# 1982 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1982 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 56th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

## Roll of honour

Major Winners :
| Award | Name of Winner |
| 1982 English Greyhound Derby | Lauries Panther |
| 1982 Irish Greyhound Derby | Cooladine Super |
| 1982 Scottish Greyhound Derby | Special Account |
| Greyhound Trainer of the Year | Adam Jackson |
| Greyhound of the Year | Lauries Panther |
| Irish Greyhound of the Year | Supreme Tiger |
| Trainers Championship | Adam Jackson |

## Summary

The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) released the annual returns, with totalisator turnover down 15%, at £63,233,040 and attendances down 10%, recorded at 4,311,554 from 5432 meetings. Attendances had decreased significantly for the third successive year to a new record low. Track tote retention increased slightly from 17% to 17.5%. One attempt to increase attendances was a 15% increase in advertised open races.
Lauries Panther, a black and white dog was voted Greyhound of the Year. He won the 1982 English Greyhound Derby at White City and the Laurels at Wimbledon Stadium.

## Tracks

White City Stadium in Manchester closed, the track had been sold to developers by the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) the previous year. The Cock o' the North and Manchester Cup both switched to Belle Vue Stadium. Ladbrokes closed Leeds on 15 March, they had also sold to developers the previous year, trainer Peter Beaumont joined Belle Vue.

## News

Bob Rowe relinquished his position as White City Racing Manager to take up the role of Chief Racing Manager of the GRA, the previous year Hugh Richardson had vacated that job after retiring. John Collins was brought in to replace Bob Rowe at White City. Jim Woods formerly Charlie Boulton's assistant at Harringay Stadium took up the position of Racing Manager at Perry Barr.
Trainers Joe Pickering and Colin West retired leaving White City two trainers short, they appointed Graham Mann (son of Sid Mann) and Frank Melville from Harringay as replacements. Powderhall Stadium replaced Mann with their first ever female trainer Jane Glass.
Five rival totalisator companies featured at the W.G.R.F exhibition, they were - Data Tote systems, United totalisator company, Stadia systems, Control systems Ltd (Bell Punch) and Amtote from the United States. World of Sport transmitted live races at the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket meeting at Harringay.

## Competitions

Irish Grand National champion Face The Mutt, now with Norah McEllistrim won the Grand National to complete a double.
Lauries Panther won the Laurels before being retired to stud. A brindle dog called Yankee Express won the Scurry Gold Cup at Slough Stadium for trainer George Curtis and Special Account won the Scottish Greyhound Derby for the Savvas, breaking the track record twice in the process during the semis and final. Huberts Shade trained by Adam Jackson at Wembley sealed a classic double by winning the St Leger at his home track and the Grand Prix at Walthamstow Stadium.
Mount Vernon Sports Stadium near Glasgow offered a first prize of £6,000 for the Ashfield Derby, the same prize as the official Scottish Derby.

## Ireland

After winning the Alpha Abrasive Puppy Stakes in Ireland a white and black greyhound called Game Ball was sold to English owners Brian Smith and Jerry Fisher for the large sum of £8,000.

## Principal UK races

BBC TV Trophy, Belle Vue (Mar 3, 815m, £2,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Alfa My Son | Leon Steed | 52.41 | 9-2 | 5 |
| 2nd | Trytravelscene | Arnold Mobley | 52.71 | 7-2 | 6 |
| 3rd | Bridgetown Milly | | 52.79 | 50-1 | 4 |
| 4th | Spinney Lass | | 52.89 | 1-1f | 3 |
| 5th | Sergeant Yorke | | 53.05 | 11-2 | 2 |
| 6th | Roystons Annie | Adam Jackson | 53.15 | 7-1 | 1 |
Grand National, White City (April 3 500m h, £4,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Face The Mutt | Norah McEllistrim | 11-10f | 30.71 | 6 |
| 2nd | Westmead Prince | Theo Mentzis | 6-1 | 30.85 | 3 |
| 3rd | Cons Verity | Frank Melville | 25-1 | 30.89 | 4 |
| 4th | Westlands Bridge | Gunner Smith | 9-4 | 30.93 | 5 |
| 5th | Macintosh Matty | Colin West | 6-1 | 31.21 | 1 |
| 6th | Sutton Light | | 33-1 | 32.09 | 2 |
Laurels, Wimbledon (May 21, 460m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Lauries Panther | Terry Duggan | 9-2 | 27.79 | 4 |
| 2nd | Decoy Ranch | Joe Cobbold | 9-4f | 27.85 | 1 |
| 3rd | Gan on George | Eric Pateman | 3-1 | 28.13 | 6 |
| 4th | Real Good | Nora Gleeson | 4-1 | 28.21 | 2 |
| 5th | Plough Gold | | 25-1 | 28.24 | 5 |
| 6th | Night Miller | | 5-1 | 28.56 | 3 |
Scurry Gold Cup, Slough (Jul 17, 442m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Yankee Express | George Curtis | 5-2 | 27.19 | 5 |
| 2nd | Lannon Lass | Tony Mann | 4-6f | 27.21 | 2 |
| 3rd | Decoy Ranch | Joe Cobbold | 7-1 | 27.23 | 1 |
| 4th | Debras Shamrock | | 20-1 | 27.47 | 3 |
| 5th | Longcross Smokey | Phil Rees Jr. | 25-1 | 27.67 | 6 |
| 6th | Greenfield Chat | Phil Rees Jr. | 25-1 | 27.95 | 4 |
Scottish Greyhound Derby, Shawfield (Aug 14, 500m, £6,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Special Account | Natalie Savva | 1-1f | 29.99+ | 5 |
| 2nd | Duke of Hazard | John Coleman | 6-1 | 30.37 | 3 |
| 3rd | Go Winston | Ralph Smith | 10-1 | 30.47 | 2 |
| 4th | Decoy Snowy | | 12-1 | 30.55 | 1 |
| 5th | Cooladine Jet | Edna Armstrong | 10-1 | 30.71 | 6 |
| 6th | Long Spell | Joe Booth | 2-1 | 30.75 | 4 |
St Leger, Wembley (Sep 8, 655m, £7,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Huberts Shade | Adam Jackson | 13-2 | 39.83 | 5 |
| 2nd | Donnas Dixie | Henry Kibble | 7-4f | 39.93 | 6 |
| 3rd | Westmead Ruby | Natalie Savva | 2-1 | 39.99 | 1 |
| 4th | Decoy Sport | Joe Cobbold | 6-1 | 40.05 | 2 |
| 5th | Liga Lad | Dave Vass | 12-1 | 40.07 | 4 |
| 6th | Gibilisco | Mark Sullivan | 14-1 | 40.13 | 3 |
Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 25, 555m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Donnas Dixie | Henry Kibble | 13-8 | 35.19 | 6 |
| 2nd | Mister Somebody | Peter Payne | 5-4f | 35.27 | 2 |
| 3rd | Flying Duke | Adam Jackson | 5-1 | 35.30 | 3 |
| 4th | Metalina | Jim Sherry | 6-1 | 35.34 | 1 |
| 5th | Coomlogane Style | John Horsfall | 25-1 | 35.60 | 5 |
| 6th | Moss Fighter | Adam Jackson | 16-1 | 35.62 | 4 |
Cesarewitch, Belle Vue (Oct 2, 815m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Liga Lad | Dave Vass | 6-4jf | 51.83 | 3 |
| 2nd | Decoy Lassie | Joe Cobbold | 7-1 | 51.97 | 4 |
| 3rd | Westmead Ruby | Natalie Savva | 7-2 | 52.17 | 2 |
| 4th | Decoy Sport | Joe Cobbold | 25-1 | 52.33 | 1 |
| 5th | Swift Duchess | Arthur Hitch | 6-4jf | 52.39 | 6 |
| N/R | Monalee Treasure | Disq in SF | | | 5 |
The Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Oct 16, 640m, £5,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Huberts Shade | Adam Jackson | 11-8f | 39.73 | 6 |
| 2nd | Glenbrien Ranger | | 10-1 | 40.09 | 5 |
| 3rd | Kylnoe Bob | Bill Foley | 15-8 | 40.17 | 2 |
| 4th | Gibilisco | Mark Sullivan | 16-1 | 40.25 | 1 |
| 5th | Apapa Song | Linda Mullins | 4-1 | 40.47 | 3 |
| 6th | Metalina | Jim Sherry | 12-1 | 40.59 | 4 |
Oaks, Harringay (Oct 29, 475m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Duchess of Avon | Adam Jackson | 1-1f | 28.72 | 4 |
| 2nd | Synone Polly | Vicky Holloway | 3-1 | 28.74 | 6 |
| 3rd | Lovely Lil | | 12-1 | 28.90 | 5 |
| 4th | Giselle | Richard Steele | 8-1 | 29.10 | 2 |
| 5th | Paris Dream | Ernie Wiley | 9-2 | 29.14 | 1 |
| N/R | Westlands Jane | Gunner Smith | | | |

## Totalisator returns

Extended content :
The totalisator returns declared to the National Greyhound Racing Club for the year 1982 are listed below.
Stadium
Turnover £
London (Walthamstow)7,233,226
London (White City)6,946,295
London (Wimbledon)4,920,031
London (Harringay)3,567,491
Romford3,566,114
Brighton & Hove3,209,548
London (Catford)2,815,159
London (Wembley)2,747,294
Slough2,569,830
Manchester (Belle Vue)2,265,974
Birmingham (Hall Green)1,960,060
Edinburgh (Powderhall)1,713,552
Crayford & Bexleyheath1,621,107
Sheffield (Owlerton)1,318,801
Southend-on-Sea1,304,955
Newcastle (Brough Park)1,083,751
Stadium
Turnover £
Glasgow (Shawfield)1,013,486
Wolverhampton (Monmore)944,914
Yarmouth859,787
Birmingham (Perry Barr, old)846,798
Gloucester & Cheltenham780,546
London (Hackney)769,114
Ramsgate761,711
Portsmouth704,587
Derby648,275
Maidstone539,265
Oxford461,117
Milton Keynes439,446
Ipswich429,616
Reading408,802
Newcastle (Gosforth)406,029
Bristol385,374
Stadium
Turnover £
Poole363,552
Nottingham361,183
Hull (Old Craven Park)360,962
Middlesbrough332,503
Cambridge320,597
Henlow (Bedfordshire)317,386
Cradley Heath315,132
Rye House310,038
Leicester264,820
Coventry245,440
Swindon218,087
Leeds210,503
Norton Canes200,000
Chesterton72,161 :