The 1963 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 38th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and the 37th year of greyhound racing in Ireland.

Roll of honour Major Winners Award Name of Winner1963 English Greyhound Derby Lucky Boy Boy 1963 Irish Greyhound Derby Drumahiskey Venture 1963 Scottish Greyhound Derby We'll See 1963 Welsh Greyhound Derby Fairys Chum Greyhound Trainer of the Year Tom Johnston Jr. Greyhound of the Year We'll See

Summary The Greyhound Afternoon Service was established whereby tracks supplied afternoon racing for the larger bookmaking clients. However the track promoters made a request for a guaranteed payment for the off course rights from all bookmakers taking bets from their stadium. Negotiations would continually take place between the stadiums, the National Greyhound Racing Society (NGRS) and the bookmakers. The problems had been ongoing since the introduction of the Betting and Gaming Act 1960. Clapton Stadiums Ltd owners of Clapton Stadium, Slough and Reading scrapped evening starting times in an attempt to disrupt the betting in bookmaker's shops. Tracks racing during the afternoon had already implemented this procedure. A further development resulted in the tracks ending the annual £100,000 agreement with the off course bookmakers to provide forecast and tricast tote odds. The bookmakers announced that they will provide their own odds based on starting prices.

Figures released by the NGRS showed a further decline in attendances and totalisator turnover, the first six months of 1963 showed attendances at 5,827,064 with turnover at £24,910,749 from 61 member tracks.

We'll See was voted Greyhound of the Year at the Silver Greyhound Awards, in the Great Room at the Grosvenor House Hotel. The brindle dog beat Cranog Bet to the crown, the latter had to settle for being named bitch of the year.

Tracks News broke at the beginning of the year that London Stadiums Ltd had future plans to redevelop Wandsworth Stadium into a shopping centre. Racing came to an end at Somerton Park in Newport, Wales, Clydeholm in Clydebank, Banister Court Stadium in Southampton and Hanley Greyhound Stadium. Two tracks opened at the Taff's Well and Milton Keynes.

News Alfred Critchley died on 9 February. Clapton hosted Pinewood Studios as they shot scenes for a new film starring Rita Tushingham and Mike Sarne called A Place to Go.

Competitions The Merit Puppy Championship held at Wimbledon was renamed and rebranded with more prize money, it would be called the Juvenile. The Gold Collar at Catford Stadium was won by Music Guest from Lucky Boy Boy, Irish Greyhound Derby champion Shanes Legacy finished last in the final and apart from winning the 1,000 Guineas would not live up to the expectations of his owner since his purchase from Ireland in 1962.

The 1962 greyhound of the year Dromin Glory had a Welsh Greyhound Derby campaign to forget, he weighed in too heavy in a trial and therefore another needed to be organised at short notice. He arrived late for kennelling for the second attempt, missing the deadline and as a result was not allowed to compete in the first round.

Curraheen Bride won the Sportsview TV Trophy at Wimbledon over 880 yards despite an attempt by a man to void the race after he jumped on to the track.

Leeds defeated Brighton in the final of the News of the World National Intertrack Championship.

Ireland Irish Greyhound Derby finalists both won major events in Ireland, Melody Wonder won the national Sprint held at the Dunmore Stadium and Powerstown Proper won the Laurels at Cork Greyhound Stadium.

In addition to the 10% government tax on off-course bets the Irish government introduce a further tax of 2.5% on all bets on-course and off-course.

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (April 27 525y h, £500) PosName of GreyhoundTrainerSP TimeTrap 1st Indoor Sport Barney O'Connor 4-5f 29.98 62nd Sabena's Prince Les Parry 8-1 30.28 13rd Mood Indigo II 10-1 30.52 24th Corsican Reward Gordon Hodson 5-1 30.5555th Forever Corville Dennis Hannafin 10-1 31.19 46th Fairyfield Surprise G.Jackson 11-2 31.59 3

The Grand Prix Walthamstow (May 7, 500y, £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Monday's Ranger Tom Reilly 4-5f 28.03 32nd Adamstown Chief 100-8 28.31 23rd Hi Longford Tom Reilly 13-2 28.43 14th Toasted 25-1 28.51 45th Killinarden Wonder Tom Reilly 11-4 28.67 66th Nearly Blue 25-1 28.91 5

Gold Collar, Catford (May 18, 570y, £1,000) PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Music Guest Tom Johnston Jr. 5-2 33.36 52nd Lucky Boy Boy John Bassett 2-1f 33.56 63rd Brookville Genius John Haynes 20-1 33.80 34th Boula RattlerAlf Forman 8-1 34.28 15th Shannon Spirit Phil Rees Sr. 3-1 34.32 46th Shanes LegacyTony Dennis 6-1 34.96 2

Welsh Derby, Arms Park (Jul 6, 525y £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Fairys Chum Bob Burls 4-1 29.49 52nd Crazy Peach George Waterman 20-1 29.61 63rd Some Edition Tom Reilly 8-1 29.62 24th Cahara Rover Joe De Mulder 4-5f 29.66 45th Fitzs Hall Tom Reilly 3-1 29.92 16th Darn Hall Bob Burls 33-1 30.083

Oaks, Harringay (Jul 8, 525y, £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Cranog Bet Phil Rees Sr. 7-2 29.31 42nd Witching FlareJim Singleton 10-1 29.59 23rd Hack It About Jack Harvey 13-8f 29.67 54th Right on Time 10-1 29.75 15th Shady Mermaiden Phil Rees Sr. 4-1 29.9936th Beauties Dash 7-1 30.05 6

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 20, 400y £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Lucky Joan IIJohn Bassett 3-1 22.70 22nd Orange Grove II Stan Gudgin 25-1 23.04 33rd Cranog BetPhil Rees Sr. 5-2 23.10 14th Misty King Phil Rees Sr. 100-8 23.38 65th Larrys Model Bill Kelly 6-4f 23.50 56th Bulgaden GloryClare Orton 6-1 23.68 4

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 17, 500y, £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Dalcassian Son A.G.Hiscock 7-2 28.08 22nd Coup Leader Clare Orton 5-1 28.22 53rd Badge of Flame Jack Harvey 100-8 28.28 34th Lucky Hi There Jimmy Jowett 10-3 28.42 65th Cranog Bet Phil Rees Sr. 9-2 28.52 46th Dancing Point (Clare Orton) 11-4 28.53 1

St Leger, Wembley (Sep 2, 700y, £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Friendly Lass Tony Dennis 2-1 40.15 62nd Massan Jack Kinsley 11-10f 40.31 13rd Crazy Peach George Waterman 8-1 40.87 34th Strelka Jim Irving 5-1 41.27 45th Prairie Kim 100-6 41.49 2N/R Leinster Elm Percy Stagg 5

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Carntyne (Sep 7, 525y, £750)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st We'll See Tom Johnston Jr. 4-6f 28.91 52nd Fairys ChumBob Burls 3-1 28.97 13rd Free Hand 12-1 29.45 24th Lowfield King P.O'Loughlin 4-1 29.93 45th Super Car Norman Oliver 16-1 30.17 66th Better Fame 20-1 30.49 3

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 4, 600y, £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Jehu II Gordon Hodson 9-4 33.15 12nd Music Guest Tom Johnston Jr. 8-1 33.35 53rd Jamaica InnPaddy McEllistrim 13-2 33.47 24th Lucky Boy BoyJohn Bassett 6-4f 33.67 35th Melting MomentsJimmy Clubb 100-8 33.91 66th Hi Over Harry Bamford 9-2 34.13 4

Totalisator returns

The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1963 are listed below.

StadiumTurnover £London (White City) 5,078,429London (Harringay) 3,423,534London (Wimbledon) 2,616,204London (Walthamstow) 2,319,869London (Wembley) 2,064,260London (Clapton) 1,879,908London (Catford) 1,720,985London (West Ham) 1,640,886Manchester (Belle Vue) 1,619,512London (Wandsworth) 1,553,757London (Stamford Bridge) 1,225,670London (New Cross) 1,144,929London (Hendon) 1,133,813London (Park Royal) 1,113,066Romford 1,019,608Manchester (White City) 996,340Edinburgh (Powderhall) 992,423London (Hackney) 956,170Glasgow (Shawfield) 882,206

StadiumTurnover £Birmingham (Perry Barr, old)865,861Brighton & Hove 813,461Slough 753,619Birmingham (Hall Green) 725,000Glasgow (White City) 672,829Leeds (Elland Road) 671,758Southend-on-Sea 654,848Crayford & Bexleyheath 629,005Manchester (Salford) 588,576London (Dagenham) 584,491Newcastle (Brough Park) 580,551Bristol (Eastville) 553,955Wolverhampton (Monmore)553,300Newcastle (Gosforth)532,054Bradford (Greenfield) 483,010Willenhall 482,746Sheffield (Owlerton) 471,016Ramsgate (Dumpton Park) 467,721Birmingham (Kings Heath) 455,751

StadiumTurnover £Reading (Oxford Road)448,370Cardiff (Arms Park) 428,326Gloucester & Cheltenham 396,043Glasgow (Carntyne) 388,602Derby324,845Oxford280,837Middlesbrough 278,777Gateshead 270,199Rochester & Chatham 267,768Hull (Old Craven Park) 247,892Aberdeen 234,080Nottingham (White City)224,319Leicester (Blackbird Rd) 219,574Poole 218,065South Shields 214,391Preston 198,362Portsmouth 150,685Norwich (City) 103,588

References