The 1936 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 11th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and the 10th year of greyhound racing in Ireland.

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. The GRA then opened Harringay Arena on 10 October, which would become famous for ice hockey and boxing.

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.

Roll of honour Major Winners Award Name of Winner1936 English Greyhound Derby Fine Jubilee1936 Irish Greyhound Derby Minstrel Rover1936 Scottish Greyhound Derby Diamond Glory1936 Welsh Greyhound Derby 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).

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.

Tracks opened DateStadium/TrackLocationref 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. 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.

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.

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. Minstrel Rover won the 1936 Irish Greyhound Derby.

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.

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (May 23, 525y h) PosName of GreyhoundTrainerSP TimeTrap 1st Kilganny Bridge Patrick Higgins 3-1 30.70 12nd Red Car Joe Harmon 5-1 30.78 23rd Captain Woodcock Joe Harmon 13-8f 30.86 34th Hawtrey Robert Linney 9-4 31.02 4

Gold Collar, Catford (May 30, 400y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Fine Jubilee Marjorie Yate 4-5f 26.00 42nd Bearsted R Bunday 100-7 26.02 13rd Safe Rock Leslie Reynolds 6-1 26.18 34th Olives Best Patrick McKinney 33-1 26.20 65th Border Mutton Paddy McEllistrim 7-1 26.26 26th Kemp Henry Parsons 7-2 26.28 5

Welsh Derby, White City (Cardiff) (Jul 4, 525y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Bully Ring Robert Linney 4-1 30.28 22nd More Kute Hugh Kennedy 3-1 30.36 13rd Bachelors Star II Jackson4-1 30.40 44th Diploma D Forward 5-2f 30.43 55th Juryman of Waterhall Stanley Biss 7-1 30.59 36th Ragalite Chester 7-1 30.75 6

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Jul 25, 525y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Diamond Glory Ronnie Melville 1-1f 29.99 32nd Tactful Joint (Warrington) 20-1 30.31 43rd Olives Best Patrick McKinney 3-1 30.33 64th Deemieope J Sharples 3-1 30.41 15th Reving RupertJohn W Armstrong 20-1 30.49 2N/R Trade Plate Patrick McKinney

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 25, 400y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Mitzvah Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 5-2jf 23.29 12nd Curleys Fancy II Jerry Hannafin 4-1 23.61 33rd Brave Queen Stanley Biss 4-1 23.85 64th Bearsted R Bunday 5-2j 24.17 25th Book Reporter Joe Harmon 100-8 24.57 46th Glistening Frost Jim Syder Sr. 10-1 24.73 5

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 21, 500y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Top of the Carlow Road Sidney Orton 5-2 28.39 12nd Fine Jubilee Marjorie Yate 10-11f 28.61 43rd Melksham Keystone Joe Harmon 4-1 28.63 34th Mitzvah Arthur 'Doc' Callanan 10-1 28.71 55th Fleeting Joule Marjorie Yate 33-1 28.792N/R Garrick Jack Harvey

St Leger, Wembley (Sep 14, 700y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Ataxy Leslie Reynolds 6-4 40.39 42nd Shove Ha'penny Jack Harvey 4-5f 40.63 33rd Mick the Courtier Jim Syder Sr. 66-1 40.95 64th Top of the Carlow Road Sidney Orton 8-1 41.31 25th Mick the Moocher Sidney Orton 20-1 41.55 16th Strappado Tom Lightfoot 66-1 41.79 5

Oaks, White City (Sep 19, 525y, £300)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Genial Radiance Austin Hiscock 4-6f 29.86 12nd Joy of Waterhall Leslie Reynolds 7-2 30.34 63rd Mick the Conundrum Sidney Orton 8-1 30.82 34th Hussys First Robert Forster 10-1 30.98 25th Another Trier Wilf France 100-6 31.30 46th Flawless Jewel Arch Whitcher 100-6 31.38 5

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Nov 9, 600y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Ataxy Leslie Reynolds 2-1 31.24 22nd Safe Rock Fred Wilson 8-1 31.48 63rd Shandy Gaff Sidney Orton 4-1 31.50 14th Book Reporter Joe Harmon 100-6 31.54 35th Juryman of Waterhall Stanley Biss 50-1 31.94 46th Shove Ha'penny Jack Harvey 11-8f 00.00 5

The White City White City (Nov 21, 550y, £600)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Safe Rock Fred Wilson 15-2 31.212nd Shandy Gaff Sidney Orton 8-1 31.613rd Shove Ha'penny Jack Harvey 9-4jf 31.65 4th Ataxy Leslie Reynolds 3-1 31.73 5th Fine Jubilee Marjorie Yate 9-4jf 32.93 6th Roving Spring Joe Harmon 100-7 00.00

Key U = unplaced TR = Track Record

References