The 1948 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 23rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and the 22nd year of greyhound racing in Ireland.

Roll of honour Major Winners Award Name of Winner1948 English Greyhound Derby Priceless Border 1948 Irish Greyhound Derby Western Post 1948 Scottish Greyhound Derby Western Post 1948 Welsh Greyhound Derby Trev's Perfection

Summary The annual totalisator turnover was £99,449,342, which although the fourth highest ever recorded was also the second consecutive drop since 1946. The minimum betting stake on the track totalisator was increased from two to four shillings but quickly changed back following a widespread slump. The government ban on mid-week racing continued.

Western Post and Priceless Border claimed the big Derby races but Local Interprize was the star of the year, after he claimed four classic competitions. They were the Gold Collar, Scurry Gold Cup, Welsh Greyhound Derby and the Cesarewitch.

Competitions A greyhound called Narrogar Ann from a litter of six, out of the bitch Winnie of Berrow (winner of the 1944 Eclipse) came to prominence when successful in the Western Two year Old Produce Stakes. Narrogar Ann trained by Joe Farrand at Oxford Stadium beat littermates Narrogar Dusty and Narrogar Tommy who finished second and third respectively. Narrogar Ann would soon move to Leslie Reynolds at Wembley.

Local Interprize won the Laurels and Welsh Derby, in the latter he recorded a seven length final win in a new track record time defeating a field that included the Scottish Greyhound Derby champion Western Post, an 84lb fawn and white dog. Local Interprize then won the Scurry final by eight lengths before losing out to Good Worker trained by former Surrey cricketer Jack Daley, in the Laurels. Local Interprize finished the year by claiming a remarkable fourth classic when picking up the Cesarewitch trophy on 23 October.

Tracks Rayleigh Weir Stadium in Southend-on-Sea was one of seven known track to open, three of them were in Ireland. Breck Park Stadium in Liverpool, closed following a devastating fire and fire also destroyed most of the stands at Long Eaton Stadium. The total number of tracks in the United Kingdom with a betting licence was 209, of which 77 were affiliated to the National Greyhound Racing Society and raced under National Greyhound Racing Club rules.

Tracks opened +DateStadium/TrackLocation ?? March Rayleigh Weir Stadium Rayleigh, Essex 30 April St Conleth's Park Newbridge, County Kildare 17 May Wisbech Greyhound Stadium Wisbech 30 July Youghal Greyhound Stadium Youghal 13 September Thurles Greyhound Stadium Thurles 11 December Mansfield Woodhouse Greyhound Stadium Mansfield Woodhouse ?? Jesmond Dene Stadium Tredegar

News On 1 April, Fred Trevillion, Arthur Hancock (head kennel-man) and Trev's Perfection left on the Queen Mary for Raynham Park, Raynham, Massachusetts in the United States, where the dog was expected to make headlines. The venture was a failure and in five races he did not win one and returned to England in July. Sir William Gentle died.

Ireland The Irish Greyhound Derby offered a record £1,000 first prize and attracted the Frank Davis trained Western Post; Davis put him with Paddy Moclair for the duration of the event. Moclair had originally bought the dog at the Limerick sales for £240 before selling him to Davis for £2,000. The fawn and white dog became the first winner of the Scottish and Irish Derby.

The Greyhound Racing Association set up the Kingsfurze breeding establishment at Naas in County Kildare, the seven acre grounds included a house, cottage and 15 runs. The greyhounds would transfer to training establishments within the GRA as soon as they were older enough.

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (May 17 525y h, £350) PosName of GreyhoundTrainerSP TimeTrap 1st Joves Reason Ken Appleton 2-1 30.37 42nd Another Benny Gordon Nicholson 13-8f 30.45 53rd Wild Wave Dave Barker 5-2 30.61 24th Sunburst 6-1 30.67 3N/R Baytown Pigeon Paddy McEllistrim

Gold Collar, Catford (Jun 5, 440y, £600)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Local Interprize Stanley Biss 8-13f 25.71 62nd Kerry Rally Paddy McEllistrim 20-1 25.77 33rd Ala Mein II Wembley10-1 25.83 24th Tell Nobody 100-1 25.91 55th Clonroche Lad Ivy Regan 8-1 25.93 46th Northam Edward Leslie Reynolds 4-1 26.09 1

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Jul 17, 525y, £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Western Post Frank Davis 8-1 29.45 42nd Always There 7-1 29.57 53rd West End DasherBob Burls 12-1 29.61 24th Baytown Whitehorn 8-1 29.63 15th Sheevaun Paddy Fortune 4-6f 29.79 66th Fiddle Strings Jack Brennan 6-1 29.95 3

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 24, 400y £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Local Interprize Stanley Biss 5-4f 23.04 12nd Clonroche Lad Ivy Regan 3-1 23.68 63rd Willington Bob John Bassett 10-1 23.70 24th Rebel Robert R Hogben 5-1 23.72 55th Rio Cavallero Stan Biss25-1 23.76 46th Ironmaster Bob Burls 7-1 23.92 3

Welsh Derby, Arms Park (Jul 28, 525y £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Local Interprize Stanley Biss 4-6f 29.32+ 12nd West End Dasher Bob Burls 9-2 29.88 33rd Western Post Frank Davis 5-1 30.04 54th Non Sectarian Girl 25-1 30.28 45th Singora 100-8 30.48 26th Circular Flex 100-6 30.50 6 +Track Record

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 25, 500y, £600)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Good Worker Jack Daley 5-2 28.49 52nd Whiterock Abbey Sidney Orton 4-1 28.51 63rd Drumnagrella Lad Frank Davis 6-1 28.71 44th Northam Edward Leslie Reynolds 10-1 28.83 25th Local Interprize Stan Biss 2-1f 28.87 36th Mad Birthday Stan Biss 6-1 29.27 1

Oaks, White City (Sep 18, 525y, £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Night Breeze Stan Biss 4-1 29.19 32nd Steps of GracJerry Hannafin 5-1 29.27 43rd Baytown StreamStan Biss 10-1 29.30 54th Jersey Creamery Percy Stagg 1-1f 29.46 65th Favourite Topsy 5-1 29.54 16th Singora 50-1 29.78 2

The Grand Prix Walthamstow (Oct 9, 525y, £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Ruby Cut J P Bott11-4 30.31 32nd Northam Edward Leslie Reynolds 4-1 30.47 13rd Doughery Boy Jonathan Hopkins 5-1 30.67 54th Baytown Fox Stan Biss 7-2 30.75 65th Orphan Star Fred Farey 10-1 31.15 46th Freckled Major Leslie Reynolds 7-2 31.31 2

St Leger, Wembley (Oct 2, 700y, £600)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Streets After Midnight Les Parry 5-2 40.40 32nd Captain Lake Jack Harvey 9-2 40.43 23rd Northam Star Leslie Reynolds 7-1 40.57 54th Mayfair Mike Leslie Reynolds 2-1f 40.85 45th Ramblers Destiny 8-1 40.95 16th Crafty Major 25-1 41.25 6

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 23, 600y, £600)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Local Interprize Stanley Biss 11-4jf 30.88 42nd Freckled Major Leslie Reynolds 5-1 31.02 63rd Captain Lake Jack Harvey 11-4jf 31.42 14th Whiterock Abbey Sidney Orton 3-1 31.46 35th Raths Record Gunner Smith 10-1 31.70 26th Confey Castle 25-1 32.02 5

Totalisator Returns

The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1948 are listed below. Tracks that did not have a totalisator in operation are not listed.

StadiumTurnover £London (White City) 7,872,357London (Harringay) 5,658,313London (Wembley) 4,160,092London (Walthamstow) 3,242,896London (Catford) 2,897,074London (Wimbledon) 2,868,844London (Stamford Bridge) 2,688,310London (Clapton) 2,658,628London (Wandsworth) 2,516,682Manchester (Belle Vue) 2,321,345London (New Cross) 2,040,786London (Park Royal) 1,944,490London (Hendon) 1,809,806London (West Ham) 1,729,260Southend-on-Sea 1,694,181Brighton & Hove 1,681,503London (Hackney) 1,568,791Birmingham (Perry Barr, old) 1,388,477Southampton 1,300,648Edinburgh (Powderhall) 1,283,282London (Charlton) 1,282,880Glasgow (Shawfield) 1,260,513Crayford & Bexleyheath 1,135,768Birmingham (Hall Green) 1,131,130Sheffield (Owlerton) 1,115,939Coventry (Lythalls Lane) 1,070,031Blackpool (St Anne's) 1,069,065Sheffield (Darnall) 1,008,317Bristol (Eastville) 994,548Manchester (Salford) 992,895Romford 991,055Bradford (Greenfield) 966,390Newcastle (Brough Park) 955,771Glasgow (White City) 935,215Glasgow (Albion) 930,871Liverpool (White City)916,473Leicester (Blackbird Rd) 908,270Chester 873,419Cardiff (Arms Park) 777,369Wolverhampton (Monmore)766,597Portsmouth 759,044Liverpool (Stanley) 754,551Glasgow (Carntyne) 718,661Birmingham (Kings Heath) 711,495Ramsgate (Dumpton Park) 700,403South Shields 681,456Leeds (Elland Road) 676,525Reading (Oxford Road) 662,421

StadiumTurnover £Rochester & Chatham 650,646Slough 627,513Gloucester & Cheltenham 618,328London (Dagenham) 602,262Gateshead 601,154Newcastle (Gosforth)600,222Ashington (Co Durham) 493,816Middlesbrough 484,634Oxford485,036Glasgow (Firhill) 481,322Bradford (City) 464,707Newcastle (White City) 456,870Stoke-on-Trent (Hanley) 450,629Plymouth 446,505Manchester (White City) 444,041Yarmouth 428,635Nottingham (White City) 420,698Sunderland 416,914Bolton 407,906Liverpool (Seaforth) 385,078Hull (Old Craven Park) 381,145Stoke-on-Trent (Cobridge) 380,433West Hartlepool 359,757Derby354,953Exeter (County Ground)354,494Warrington 353,994Long Eaton348,566Sheffield (Hyde Park)340,467Stanley (Co Durham) 328,754Bristol (Knowle) 325,083Blackburn 324,505Preston 313,188Aberdeen 311,843Ipswich 276,202Exeter (Marsh Barton) 270,931Norwich (Boundary Park) 268,729Houghton-le-Spring 265,147Norwich (City) 249,350Willenhall 197,117Rochdale 196,953London (Southall) 196,683Luton 191,461Newport 187,758 Tamworth 181,013Doncaster (Spotbrough) 147,357Taunton (Prior Park) 165,916St Helens 158,777Wigan (Poolstock) 158,582

StadiumTurnover £Easington (Co Durham) 155,471Ayr (Tams Brig) 153,830Keighley151,072London (Stratford) 131,979London (Harlington Corner) 127,624Hull (Boulevard)125,285Oldham 114,811Ramsgate (Newington) 111,109Leeds (Parkside) 109,072Staines 108,756Kingskerswell (Devon) 103,488Coundon (Co Durham) 96,531Northampton 89,335Kilmarnock 76,165Rotherham 71,983Peterborough 69,885Liverpool (Breck Park) 69,638+Wallyford (East Lothian) 68,784Wishaw (North Lanarks) 65,655Aldershot 62,681Falkirk (Brockville Park) 59,939Pelaw Grange 57,015Workington 56,581Stockport (Hazel Grove) 55,940Wakefield 49,711Glasgow (Mount Vernon) 48,004Wigan (Woodhouse) 47,400Durham City 46,843Edinburgh (Stenhouse) 36,001Glasgow (Coatbridge) 35,786Barry 31,853Belmont (Co Durham) 25,919Wombwell (South Yorks)25,279Worksop 24,785Armadale 22,205Leicester (Coalville) 20,354Thornton (Fife) 19,996Rayleigh (Essex) 17,602Irvine (Townhead)14,873Irvine (Caledonian) 12,756Aberdare 10,563Stockton-on-Tees (Belle Vue) 9,906Wheatley Hill 7,065Shirebrook 2,558 Thornley (Co Durham) 2,522Leicester (Hinckley)2,075 Doncaster (Stainforth) 1,320Thurnscoe (S Yorks)748

+ closed during the year due to fire

Summary +CountryNo of tracks+Turnover England 162 £ 92,163,823 Wales 9 £ 842,469 Scotland 38 £ 6,542,875 Total 209 £ 99,549,168 + number of tracks include those without a tote in operation

References