The 1991 Daily Mirror/Sporting Life Greyhound Derby took place during May & June with the final being held on 22 June 1991 at Wimbledon Stadium. The winner Ballinderry Ash received £40,000. The competition was sponsored by the Sporting Life and Daily Mirror.
Final result At Wimbledon (over 480 metres): PositionName of GreyhoundBreedingTrapSPTimeTrainer1stBallinderry AshKyle Jack - Ballinderry Sand 55-128.78Patsy Byrne (Wimbledon) 2ndItsallovernow Glen Park Dancer - Just a Spark 65-128.90 Ger McKenna (Ireland) 3rdDempsey Duke Shanagarry Duke - Willowbrook Peg 16-128.94Terry Kibble (Bristol)4thFearless MustangNippy Law - Fearless Star 31-1f29.18Geoff De Mulder (Perry Barr) 5thSummerhill SuperDaleys Gold - Tiny Tolcas 46-129.19John Copplestone (Portsmouth) 6thDunmurry Brandy Randy - Yellow Swan 214-129.27Fred Sibley (Private)
Distances 1½, ½, 3, short head, 1 (lengths) The distances between the greyhounds are in finishing order and shown in lengths. One length is equal to 0.08 of one second.
Competition Report Scottish Greyhound Derby champion Phantom Flash led the ante-post betting (from 193 entries) going into the 1991 Derby . Other leading contenders included Fires of War and Fearless Mustang and the Irish runners included Laurels winner Concentration, Ballyoughter Lad and Itsallovernow (all Ger McKenna) in addition to the Irish Greyhound Derby champion The Other Toss (Matt O'Donnell). Concentration is subject to a gamble and is backed to 12-1 favourite before the competition starts.
In the qualifying round Ballyoughter Lad went fastest winning in 28.61, Phantom Flash and Concentration both won at odds of 1-6 and 1-10. In the first round Geoff DeMulder's Fearless Mustang recorded 28.39 and Phantom Flash won by 7½ lengths returning at 1-12f. With the field down to 48 for the second round there two shocks when Ballyoughter Lad went out despite being priced at 1-3f and Concentration was eliminated when he turned in the traps. Phantom Flash continued his good ways defeating The Other Toss.
The consistent Dempsey Duke claimed the first quarter-final and remained unbeaten with four straight but this was overshadowed when Phantom Flash found trouble in the same heat and failed to qualify finishing fifth. Summerhill Super won the second quarter at 8-1 with The Other Toss just qualifying in third and Fires of War being eliminated. Fearless Mustang remained unbeaten after winning heat three from Itsallovernow and Ballinderry Ash took the last heat from Slippys Quest.
With Phantom Flash out Fearless Mustang and The Other Toss were the new favourites for the title. Fearless Mustang duly completed a 28.88 victory in the first semi-final with Summerhill Super and Itsallovernow taking the minor places, the unlucky Manorland was a non-runner. The second semi provided a shock when Dunmurry Brandy beat Ballinderry Ash at odds of 20-1 with Dempsey Duke gaining the vital final place. Slippys Quest finished fourth and The Other Toss fifth.
In the final Ballinderry Ash was to provide host track Wimbledon with its second winner since the race moved there in 1985. Fearless Mustang had progressed to the final unbeaten, having posted a fastest-of-the-competition 28.39sec in the second round and was sent off hot favourite. In a competitive race the Helen Roche owned Ballinderry Ash came home first from Itsallovernow in second place.
Quarter finals
Heat 1 (Jun 11)PosName SP Time 1stDempsey Duke12-128.892ndManorland4-128.903rdVics Snowdrop 7-128.924thDereen Prince 10-128.965thPhantom Flash 4-6f29.106thBeautiful Socks 25-129.20
Heat 2 (Jun 11)PosName SP Time 1stSummerhill Super 8-128.572ndSatharn Lady 11-428.753rdThe Other Toss 6-4f28.774thFires of War 5-128.955thSupporting Cast 8-129.136thSail Over 12-129.19
Heat 3 (Jun 11)PosName SP Time 1stFearless Mustang1-1f 28.682ndItsallovernow 4-129.023rdMarcus McGee 11-229.544thCrown Lodge8-1 29.765thOpen Speed6-1 29.906thTeejays Son 33-129.96
Heat 4 (Jun 11)PosName SP Time 1stBallinderry Ash 6-4f28.882ndSlippys Quest5-2 28.913rdDunmurry Brandy 12-128.954thWuncross Double11-4 29.255thBallymadoe Ben 33-129.416thCover Drive12-1 29.51
Semi finals
First Semi Final (Jun 15)PosName of Greyhound SP Time Trainer1st Fearless Mustang 4-6f28.88De Mulder2ndSummerhill Super4-129.10Copplestone3rdItsallovernow 6-129.24McKenna4thVics Snowdrop12-129.44Rees5thSatharn Lady6-129.50ColemanN/RManorland Irving
Second Semi Final (Jun 15)PosName of Greyhound SP Time Trainer1stDunmurry Brandy 20-129.00 Sibley2ndBallinderry Ash5-129.03Byrne3rdDempsey Duke6-129.06Kibble4thSlippys Quest5-229.22O'Donnell5thThe Other Toss6-4f29.23O'Donnell6thMarcus McGee 7-129.33McGee Sr.
See also 1991 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
References