1996 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

The 1996 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 70th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[1]

1996 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award	Name of Winner
1996 English Greyhound Derby	Shanless Slippy [2][3]
1996 Irish Greyhound Derby	Tina Marina [4]
1996 Scottish Greyhound Derby	Burnpark Lord [5]
Greyhound Trainer of the Year	Linda Mullins
Greyhound of the Year	Spring Rose
Irish Dog and Bitch of the Year	Mountleader Peer / Tina Marina
Trainers Championship	Ernie Gaskin Sr.

Summary

The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) released the annual returns, with totalisator turnover at £73,575,880 from 6384 meetings.[6] The drop in tote turnover could be partly attributed to the first full year of the National Lottery which had begun the previous November.[7]

Spring Rose trained by Charlie Lister was voted Greyhound of the Year after winning the Grand Prix at Walthamstow Stadium and the St Leger at Wembley. She broke the Walthamstow track record twice on her way to winning the Grand Prix and made the St Leger final unbeaten before clocking 39.29 in the final, a new track record.[8][9]

Linda Mullins became the first woman to win the Greyhound Trainer of the Year.[8][9]

Tracks

There was no news on the London Stadium (Hackney) which was in administration, the situation looked unsettled despite good reviews about the stadium.[10] It also hosted the Trainers Championship won by Ernie Gaskin Sr..[1]

Ramsgate Stadium was closed by the receivers but sister track Oxford Stadium was bought by Isle of Man businessman Don Joyce who brought in a new General Manager Dan McCormack.[8]

Sittingbourne closed following financial problems but was re-opened by Roger Cearns, the grandson of WJ Cearns the founder of Wimbledon Stadium.[8]

The National Lottery was cited as one of the main reasons why Raikes Park Greyhound Stadium in Bolton closed. The site on by the Raikes colliery on the Manchester Road had been one of the most prestigious Independent tracks and hosted the Independent Derby, St Leger and Guineas. It was a major loss within the independent circles and the independents had a bad year because Bury St Edmunds also closed.[8]

News

Former Slough and Wembley trainer Ted Dickson died leaving daughter Hazel to run the kennels on her own. When Ramsgate closed trainer Peter Rich moved to Catford and then Romford in quick succession. Hove trainer Bill Masters retired leaving Alan (Claude) Gardiner to take over the kennel. Gardiner was previously assistant to Brian Clemenson. Romford installed former Bolton Racing Manager Peter O'Dowd as the new Racing Manager to replace Steve Daniel who had only recently replaced Ray Spalding.[9]

The Bord na gCon sold the site of the Cork Greyhound Stadium in Cork and purchased a green-field site in Curraheen on the western fringes of the city with the intention of building a brand new facility there.[8]

The Intertrack betting service was introduced for the first time enabling racegoers at other tracks around the country to view the racing and place bets direct into the Wimbledon tote.[9]

Competitions

A greyhound called Some Picture looked a great prospect after winning the Select Stakes and Eclipse.[11]

Principal UK races

Daily Mirror/Sporting Life Grand National, Hall Green (Mar 27, 474m h, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Dynamic Display Barry O'Sullivan 7-2 29.23 2 2nd Diamond Hero Les Lawrence 7-2 29.25 1 3rd Fear Faire 7-2 29.27 5 4th Colorado Joker Maria Nierobisz 5-1 29.39 3 5th Doctor Fox David Mullins 3-1f 29.53 4 6th Ebony Lad Kim Marlow 9-1 29.61 6

BBC TV Trophy, Walthamstow (Apr 6, 820m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Suncrest Sail Charlie Lister 7-2 51.75 2 2nd Martinstown Gem Patsy Byrne 3-1 51.87 4 3rd High Knight Ernie Gaskin Sr. 9-4f 52.11 1 4th Miss Piggy Ann Power 5-2 52.23 6 5th Autumn Tiger S Brunt 16-1 52.31 3 6th Dusty Image C Finch 50-1 52.71 5

Regal Scottish Derby, Shawfield (Apr 27, 480m, £20,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Burnpark Lord Dave Hopper 5-2 29.32 1 2nd Carnegie Robinson Ire 14-1 29.40 5 3rd Quick Tune Gordon Hodson 3-1 29.44 6 4th Heres Andy Paul Stringer 6-4f 29.54 2 5th Cill Dubh Sam Hazel Dickson 20-1 29.74 4 6th Murlens Link Willie Frew 3-1 29.94 3

Reading Masters, Reading (May 13, 465m, £20,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Doyougetit Tony Meek 2-5f 27.99 6 2nd Come On Royal Barry McIntosh 6-1 28.11 3 3rd Mottos Gold Arthur Hitch 8-1 28.23 2 4th El Grand Senor Linda Mullins 11-2 28.29 1 5th Mi Cooper Kennerley 7-1 4 N/R Gold Dempsey Terry Kibble

Scurry Gold Cup, Catford (Jul 13, 385m, £2,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Come On Royal Barry McIntosh 4-1 23.58 2 2nd Woodside Erah Arthur Boyce 7-2 23.64 4 3rd Aglish Lester Brian Clemenson 14-1 23.72 3 4th Chipeta Jack Tony Taylor 10-1 23.74 5 5th Lemon Duchess Ernie Gaskin Sr. 9-2 23.82 1 6th Tiger Khan Derek Knight 7-4f 23.90 6

Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 21, 555m, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Homeside Knight Tom Gates 7-1 34.80 3 2nd Away Duke Derek Knight 9-4 34.81 1 3rd El Tenor Linda Mullins 8-11f 34.82 4 4th Square Penny Derek Knight 10-1 34.84 6 5th Heros Morsel Linda Mullins 33-1 34.96 5 N/R Coom Cruiser Derek Knight

Laurent-Perrier Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Oct 5, 640m, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Spring Rose Charlie Lister 4-7f 39.05+ 6 2nd Sadlers Return Ernie Gaskin Sr. 9-2 39.61 2 3rd Level Coaster Bob Hall 9-2 39.71 5 4th Deenside Sport Dick Hawkes 25-1 39.87 1 5th Honest Guv Chris Duggan 50-1 40.11 3 6th Hilton Patch Natalie Savva 14-1 40.31 4 +Track Record

Ike Morris Laurels, Wimbledon (Oct 12, 460m, £7,500) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st El Grand Senor Linda Mullins 9-4f 27.52 1 2nd Pavilion Rock Sam Sykes 11-4 27.94 2 3rd Sandwichsunshine Peter Rich 4-1 27.98 5 4th Im Trigo Tom Foster 10-1 27.99 4 5th Killila Johno Sam Sykes 20-1 28.09 6 6th Night Trooper Nikki Adams 7-2 28.29 3

Wendy Fair St Leger, Wembley (Nov 15, 655m, £12,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Spring Rose Charlie Lister 2-5f 39.29+ 6 2nd Wise Beauty Patsy Byrne 7-1 39.91 2 3rd Dinan Wonder Charlie Lister 10-1 39.93 1 4th Bonnies Major Steve Davis 10-1 40.09 5 5th Level Coaster Bob Hall 12-1 40.11 4 6th One For Tarbert Graham Holland 33-1 40.63 3 +Track Record

Cesarewitch, Catford (Dec 7, 718m, £5,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Elbony Rose Nick Savva 11-10f 45.90 2 2nd Love of You Tom Foster 7-2 45.93 1 3rd Misties Cloud Hazel Dickson 9-2 45.95 6 4th Orizontals Star Tony Taylor 10-1 46.15 5 5th Bubbly Boy Linda Jones 6-1 46.17 4 6th Countrywide Lass Peter Rich 25-1 46.67 3

Oaks, Wimbledon (Dec 14, 480m, £6,000) Pos Name of Greyhound Trainer SP Time Trap 1st Annies Bullet Nick Savva 7-4jf 28.76 4 2nd Be Bopa Lola Phil Rees Jr. 7-4jf 29.00 3 3rd Clodeen Magic Brian Clemenson 11-4 29.06 2 4th Freds Flame Graham Sharp 25-1 29.12 5 5th Pams Wizard Jim Reynolds 6-1 29.44 6 N/R Roses Opinion Mick Puzey

References

1. Hobbs, Jonathan (2008). Greyhound Annual 2008. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-534.
2. "1996". Greyhound Data.
3. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 91. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
4. Fortune, Michael. The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-2006. Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN 0332-3536.
5. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
6. NGRC calendar. National Greyhound Racing Club. January 1997.
7. "UK's National Lottery is 20 years old". BBC News.
8. Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. ISBN 1-904317-07-3.
9. Hobbs, Jonathan (2004). Greyhound Annual 2005. Raceform. ISBN 1-904317-58-8.
10. "Freud, Clement. "Going to the dogs turns put to be a relative success." Times, 30 Aug. 1996, p. 43". Times Digital Archives.
11. "Greyhound Star (Remember When - April)". Greyhound Star.