1936 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

1936 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
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The 1936 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 11th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[1]

Summary

Britain's leading Greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) continued to grow and recorded record profits. The operating profit for 1936 was £215,583 (a substantial figure at the time) and attendances at GRA tracks increased from 3,817,934 to 3,849,513 despite the fact that the company held 160 fewer meetings.[2] The GRA then opened Harringay Arena on 10 October, which would become famous for ice hockey and boxing.[2]

At least ten more tracks opened as racing retained its status as a national pastime. Fine Jubilee trained by Marjorie Yate was the star of the year, after winning the 1936 English Greyhound Derby and the Gold Collar.[3][4][5]

Roll of honour

Major Winners
Award Name of Winner
1936 English Greyhound Derby[6] Fine Jubilee
1936 Irish Greyhound Derby[7] Minstrel Rover
1936 Scottish Greyhound Derby[8] Diamond Glory
1936 Welsh Greyhound Derby[9] Bully Ring

Tracks

The Dolphin Stadium in Slough, was bought by New Clapton Stadium Co. Ltd and they renamed it the Slough Stadium. Rochester and Chatham Sports Stadium opened and was listed as the 55th National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) licensed track during 1936. The majority of tracks were independent and nicknamed flapping tracks (unlicensed).[10][11]

A planned stadium in Barnsley on the Queens Road, with an NGRC application pending which had held whippet racing since 1928 was refused a betting licence.[12]

Tracks opened

Date Stadium/Track Location ref
April Thurnscoe Greyhound Racing Track Thurnscoe
29 May Thornton Stadium Thornton
1 June Rochester Stadium Rochester
3 June Dunfermline Greyhound Stadium Dunfermline
13 June Cork Greyhound Stadium Cork
7 July Foresters Park Tranent
3 October Volunteer Park Armadale
3 October Portland Park Ashington
unknown Hinckley Greyhound Stadium Hinckley
unknown Mitcham Stadium London

Competitions

Shove Halfpenny won the West Ham Spring Cup, the Wood Lane Stakes at White City and the Daily Mirror Championship. The fawn dog then finished second in the St Leger final, which was won by his kennelmate Ataxy in a national record time of 40.39 for 700 yards.[13] Shove Halfpenny was out of luck again at West Ham Stadium during the Cesarewitch despite winning every round and breaking the track record to get to the final. The final however resulted in the same result when Ataxy won his second classic of the year, Shove Halfpenny failed to record a time after encountering significant trouble in the race.[13]

Towards the end of the year White City staged a one off invitation race simply called "The White City" which was worth £600. The race was won by Pall Mall Stakes champion Safe Rock who beat the Wembley Spring Cup and Wimbledon Spring Cup winner Shandy Gaff into second place. The Derby champion Fine Jubilee finished a disappointing fifth.[14]

Ireland

The first greyhound track in Cork known as The Show Grounds Greyhound Track closed on 20 September 1935, following the decision to relocate to a site nearer the city centre. The site chosen was between Western Road and the north bank of the River Lee near the Wellington Bridge and would be known as Cork Greyhound Stadium.[15] Minstrel Rover won the 1936 Irish Greyhound Derby.[16]

News

Multiple companies emerged, JR Smiths introduced a hurdle with a patent and it was endorsed by the NGRC, it allowed a cushioning effect when greyhounds hit them as they jumped over them. They also made what was called a crush barrier, fencing that surrounded the track and would also cushion a greyhound's impact should they run into it. Mortimers were selling all greyhound necessities and M.S Cable Hare Co Ltd from Belfast made the majority of the hare equipment supplies. Benbow's sold greyhound food and mixtures and medicines and Radiol sold greyhound body wash.[14][17]

Principal UK races

Key

U = unplaced
TR = Track Record

References

  1. ^ Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. Ringpress Books. ISBN 186054-010-4.
  2. ^ a b ""Company Meeting." Times, 2 Feb. 1937, p. 19. The Times Digital Archive". The Times. February 1936. p. 20.
  3. ^ Dack, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years. Ringpress Books. pp. 71–74. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
  4. ^ "OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. "Greyhound Racing." Times [London, England] 29 June 1936". The Times.
  5. ^ "1936". Greyhound Data.
  6. ^ Dack, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years. Ringpress Books. pp. 71–74. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
  7. ^ Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
  8. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  9. ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing, pages 129-130. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  10. ^ Tarter, P Howard (1949). Greyhound Racing Encyclopedia. Fleet Publishing Company Ltd.
  11. ^ Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
  12. ^ "Council's Decision on Barnsley's Greyhound Track Controversy, Saturday 22 February". Barnsley Chronicle and South Yorkshire News. 1936.
  13. ^ a b "Hall of Fame". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  14. ^ a b Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  15. ^ Fortune, Michael. "The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby". Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN 0332-3536.
  16. ^ Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
  17. ^ Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.