The 1958 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 33rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and the 32nd year of greyhound racing in Ireland.

Roll of honour Major Winners Award Name of Winner1958 English Greyhound Derby Pigalle Wonder 1958 Irish Greyhound Derby Colonel Perry 1958 Scottish Greyhound Derby Just Fame 1958 Welsh Greyhound Derby Our Defence Greyhound of the Year Pigalle Wonder

Summary The National Greyhound Racing Society (the management branch of the National Greyhound Racing Club agreed a deal with the BBC to provide an annual greyhound event which would be shown live on Sportsview. The race would be known as the Sportsview BBC Television Trophy with the venues to be changed each year. The first competition was at Wimbledon over 500 yards but it was soon discovered that the distance was too short for the viewers to remain interested, which resulted in a switch to longer distances the following year. The inaugural event was claimed by trainer Leslie Reynolds with a 20/1 shot called Town Prince.

Pigalle Wonder was voted Greyhound of the Year, after a year that included winning the 1958 English Greyhound Derby at White City, Cesarewitch at West Ham Stadium and Pall Mall Stakes at Harringay Stadium.

Competitions Pigalle Wonder's victory in the Pall Mall included a time of 29.03 seconds for 525 yards, which was not beaten for years. Another time he set at Wembley (28.78sec) stood for almost twenty years until the distance was changed to metres. In the TV Trophy he gained all of the attention despite finishing fourth to Town Prince when expected to win, at odds of 1-4f. He had previously won his heat at Powderhall Stadium in a new track record time of 27.97.

There was a major gamble on Our Defence in the Welsh Greyhound Derby final, that had been moved to October due to the Commonwealth Games using the venue in the summer. Because of very wet weather the newly laid track surface became a quagmire with straw being laid on top. Despite this the gamble was landed by the owner trainer, Dr Dennis O'Brien.

Tracks The Franklin family took sole control of Yarmouth Stadium following the death of Clifford Yaxley and the Arms Park in Cardiff was taken over for the Commonwealth Games and afterwards the circuit was re-laid before the Welsh Derby took place.

News Harringay Arena was converted into a food storage facility following the sale of the venue the previous year by the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA). The greyhound companies continued to complain at the 10% tax imposed on betting. Wimbledon trainer Paddy Fortune died and his kennels were taken over by George Waterman. Another change came when Sidney Orton retired and his son Clare Orton (a trainer at Clapton) took up his position at Wimbledon. Clare had been a trainer in his own right for nearly ten years.

The GRA senior vet James Bateman was awarded the Victory Medal by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He had been successful in fitting a plastic scaphoid bone in a greyhound.

Con Stevens applied to the NGRC for a rule change concerning disqualifications. He believes that ungenuine greyhounds in addition to fighters should be disqualified by Racing Managers.

Ireland The Irish Greyhound Board (Bord na gCon) in Limerick was given the responsibility of all tracks in Ireland by the Dáil Éireann, with the exception of the Ulster tracks that would remain under the jurisdiction of the Irish Coursing Club. The Bord na gCon was established under the Greyhound Industry Act of 1958 with a number of aims. The body was formed to regulate the industry, operate a tote betting system, licence and authorise each stadium, its officials, and its on-course bookmakers, and promote the sport through advertising and prize grants. The new Board includes Dr P.J. Maguire and Captain John Ross.

Harold's Cross re-introduced sales trials and called in British auctioneers Aldridges. Mrs Olive Tasker took the 1958 Irish Greyhound Derby winner Colonel Perry back to England and the greyhound went on to win the Midland Flat with John Bassett.

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (May 3 525y h, £300) PosName of GreyhoundTrainerSP TimeTrap 1st Fodda Champion Jimmy Jowett 7-4f 30.20 42nd Midnight Cossack Joe Pickering 8-1 30.30 53rd Vintners Cup Jim Syder Jr. 20-1 30.40 24th Tanyard Tulip Jack Harvey 11-4 30.58 15th Highway Tim Mrs Rosalie Beba 6-1 30.62 66th Prince Poppit Dennis Hannafin 3-1 30.88 3

Gold Collar, Catford (May 24, 440y, £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Five Up Ron Chamberlain 6-4f 25.43 42nd Wickham Hotel Bill Dash 6-1 25.79 63rd Simmer Down PalJoe Booth 10-3 25.97 14th Dangerous Customer Dennis Hannafin 3-1 26.11 25th Gorm Riac Ron Chamberlain 100-8 26.25 56th Recorded Course Les Parry 100-6 26.41 3

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Jul 12, 525y, £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Just Fame Tom Johnston Sr. 4-1 29.36 22nd More Talent Bob Burls 10-1 29.39 33rd Ballypatrick Cyril Beaumont 2-1 29.43 64th Silvery Airways Joe Pickering 5-4f 29.55 55th Northern Leader Dave Geggus 16-1 29.79 16th Yes James J.Ward 20-1 00.00 4

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 26, 400y £600)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Beware Champ George Waterman 8-13f 22.71 12nd Grove Champion Tom Reilly 33-1 23.09 43rd Recorded CourseLes Parry 5-1 23.25 64th Lisronagh Duet Tom Reilly 10-1 23.43 35th Crazy Avenue Gray 20-1 23.77 26th Five Up Ron Chamberlain 4-1 24.055

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 22, 500y, £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Granthamaian Jack Harvey 10-1 28.57 52nd Lowerton Prince Jack Harvey 5-1 28.61 63rd Dangerous Customer Dennis Hannafin 20-1 28.7524th Outside Left Bob Burls 5-2 28.76 15th Dancing Sheik Ted Brennan 6-4f 28.88 46th Lisronagh Duet Tom Reilly 5-1 29.32 3

St Leger, Wembley (Sep 8, 700y, £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Barrys Prince Jack Harvey 4-1 40.01 42nd Holystone MischiefJimmy Purnell 100-8 40.21 53rd Beauepaire RejectJim Hookway 8-1 40.35 24th Firgrove SteelTed Brennan 7-2 40.43 35th Lough ChampionJoe Pickering 13-2 40.53 16th Multiforbo Bob Burls 5-4f 40.71 6

The Grand Prix Walthamstow (Sep 13, 525y, £600)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Granthamian Jack Harvey 1-1f 29.98 12nd Crazy Drumloch Bob Burls 8-1 30.02 43rd Silvery Airways Joe Pickering 100-8 30.14 24th Shannon Gale Tom Reilly 5-2 30.26 65th Latest Step Dave Geggus 8-1 30.32 36th Lisronagh Duet Tom Reilly 20-1 30.40 5

Oaks, White City (Sep 28, 525y, £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Antarctica Jimmy Jowett 7-2 29.12 62nd Lovely Girl II Ron Chamberlain 13-2 29.2633rd Kilcaskin Karmen Johnny Bullock 5-2 29.27 54th Split the Wind II W.G.Brown 9-1 29.49 25th Dail Road Blonde 100-7 29.59 46th Duneaney Maid Bob Burls 9-4f 29.69 1

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 10, 600y, £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Rylane Pleasure (dh) Jack Harvey 3-1 33.06 21st Pigalle Wonder (dh) Jim Syder Jr. 8-11f 33.06 43rd Lowerton Prince Jack Harvey 9-2 33.18 14th Dunmore RoccoDennis Hannafin 20-1 33.19 65th Uncle Albert 66-1 33.43 36th Sir Frederick Jack Harvey 100-7 33.63 5 (dh) - dead heat

Welsh Derby, Arms Park (Oct 18, 525y £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Our Defence Dr Dennis O'Brien 6-1 30.27 32nd Crazy Drumloch Bob Burls 1-1f 30.37 63rd Arrow BridgeBill Doolan 4-1 30.47 44th Fearless Mac Joe De Mulder 7-2 30.53 15th Glenknockaun Boy 10-1 30.93 26th Dunstown Prince 8-1 31.09 5

Inaugural BBC Sportsview Trophy Wimbledon (May 21, 500y)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Town Prince Leslie Reynolds 20-1 28.14 62nd Dancing Sheik Ted Brennan 7-1 33rd More Talent Bob Burls 5-1 44th Pigalle Wonder Jim Syder Jr. 1-4f 55th Northern Lad Bob Burls 7-2 2 6th Wincot Clifford Jack Toseland 100/8 1

References