# 1975 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1975 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 49th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

## Roll of honour

Major Winners :
| Award | Name of Winner |
| 1975 English Greyhound Derby | Tartan Khan |
| 1975 Irish Greyhound Derby | Shifting Shadow |
| 1975 Scottish Greyhound Derby | Dromlara Master |
| 1975 Welsh Greyhound Derby | Baffling Bart |
| Greyhound Trainer of the Year | Paddy Milligan |
| Greyhound of the Year | Pineapple Grand |
| Irish Greyhound of the Year | Ballybeg Prim |

## Summary

The National Greyhound Racing Club officially went metric from 1 January, which would mean all races being measured over metres instead of yards. The Irish authorities decided not to adopt the new system. The annual (NGRC) returns were released, with totalisator turnover at £69,220,977 and attendances recorded at 6,200,118, representing an increase in both.
Pineapple Grand, a fawn bitch trained by Frank Baldwin was voted Greyhound of the Year after winning the Wembley Spring Cup, Laurels at Wimbledon Stadium and Oaks at Harringay Stadium. Tartan Khan was unlucky not to get the vote after winning the 1975 English Greyhound Derby and the St Leger at Wembley.
The GRA Property Trust shares were suspended as it was revealed that the company had debts near to £20 million. The future of the company looked bleak.

## Tracks

Allied presentations re-opened a new Reading track at Bennett Road, just over one year after the Greyhound Racing Association had closed the venue at Oxford Road. The new venue was built by owner trainer Bill Dore. Three independent tracks also opened at the Loomer Road Stadium in Chesterton at the Horton Road Stadium and at the Queens Park Football Ground (Bedford). Yarmouth Stadium made their debut under NGRC rules by virtue of the permit scheme.
Oxford Stadium Managing Director Ian Stevens (son of Con Stevens), acting for Bristol Stadium Ltd, sold Oxford to the City Council housing committee for £235,000 in October. A 27,000 strong petition was lodged with the local authorities and Tory MP Michael Heseltine called for a public meeting with a deadline set to find a new buyer. Shawfield Stadium suffered a devastating fire, destroying most of the facilities. Hull Kingston Rovers bought the Craven Park stadium back from the owners; they had previously sold it in 1938.

## News

Brighton trainer Fred Lugg retired and was replaced by Doreen Walsh, the head kennelhand to George Curtis. Tom Baldwin died aged 77 and John Sherry gained a position as a trainer at Walthamstow Stadium after serving his apprenticeship at the kennels of Wembley trainer Tom Johnston.
Drynham Star broke the Derby Stadium track record over 590 metres in a re-run, despite already having run to the third bend before the hare broke down. Ramsgate trainer Peter Rich, former head man to John Coleman won all eight races at one meeting at his home track producing a 428,793-1 accumulator.

## Competitions

Harringay introduced the Golden Jacket, a new event for stayers.

## Ireland

Peruvian Style, a light brindle 1973 whelp owned by Deirdre Hynes and trained by Tony Fahy had been beaten in the 1,000 Guineas final by Lively Band at Dundalk. Following this he went on to win the Tipperary Cup, made the semi-finals of the Laurels, won the Harp Lager Stakes at Dundalk and the Waterford Glass Stakes breaking the track record. Twelve consecutive wins were achieved after a Shelbourne Park event win before a winter rest.
The Ger McKenna trained Ballybeg Prim was voted Irish Greyhound of the Year after winning the Irish Cesarewitch, Irish St Leger and the Shelbourne 600.

## Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (April 12 500m h, £1,250) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Pier Hero | Frank Melville | 1-1f | 30.65 | 1 |
| 2nd | Weston Pete | Colin West | 5-1 | 30.81 | 4 |
| 3rd | Tawny Black | | 16-1 | 30.82 | 5 |
| 4th | Bachelor Rose | | 10-1 | 30.86 | 3 |
| 5th | Try It Blackie | Frank Melville | 5-1 | 31.04 | 6 |
| 6th | Killoneford Dash | | 5-1 | 31.18 | 2 |
Scurry Gold Cup, Slough (April 15, 434m, £1,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Longnor Lad | Ben Parsons | 4-1 | 26.77 | 5 |
| 2nd | Clear Reason | Mrs Dorin Clark | 5-4f | 27.21 | 2 |
| 3rd | Grange Tim | George Curtis | 4-1 | 27.29 | 6 |
| 4th | Monsoon Boy | | 5-1 | 27.57 | 1 |
| 5th | Deire Na Fienna | Terry Duggan | 20-1 | 27.81 | 4 |
| 6th | Star Vega | Mrs.J.Hawkins | 7-1 | 27.83 | 3 |
BBC TV Trophy, Monmore (April 23, 815m, £1,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Lizzies Girl | Ted Williams | 7-4jf | 52.16+ | 6 |
| 2nd | Silver Lipstick | Rowe | 4-1 | 52.19 | 3 |
| 3rd | Mcarthur Pride | Tom Chamberlain | 14-1 | 52.37 | 1 |
| 4th | Captain Saul | Gwen Lynds | 20-1 | 52.53 | 5 |
| 5th | Monavale | Belle Vue | 25-1 | 52.65 | 4 |
| 6th | Chain Gang | Frank Melville | 7-4jf | 52.71 | 2 |
Laurels, Wimbledon (May 16, 460m, £3,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Pineapple Grand | Frank Baldwin | 3-1 | 27.77 | 1 |
| 2nd | Flip Your Top | Bob Young | 11-4 | 27.83 | 3 |
| 3rd | Bealkilla Diver | Pat Mullins | 9-1 | 27.93 | 2 |
| 4th | Hillside Kuda | Sam Sykes | 10-1 | 27.94 | 6 |
| 5th | Slender Lead | | 9-1 | 28.08 | 5 |
| 6th | Tory Mor | Paddy Milligan | 5-2 | 28.16 | 4 |
Welsh Derby, Arms Park (Jul 12, 484m £1,200) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Baffling Bart | Paddy Milligan | 3-1 | 29.37 | 3 |
| 2nd | Clatra Glee | Andy Agnew | 12-1 | 29.89 | 6 |
| 3rd | Greenane Spy | M.Hickey | 6-1 | 30.07 | 4 |
| 4th | Domlara Master | Bertie Gaynor | 5-1 | 30.25 | 5 |
| 5th | Main Avenue | | 11-4 | 30.28 | 2 |
| 6th | That Silver | John Coleman | 3-1 | 30.50 | 1 |
Scottish Greyhound Derby, Shawfield (Aug 16, 485m, £2,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Dromlara Master | Bertie Gaynor | 7-1 | 29.30 | 2 |
| 2nd | Macbeth | | 4-1 | 29.42 | 4 |
| 3rd | Tory Mor | Paddy Milligan | 6-4f | 29.58 | 5 |
| 4th | Garford Joe | | 6-1 | 29.74 | 6 |
| 5th | Kind Effort | Pat Casey | 20-1 | 29.80 | 3 |
| 6th | Foreign Exchange | Paddy Milligan | 5-2 | 29.96 | 1 |
St Leger, Wembley (Sep 1, 655m, £2,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Tartan Khan | Gwen Lynds | 7-2 | 39.45+ | 3 |
| 2nd | Sandispec | Clare Orton | 13-8f | 39.51 | 2 |
| 3rd | Countville | Natalie Savva | 25-1 | 39.71 | 6 |
| 4th | Dancing Dolores | Paddy Reilly | 5-2 | 39.77 | 1 |
| 5th | Flashy Snoopy | Frank Baldwin | 16-1 | 39.99 | 5 |
| 6th | Drynham Star | Natalie Savva | 5-1 | 40.15 | 4 |
Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 20, 555m, £2,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Abbey Glade | George Curtis | 11-4 | 34.97 | 4 |
| 2nd | Dancing Dolores | Paddy Reilly | 3-1 | 35.55 | 5 |
| 3rd | Foreign Exchange | Paddy Milligan | 9-4f | 35.56 | 1 |
| 4th | Westmead Land | Natalie Savva | 20-1 | 35.62 | 6 |
| 5th | Mad Quest | Colin West | 14-1 | 35.78 | 3 |
| 6th | Adioss | Adam Jackson | 7-2 | 35.82 | 2 |
Cesarewitch, Belle Vue (Sep 27, 815m, £2,000) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Silver Sceptre | Reg Young | 4-1 | 52.31 | 4 |
| 2nd | Bonzo | George Curtis | 7-1 | 52.35 | 3 |
| 3rd | Babe Monalee | Dave Geggus | 9-2 | 52.39 | 2 |
| 4th | Favourite Animal | Harry Bamford | 5-1 | 52.93 | 6 |
| 5th | Major Hope | Frank Melville | 5-1 | 53.07 | 1 |
| 6th | Joys Image | Ted Parker | 5-2f | 53.29 | 5 |
Oaks, Harringay (Nov 7, 480m, £1,500) :
| Pos | Name of Greyhound | Trainer | SP | Time | Trap |
| 1st | Pineapple Grand | Frank Baldwin | 8-11f | 28.85 | 4 |
| 2nd | Tory Mor | Paddy Milligan | 7-2 | 28.89 | 6 |
| 3rd | Stylish Kilbeg | Paddy Milligan | 4-1 | 29.01 | 3 |
| 4th | Fairland Flash | Gordon Bailey | 25-1 | 29.11 | 2 |
| 5th | Gay Kathy | Tom Johnston Jr. | 10-1 | 29.19 | 1 |
| 6th | Indiana Blues | | 66-1 | 29.41 | 5 |

## Totalisator returns

Extended content :
The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1975 are listed below.
Stadium
Turnover £
London (White City)7,659,552
London (Walthamstow)6,046,355
London (Wimbledon)4,910,587
London (Harringay)4,119,519
London (Catford)3,195,352
London (Wembley)2,861,233
Romford2,833,215
Manchester (Belle Vue)2,334,210
Edinburgh (Powderhall)2,109,465
Brighton & Hove2,035,327
Birmingham (Perry Barr, old)1,999,703
Slough1,902,342
Birmingham (Hall Green)1,782,587
Southend-on-Sea1,652,727
Crayford & Bexleyheath1,610,532
Newcastle (Brough Park)1,502,681
Stadium
Turnover £
Glasgow (Shawfield)1,501,432
Sheffield (Owlerton)1,412,133
Leeds (Elland Road)1,362,053
Wolverhampton (Monmore)1,123,854
Manchester (White City)1,103,005
Bristol (Eastville)1,055,765
London (Hackney)1,031,109
Rochester & Chatham883,890
Gloucester & Cheltenham836,379
Derby824,637
Cardiff (Arms Park)811,009
Yarmouth762,759
Newcastle (Gosforth)728,586
Manchester (Salford)672,347
Willenhall655,725
Oxford568,513
Stadium
Turnover £
Portsmouth558,274
Poole527,652
Ramsgate (Dumpton Park)522,486
Cradley Heath411,118
Hull (Old Craven Park)408,221
Middlesbrough385,966
Milton Keynes369,406
Leicester (Blackbird Rd)310,718
London (Watford)299,535
Swindon278,524
Ipswich246,000
Preston239,815
Reading235,698
Rye House234,182
Norton Canes216,046
Halifax78,878 :