1934 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1934 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the ninth year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

1934 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

Roll of honour
Major Winners
Award Name of Winner
1934 English Greyhound Derby [1] Davesland
1934 Irish Greyhound Derby [2] Frisco Hobo
1934 Scottish Greyhound Derby [3] Olives Best
1934 Welsh Greyhound Derby [4] Valiant Rufus

Summary

The 1934 Betting and Lotteries Act came into force which limited the number of racing days held at tracks but enabled totalisators to be used. The latter was particularly welcomed by the industry because they were very profitable. Each track was to hold no more than 104 meetings per year.[5][6]

The industry continued to grow with an estimated 270 tracks (licensed and independent) in operation during 1934 and attendances surpassing 20 million for the third successive year. However unlike previous years only a handful of new tracks were opened.[7][8] The 1934 English Greyhound Derby saw the likes of Wild Woolley, Brilliant Bob and Davesland compete with the eventual winner being Davesland trained by Jack Harvey.[1][9]

News

Arthur Elvin, owner of Wembley built the Empire Pool to introduce ice hockey, ice shows, tennis and boxing. The Greyhound Racing Association's (GRA) Hook Estate and Kennels at Northaw became famous within the industry following the success of the greyhounds trained from the facility. The 140 acres of park and grassland had separate kennel ranges for each relevant race track in London. The trainers were issued with their own cottages and kennel staff had the use of leisure facilities whilst the kennel manager and veterinary surgeon lived in the main mansion on site. There was an animal medical facility and even a sun tanning room for the greyhounds.[8]

Ireland

Harold's Cross Stadium was at last granted permission to run the Irish Greyhound Derby with the proviso that they contributed a minimum of £100 towards the event. The Irish Coursing Club added a further £50. It was also agreed that Shelbourne Park and Harold's Cross would run the competition in alternate years. The 1934 Irish Greyhound Derby consisted of nine first round heats with two qualifiers from each forming three semi-finals. The eventual winner was Frisco Hobo trained by Tom Harty.[10][2]

Competitions

The first classic of the year was the Gold Collar and Davesland, a 7-1 shot, won the final from the 1932 English Greyhound Derby champion Wild Woolley, now under the care of Harry Woolner. Coming home third was Gradual Rise for Harris at Harringay, this greyhound had broken the track record in the first round recording 32.32.[11][12] Lemonition won the Grand National from the favourite Goodly News, the latter had recorded the fastest times in all three rounds leading up to the final. Former winners Long Hop and Scapegoat were both knocked out in earlier rounds, Long Hop would retire with a record of 49 wins from 85 races and a sixteen win sequence to his name.[11] [12]

The remainder of the year was all about Brilliant Bob, who on 14 July won the Cesarewitch, defeating hot favourite Lutwyche and three weeks later he won the Scurry Gold Cup defeating defending champion Creamery Border in the final. His consistency was evident and he won the Scurry by virtue of three straight wins in times of 23.48, 23.42 and 23.47. On the same night Wild Woolley broke the track record in a match race against Bella's Brother.[8] [13] Brilliant Bob then completed a treble by winning the Laurels. This treble was over distances from 400 to 600 yards demonstrating an ability over all trips. However the Laurels victory was not without incident because the first semi-final on 24 August was won in a track record time of 28.32 by Davesland from Brilliant Bob by seven lengths.[14] In the second semi-final Creamery Border was disqualified for fighting with the re-run held a day later than the first semi-final. The re-run went to Bella's Brother and when Creamery Border returned, after injury and an enforced rest, he broke the track record at Wimbledon over 500 yards in 28.29 seconds. This win was even more significant because he beat Brilliant Bob by eight lengths.[15]

Tracks opened
Date Stadium/Track Location
26 JanuaryWishaw Greyhound StadiumWishaw
18 MayKilmarnock Greyhound StadiumKilmarnock
25 MayDillington Park StadiumBarnsley
30 MayBayview ParkMethil
20 AugustShotts Gasworks Park Greyhound TrackShotts
28 SeptemberDearne Athletic and Sports StadiumBarnsley
15 DecemberKirkcaldy Greyhound StadiumKirkcaldy
25 DecemberEasington Greyhound StadiumEasington
26 DecemberKilcohan ParkWaterford
unknownHighgate StadiumGoldthorpe
unknownWombwell Greyhound StadiumWombwell

Principal UK races

Key

U = unplaced
+ = Track Record

References
  1. Dack, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years, pages 67-70. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
  2. Fortune, Michael. "The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby". Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN 0332-3536.
  3. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  4. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing, pages 129-130. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  5. "Betting and Lotteries Act, 1934" (PDF). Legislation.gov.uk.
  6. "Our Parliamentary Correspondent. "Betting And Lotteries." Times [London, England] 28 Mar. 1934". The Times Digital Archive.
  7. Tarter, P Howard (1949). Greyhound Racing Encyclopedia. Fleet Publishing Company Ltd. p. 63.
  8. Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
  9. "1934". Greyhound Data.
  10. Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
  11. Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
  12. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  13. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  14. "Remember When - August 2019". Greyhound Star.
  15. "Hall of Fame". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
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