# 1979 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1979 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 53rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

## Roll of honour

Major Winners :
| Award | Name of Winner |
| 1979 English Greyhound Derby | Sarahs Bunny |
| 1979 Irish Greyhound Derby | Penny County |
| 1979 Scottish Greyhound Derby | Greenville Boy |
| Greyhound Trainer of the Year | Geoff De Mulder |
| Greyhound of the Year | Desert Pilot & Kilmagoura Mist |
| Irish Greyhound of the Year | Nameless Pixie |
| Trainers Championship | John Honeysett |
Trainers Championship, Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium (24 March) :
| Pos | Name of Trainer | Points |
| 1st | John Honeysett | 42 |
| 2nd | John Coleman | 40 |
| 3rd | Ted Dickson | 36 |
| 4th | Pat Mullins | 34 |
| 5th | Geoff De Mulder | 32 |
| 6th | Natalie Savva | 24 |

## Summary

The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) released the annual returns, with totalisator turnover down, at £70,685,971 and attendances up, recorded at 6,585,491 from 5712 meetings. White City remains the top earner with an average meeting tote turnover of £55,677, some £5,000 more than closest rival Walthamstow Stadium.
Desert Pilot, a white and brindle dog and Kilmagoura Mist, a brindle bitch, were voted joint Greyhound of the Year. Desert Pilot won the Select Stakes and Wembley Summer Cup, Kilmagoura Mist won the St Leger. Sarahs Bunny, a kennelmate of Desert Pilot won the 1979 English Greyhound Derby.

## Tracks

Three tracks closed, Rochester (4 October), Halifax and the Horton Road Stadium in Gloucester (6 July).

## News

The BGRF (British Greyhound Racing Federation) went into voluntary liquidation, the organisation body that had only been formed in 1977 between the NGRC and track promoters had been a disaster. Bizarrely despite the financial losses of the body a new replacement called the British Greyhound Racing Board was set up within months, with the aim to promote and elevate the greyhound racing industry, to improve the welfare and rules of racing.
Leeds closed their track kennels and lost three top trainers in the process, Joe Kelly, Tommy Brown and Jim Brennan (better known for his spell at Sheffield). Kelly was recruited by Racing Manager Terry Meynell and moved into the kennels of the late Harry Bamford, who had died aged just 40 while Brown and Brennan retired. Contracted trainers replacing them at Leeds were Pete Beaumont, Jim Brown and Ray Andrews. New Southend trainer Tom Lanceman also supplied runners for Ipswich, he was one of the first ever trainers to take up a dual attachment. Lanceman also trained the Grand National winner Topofthetide to a second successive win, the greyhound had won in 1978 for Tim Forster at odds on.
Lacca Champion was retired after the Derby and Joe De Mulder, former trainer and father of Geoff De Mulder died.

## Competitions

A newcomer called Sports Promoter reared by Pat and Linda Mullins broke the track record over 400 metres at Cambridge in his first race and went on to win the Romford Puppy Cup and Sporting Life Juvenile. The Olympic returned after an eight-year absence, the event was resurrected by Brighton.
John Honeysett won a closely fought Trainers Championship at Crayford after defeating John Coleman by just two points. Both had three winners on the night, Honeysett (Sandpiper Folly, Langford Dan, Triple Aspect), Coleman (Noble Brigg, Head Prefect, Our Rufus).

## Ireland

The Bord na gCon announced a massive 60% hike in prize money. The grand re-opening of Galway was on 25 May, with the modernisation costing over £500,000.

## Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (April 7 500m h, £2,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Topothetide | Tom Lanceman | 6-4f | 31.60 | 1 |
| 2nd | Killallen Jack | Phil Rees Jr. | 16-1 | 32.24 | 3 |
| 3rd | Tax Band | Joe Pickering | 9-4 | 32.25 | 5 |
| 4th | Cherryhill King | | 10-1 | 32.65 | 2 |
| 5th | Oscar B | Norah McEllistrim | 5-1 | 32.69 | 6 |
| 6th | Elton Smasher | Richard Griffin | 8-1 | 32.87 | 4 |
BBC TV Trophy, Hall Green (Apr 11, 815m, £1,750) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Westown Blaze | Reg Young | 53.16 | 5-1 | 6 |
| 2nd | Aglish Boss | Joe Cobbold | 53.40 | 20-1 | 2 |
| 3rd | Welsh Cobbler | John Honeysett | 53.44 | 11-4 | 4 |
| 4th | Westown Adam | Natalie Savva | 53.58 | 15-8f | 3 |
| 5th | Olvera | | 53.74 | 5-1 | 1 |
| 6th | Ellas Melody | Bertie Gaynor | 53.75 | 6-1 | 5 |
Laurels, Wimbledon (May 18, 460m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Another Spatter | Joe Pickering | 7-2 | 27.75 | 3 |
| 2nd | Pigeon Flyer | Tom Reilly | 7-1 | 27.93 | 1 |
| 3rd | Across the Miles | R Young | 10-1 | 28.09 | 6 |
| 4th | Sampsons Pal | Pat Mullins | 9-4f | 28.33 | 2 |
| 5th | Young Toby | Eric Pateman | 4-1 | 28.41 | 4 |
| 6th | Its Stylish | | 4-1 | 28.42 | 5 |
Scurry Gold Cup, Slough (Jul 21, 442m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Northway Point | George Morrow | 20-1 | 27.20 | 6 |
| 2nd | The Grand Devil | Phil Rees Jr. | 9-4 | 27.46 | 1 |
| 3rd | Knockrour Brandy | Freda Greenacre | 7-2 | 27.49 | 4 |
| 4th | Teddy Boy | | 33-1 | 27.61 | 5 |
| 5th | Johns Luck | John Coleman | 4-1 | 27.69 | 2 |
| 6th | Saucy Buck | Ted Dickson | 1-1f | 27.77 | 3 |
Scottish Greyhound Derby, Shawfield (Aug 11, 500m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Greenville Boy | Pat Mullins | 6-4f | 30.49 | 1 |
| 2nd | Dually Lad | G Barnett | 3-1 | 30.59 | 3 |
| 3rd | Blissful Hero | Bertie Gaynor | 4-1 | 30.65 | 5 |
| 4th | Black Haven | | 7-1 | 30.85 | 2 |
| 5th | Backdeed Man | | 4-1 | 30.93 | 6 |
| 6th | Miss Olivia | Graham Mann | 8-1 | 31.05 | 4 |
St Leger, Wembley (Sep 3, 655m, £10,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Kilmagoura Mist | Tom Johnston Jr. | 9-2 | 40.04 | 1 |
| 2nd | Black Earl | Ted Dickson | 2-1f | 40.05 | 4 |
| 3rd | Owners Guide | Tony Jowett | 25-1 | 40.31 | 6 |
| 4th | Columns Corner | John Gibbons | 7-2 | 40.67 | 5 |
| 5th | Frame That | Ted Dickson | 14-1 | 40.85 | 3 |
| 6th | Dangerous Lad | Joe Pickering | 9-4 | 00.00 | 2 |
Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 22, 555m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Gayflash | Paddy Milligan | 7-2 | 35.08 | 5 |
| 2nd | Corduroy | John Honeysett | 4-1 | 35.54 | 1 |
| 3rd | Quest for Gold | | 12-1 | 35.60 | 2 |
| 4th | Im A Smasher | Norah McEllistrim | 10-1 | 35.86 | 4 |
| 5th | Taranaki | Peter Rich | 7-2 | 36.16 | 6 |
| 6th | Dangerous Lad | Joe Pickering | 7-4f | 00.00 | 3 |
The Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Sep 29, 640m, £5,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Frame That | Ted Dickson | 11-2 | 39.57 | 1 |
| 2nd | Roystons Supreme | Adam Jackson | 11-2 | 39.69 | 5 |
| 3rd | Brainy Prince | Geoff De Mulder | 2-1 | 39.71 | 2 |
| 4th | Black Earl | Ray Iremonger | 15-8f | 39.79 | 4 |
| 5th | Strange Dame | Phil Rees Jr. | 8-1 | 39.85 | 6 |
| 6th | Seagulls | Gunner Smith | 16-1 | 39.99 | 3 |
Cesarewitch, Belle Vue (Oct 6, 815m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Roystons Supreme | Adam Jackson | 7-4 | 51.47 | 2 |
| 2nd | Cloutie Comment | George Curtis | 7-1 | 51.53 | 4 |
| 3rd | Karnos Lady | | 11-8f | 51.77 | 1 |
| 4th | Portland Dusty | Frank Melville | 20-1 | 51.89 | 5 |
| 5th | Lynns Pride | | 7-1 | 51.99 | 6 |
| 6th | Corelish Ron | Brian Jay | 16-1 | 52.00 | 3 |
Oaks, Harringay (Nov 2, 475m, £1,750) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Sunny Interval | Phil Rees Jr. | 12-1 | 28.77 | 4 |
| 2nd | Kilmagoura Mist | Tom Johnston Jr. | 11-4 | 28.80 | 3 |
| 3rd | Kings Lace | | 10-1 | 28.86 | 2 |
| 4th | Masslock Lady | George Curtis | 10-1 | 28.89 | 5 |
| 5th | Certain Style | Terry Keith | 2-1f | 29.01 | 6 |
| 6th | Trinas Baby | Edna Wearing | 11-4 | 29.07 | 1 |

## Totalisator returns

Extended content :
The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1979 are listed below.
Stadium
Turnover £
London (White City)7,905,509
London (Walthamstow)7,630,996
London (Wimbledon)5,848,415
London (Harringay)4,120,864
Romford3,722,154
London (Catford)3,411,092
London (Wembley)3,323,693
Brighton & Hove3,116,599
Slough2,891,961
Manchester (Belle Vue)2,838,682
Birmingham (Hall Green)2,453,519
Edinburgh (Powderhall)2,143,634
Crayford & Bexleyheath2,083,446
Birmingham (Perry Barr, old)1,798,197
Southend-on-Sea1,735,488
Newcastle (Brough Park)1,693,168
Stadium
Turnover £
Glasgow (Shawfield)1,587,686
Sheffield (Owlerton)1,536,270
Leeds (Elland Road)1,468,622
Wolverhampton (Monmore)1,169,108
Bristol (Eastville)981,641
London (Hackney)959,881
Gloucester & Cheltenham932,580
Derby908,209
Yarmouth874,426
Ramsgate752,516
Portsmouth731,711
Newcastle (Gosforth)709,980
Rochester & Chatham673,251
Oxford533,299
Poole522,825
Reading508,507
Stadium
Turnover £
Coventry499,405
Willenhall497,531
Middlesbrough476,980
Milton Keynes472,971
Ipswich420,570
Hull (Old Craven Park)396,472
Manchester (White City)369,691
Leicester344,470
Cradley Heath304,187
Swindon288,765
Rye House269,309
Henlow (Bedfordshire)253,537
Cambridge131,990
Norton Canes100,000
Long Eaton91,115 :