The 1934 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the ninth year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and the eighth year of greyhound racing in Ireland.
Roll of honour Major Winners Award Name of Winner1934 English Greyhound Derby Davesland1934 Irish Greyhound Derby Frisco Hobo1934 Scottish Greyhound Derby Olives Best1934 Welsh Greyhound Derby Valiant Rufus
Summary The Betting and Lotteries Act 1934 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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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. 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. 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.
Tracks opened DateStadium/TrackLocationRef26 January Wishaw Greyhound Stadium Wishaw 18 May Kilmarnock Greyhound Stadium Kilmarnock 25 May Dillington Park Stadium Barnsley 30 May Bayview Park Methil 20 August Shotts Gasworks Park Greyhound Track Shotts 28 September Dearne Athletic and Sports Stadium Barnsley 15 December Kirkcaldy Greyhound Stadium Kirkcaldy 25 December Easington Greyhound Stadium Easington 26 December Kilcohan Park Waterford unknown Highgate Stadium Goldthorpe unknown Wombwell Greyhound Stadium Wombwell
Principal UK races
Gold Collar, Catford (May 19, 540y)PosName of GreyhoundTrainerSP TimeTrap 1stDavesland Jack Harvey 7-1 32.70 32ndWild Woolley Harry Woolner 4-6f 32.94 53rdGradual Rise Harris 8-1 32.97 4UFlash Kate Paddy McEllistrim 10-1 1UGallant Ranker Leslie Reynolds 33-1 2UJack's Joke Claude Champion 4-1 6
Welsh Derby, White City (Cardiff) (26 May, 525y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Valiant Rufus (7y)Leslie Carpenter1/1f30.0842nd Porthkerry Oliver Twist (9y) 5/230.3253rd Bucail Macanta (sr) 8/130.801u Con Brio (2y) u Millside Ranger (3y)
Grand National, White City (Jun 9, 525y h) PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1stLemonition Dan Costello 11-4 30.84 42ndJeff's Romeo Arthur Doc Callanan 100-8 31.20 23rdGoodly News Paddy McEllistrim 1-2f 31.32 14thDourope Leslie Reynolds 10-1 31.36 3
Cesarewitch, West Ham (Jul 14, 600y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1stBrilliant Bob Sidney Orton 9-2 33.80 42ndThe Longfellow II Sidney Orton 100-7 33.92 53rdLutwyche Stanley Biss 5-4f 34.16 3UThe Daw Sidney Probert 5-1 1UKumm on Steve Albert Jonas 3-1 2UAlexander Selkirk R O'Brien 20-1 6
Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Jul 21, 525y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Olives Best Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 7-4jf 29.90 ? Two Aces Carntyne ? Public Enemy
Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Aug 4, 400y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1stBrilliant Bob Sidney Orton 9-4f 23.47 52ndLynton II Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 11-2 23.67 33rdJeff's Fashion Paddy Fortune 6-1 23.83 4UBills Selected Harry Woolner 5-1 1UWesterham Charles Cross 100-8 2UCreamery Border Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 5-2 6
Laurels, Wimbledon (Sep 1, 500y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1stBrilliant Bob Sidney Orton 7-1 28.46 62ndJeff's FashionPaddy Fortune 20-1 28.66 53rdBella's Brother Stanley Biss 7-1 28.94 3UTrinidad Rupert Eavis 40-1 1UHay Bay Rupert Eavis 20-1 2UDavesland Jack Harvey 2-7f 4
St Leger, Wembley (Sep 29, 700y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1stBosham Leslie Reynolds 13-8 41.17 12ndThe Daw Sidney Probert 4-6f 41.45 33rdDumont Sid Jennings 10-1 41.69 44thTelephone Numbers Johnny Bullock 20-1 2
Oaks, White City (Oct 20, 525y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1stGallant Ruth Harry Buck 10-11f 30.22 22ndGlowing ReportBill Cowell 4-1 30.38 13rdChinese Cherry Dan Costello 4-1 30.42 4UKitshine Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 8-1 3UDumont Sid Jennings 8-1 5ULucy Green Jim Syder Sr. 100-8 6
Key U = unplaced + = Track Record
References