 |
| 6th | Adventure Kit | | 12-1 | 27.69 | 5 |
Scottish Greyhound Derby, Shawfield (Aug 19, 500m, £4,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | On Spec | Harry Crapper | 2-1 | 30.50 | 4 |
| 2nd | Go Winston | Ralph Smith | 1-1f | 30.58 | 3 |
| 3rd | Kylehill Legart | | 6-1 | 30.92 | 5 |
| 4th | Cooladine Jet | Edna Armstrong | 10-1 | 31.00 | 6 |
| 5th | Knockhill Action | | 33-1 | 31.24 | 2 |
| 6th | Hot Darkie | | 5-1 | 31.34 | 1 |
St Leger, Wembley (Sep 2, 655m, £7,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Easy And Slow | Adam Jackson | 5-2 | 40.37 | 3 |
| 2nd | Kings Merlin | Arthur Hitch | 5-2 | 40.38 | 2 |
| 3rd | Bally Star | Linda Mullins | 9-4f | 40.50 | 4 |
| 4th | Tally Ho Bomber | Arthur Hitch | 6-1 | 40.54 | 6 |
| 5th | Decoy Diamond | | 20-1 | 40.82 | 1 |
| 6th | Gabriel Hilda | | 14-1 | 40.98 | 5 |
Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 24, 555m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Rathduff Tad | Tony Dennis | 7-1 | 35.13 | 5 |
| 2nd | Easy And Slow | Adam Jackson | 1-1f | 35.19 | 6 |
| 3rd | Huberts Shade | Adam Jackson | 4-1 | 35.27 | 3 |
| 4th | Rathkenny Lassie | Miss M Coleman | 20-1 | 35.33 | 4 |
| 5th | Wheelers Tory | Peter Payne | 5-1 | 35.36 | 2 |
| 6th | Copper Beechers | George Curtis | 8-1 | 35.52 | 1 |
Cesarewitch, Belle Vue (Oct 1, 815m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Jos Gamble | Jerry Fisher | 5-2 | 50.90 | 1 |
| 2nd | Decoy Lassie | Joe Cobbold | 5-1 | 51.14 | 5 |
| 3rd | Gala Special | Barney O'Connor | 7-1 | 51.36 | 2 |
| 4th | Sandy Lane | George Curtis | 7-4f | 51.37 | 3 |
| 5th | Send A Dream | Brian Thompson | 7-2 | 51.63 | 4 |
| 6th | Forever Cruising | Linda Mullins | 8-1 | 52.17 | 6 |
The Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Oct 15, 640m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Flying Duke | Paddy Coughlan | 4-1 | 40.49 | 2 |
| 2nd | Forever Cruising | Linda Mullins | 7-1 | 40.69 | 6 |
| 3rd | Winning Line | Chandler – MK | 7-2 | 40.79 | 5 |
| 4th | Split Image | Rita Hayward | 13-8f | 40.87 | 1 |
| 5th | Alleys Goldie | George Curtis | 6-1 | 41.01 | 4 |
| 6th | Killury Sunset | | 25-1 | 41.33 | 3 |
Oaks, Harringay (Oct 28, 475m, £7,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Major Grove | Eric Pateman | 6-1 | 28.59 | 3 |
| 2nd | Gals Girl | Arthur Hitch | 11-4 | 28.69 | 6 |
| 3rd | Astrosyn Doll | Ray Peacock | 10-1 | 28.99 | 4 |
| 4th | If So | Sam Sykes | 6-4f | 29.00 | 2 |
| 5th | Hollywood Molly | Ted Griffin | 8-1 | 29.01 | 5 |
| 6th | Ferns Best | Pete Beamount | 6-1 | 29.07 | 1 |

## Totalisator returns

Extended content :
The totalisator returns declared to the National Greyhound Racing Club for the year 1983 are listed below.
Stadium
Turnover £
London (White City)7,189,442
London (Walthamstow)6,690,172
London (Wimbledon)4,641,423
Romford3,677,493
London (Harringay)3,453,476
Brighton & Hove3,264,841
London (Catford)2,686,946
Slough2,628,665
London (Wembley)2,391,662
Manchester (Belle Vue)2,152,987
Birmingham (Hall Green)2,060,096
Edinburgh (Powderhall)1,758,864
Crayford & Bexleyheath1,404,539
Southend-on-Sea1,329,850
Glasgow (Shawfield)1,272,656
Stadium
Turnover £
Sheffield (Owlerton)1,218,412
Ramsgate945,028
Wolverhampton (Monmore)875,571
Newcastle (Brough Park)866,041
Yarmouth861,687
Portsmouth734,353
London (Hackney)703,589
Gloucester & Cheltenham665,600
Birmingham (Perry Barr, old)600,277
Maidstone587,750
Derby567,487
Bristol535,712
Oxford525,200
Milton Keynes523,380
Ipswich426,693
Stadium
Turnover £
Newcastle (Gosforth)400,510
Hull (Old Craven Park)398,817
Reading377,441
Rye House357,687
Nottingham355,503
Henlow (Bedfordshire)352,251
Cradley Heath347,357
Cambridge344,841
Poole334,152
Middlesbrough317,806
Leicester260,907
Coventry247,418
Swindon228,707
Peterborough188,959
Norton Canes180,000 :