The 1970 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 45th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and the 44th year of greyhound racing in Ireland.

Roll of honour Major Winners Award Name of Winner1970 English Greyhound Derby John Silver 1970 Irish Greyhound Derby Monalee Pride 1970 Scottish Greyhound Derby Brilane Clipper 1970 Welsh Greyhound Derby Super Gamble Greyhound Trainer of the Year Stan MitchellGreyhound of the Year Moordyke SpotIrish Greyhound of the YearMark Anthony

Summary Tote turnover deductions were changed, with tracks being allowed to charge anything up to 12.5% in deductions. The annual National Greyhound Racing Club returns were released, with totalisator turnover at £55,556,351 and attendances recorded at 7,365,653 from 5585 meetings. 1970 English Greyhound Derby finalist Moordyke Spot won the Oxfordshire Stakes, Playfield Cup, and ran undefeated through the Pall Mall Stakes, contributing to another winning streak of eight including the White City Championship. He was retired to stud in Galway at the end of the year and was named Greyhound of the Year.

Tracks The Totalisator and Greyhound Holdings (T.G.H) were showing interest in buying stadia. They already held Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium, Elland Road Greyhound Stadium, Brough Park and Gosforth Greyhound Stadium and then purchased the Midland Greyhound Racing Co Ltd owned tracks of Monmore Green Stadium and Willenhall Greyhound Stadium. Only the Greyhound Racing Association owned more tracks.

Hall Green Stadium underwent a major renovation when the club house was altered into a four tier restaurant costing £750,000. At the same time, the track kennels were replaced and the contract trainer system was brought in for the first time by the GRA, which would become a trend for most tracks in the near future. One of the contracted trainers was Geoff De Mulder, based from Meriden kennels. Another GRA track Powderhall modernised and new facilities included a 100 seated restaurant. There were changes too in the GRA trainer ranks with Peter Hawkesley moving to Harringay Stadium from West Ham Stadium to replace the retiring Wilf France. Hawkesley's head kennelhand Ted Parker was promoted to trainer at West Ham, who also appointed Colin West as another trainer. Self-service tote machines were also trialled by the company. Kings Heath Stadium was then purchased by the GRA Property Trust.

Perry Barr suffered major damage following a fire, the fire caused extensive damage but the main stand was rebuilt with a new restaurant and bar facilities and the track reopened soon after.

Hendon Greyhound Stadium which was enlarged to hold 5,000 persons before Hackney & Hendon Greyhounds Ltd was subject to a reverse takeover by businessman George Walker, brother of boxing champion Billy Walker. This meant his private company bought a public company and the new merger resulted in a new company called Brent Walker. Plans for the UK's first stand-alone shopping centre would result in the track's closure in 1972.

White City Stadium (Nottingham) closed after its owner Ernest Jolley, resulting in a sequence of events that led to the sale of the stadium to property developers.

News Harry 'Bammy' Bamford and Ron Saunders had their first graded runners at Belle Vue Stadium and White City Stadium (Manchester) respectively. The Rayleigh Weir Stadium Racing Manager Thomas Stanley was unwell and handed the reins to Roy Vickery, a former Crayford General Manager. Hare coursing became illegal in Northern Ireland and Southend held the first ever televised race meeting in colour.

Owner-trainer Ernie Gaskin Sr. advertised a litter for sale, after his bitch Come on Dolores whelped to Newdown Heather (Newdown Heather was considered the best sire for many years). Four brothers – Bert, Len, John and Arthur White – bought four of the litter including a bitch called Dolores Rocket. The black bitch won the Puppy Oaks and Juvenile in 1970, both at Wimbledon, and looked set for a big 1971. Dunstable GP Dr Dick Handley died, he was the founder of the Greyhound Breeders Forum. Leading greyhound owner Noel Purvis also died.

Competitions The Scottish Greyhound Derby returned at Shawfield Stadium, the new home of the event. The Steel City Cup was introduced at Owlerton Stadium. Wimbledon Stadium allowed private trainers to compete in a competition with Wimbledon runners; this gesture was welcomed by the private trainers association due to the fact that not many open races were advertised in the calendar for them. The Duke of Edinburgh Cup national inter-track competition grand final between White City and Brighton, ended with a win for White City.

Sherrys Prince won the Grand National at White City.

Ireland The Irish Greyhound Board purchased Harold's Cross Stadium after speculation that it would be demolished for re-development. Irish greyhound owners threatened strikes after the Board held trap draws several days before the meeting. Owners wished to keep draws to half an hour before as in Northern Ireland.

P.J.Carroll and Co, a cigarette company became the first sponsors of the Irish Greyhound Derby, won by Monalee Pride.

Leading stud dog Printer's Prince dies.

Principal UK races

Grand National, White City (April 18 525y h, £500) PosName of GreyhoundTrainerSP TimeTrap 1st Sherrys Prince John Shevlin 4-6f 30.02 42nd Rothe Boro Jim Singleton 9-2 30.20 63rd Beautys Wonder Paddy McEvoy 8-1 30.21 34th Adamstown ValleyJoe Pickering 8-1 30.29 15th Petronius Jack Harvey 25-1 30.32 26th Active Hit Nora Gleeson 9-1 30.38 5

BBC TV Trophy, White City Manchester (Apr 20, 880y, £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Hi Diddle Pam Heasman 10-1 51.95 62nd Panda Clare Orton 5-1 52.05 23rd Sovereign OreJohn Perrin 11-8f 52.06 44th Cash For DanBen Parsons 9-2 52.16 15th Marys Pal Colin McNally 7-4 52.17 36th Parkwest LadyPhil Rees Sr. 12-152.33 5

Gold Collar, Catford (May 9, 570y, £1,500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Cameo Lawrence Jack Smith 8-1 33.84 52nd Pallas Joy Adam Jackson 12-1 34.24 63rd Al's Tiger Tom Smith 14-1 34.76 44th Barrack Street Dave Barker 8-11f 35.20 25th Moate Lane Tom Smith 11-2 35.52 16th Kilroe Betty Paddy McEvoy 11-2 00.00 3

Oaks, Harringay (May 18, 525y, £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Perth Pat Jim Morgan 13-8f 28.81 32nd Tibretta Les Parry 7-4 29.25 53rd The Marchioness Reg Young 14-1 29.37 44th Sister Kuda George Curtis 8-1 29.39 15th Farma Sally Phil Rees Sr. 3-1 29.53 2N/R Blackoaks Lady Natalie Savva 6

The Grand Prix, Walthamstow (May 26, 700y, £750)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Baton Jack Durkin 9-4 40.39 32nd Meanus Donal Wilf France 2-1f 40.63 13rd Noble Harmony 16-1 40.79 44th Velvet John Arthur Hancock 3-1 40.87 65th New Change Dave Geggus 10-1 40.95 26th Beaverwood Bee 16-1 41.03 5

Welsh Derby, Arms Park (Jul 4, 525y £500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Super Gamble Paddy Coughlan 2-1jf 29.46 22nd Ardkeen Joy 5-1 29.58 13rd Waterloo Place Andy Agnew 2-1jf 29.74 44th Moss Tan H.Pett 6-1 29.86 55th Right O'Myross Paddy Coughlan 7-1 30.02 36th Legane Glory Ronnie Mills 8-1 30.10 6

Scurry Gold Cup, Clapton (Jul 11, 400y £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Don't Gambol Paddy McEvoy 3-1 22.48 12nd Ardnaculla Duke John Coleman 5-4f 22.72 63rd Gaultier Captain Randy Singleton 13-2 23.00 34th Little Glen 14-1 23.38 25th Tibretta Les Parry 9-2 23.52 46th Tails Up 16-1 23.70 5

Laurels, Wimbledon (Aug 7, 500y, £2,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Sole Aim David Geggus 6-4f 28.04 12nd Always A Monarch Eddie Moore 10-1 28.05 53rd The Other Green Jim Irving 7-4 28.11 24th ZebranoGunner Smith 10-3 28.13 65th Clorinka CastleDave Geggus 33-1 28.23 46th Corral Romeo Nora Gleeson 10-1 28.33 3

St Leger, Wembley (Aug 24, 700y, £1,500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Spotted Rory Paddy McEllistrim 2-1f 40.28 22nd Moordyke Monalee Noreen Collin 9-4 40.44 43rd Swift Silver Arthur Hancock 11-2 40.60 64th Bushane Queen Mrs.B.Martin 14-1 41.16 55th Peace Blue Boy Stan Mitchell 20-1 41.56 36th Monalee Peter Tom Johnston Jr. 9-4 DNF 1

Scottish Greyhound Derby, Shawfield (Aug 29, 525y, £1,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Brilane Clipper Joe Kelly 9-4f 29.06 62nd Bright Lad 6-1 29.12 13rd Afore You Go Bessie Lewis 7-2 29.24 54th Gleneagle Comedy Jim Hookway 7-2 29.26 35th Gormanstown Yank Harry Ward 7-1 29.74 46th Moordyke Darkie Eddie Moore 10-1 29.86 2

Cesarewitch, West Ham (Oct 2, 600y, £1,500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Gleneagle Comedy Jim Hookway 10-1 33.25 52nd Brilane ClipperJoe Kelly 6-4f 33.45 63rd Rising Shane 7-1 33.53 14th John Silver Geoff De Mulder 9-4 33.61 45th Alvys PrideHarry Ward 5-1 33.67 36th Quail's GloryTed Parker 6-1 33.85 2

Totalisator returns

The totalisator returns declared to the licensing authorities for the year 1970 are listed below.

StadiumTurnover £London (White City) 5,956,107London (Harringay) 3,582,928London (Walthamstow) 3,548,800London (Wimbledon) 3,387,354London (Wembley) 2,653,804London (Catford) 2,382,295Manchester (Belle Vue) 2,216,509London (Clapton) 1,905,805London (West Ham) 1,643,729Romford 1,566,886Edinburgh (Powderhall) 1,456,149Manchester (White City) 1,368,935London (Charlton) 1,236,216Birmingham (Hall Green) 1,186,077Brighton & Hove 1,156,613Birmingham (Perry Barr, old)1,049,165Newcastle (Brough Park) 1,030,374Crayford & Bexleyheath 971,739

StadiumTurnover £Glasgow (Shawfield) 939,471Slough 900,620Leeds (Elland Road) 867,796Wolverhampton (Monmore)799,686Southend-on-Sea 753,620Sheffield (Owlerton) 742,695Glasgow (White City) 655,701Bristol (Eastville) 651,986London (Hackney) 647,320Willenhall 622,020Manchester (Salford) 618,529Newcastle (Gosforth)617,960London (Hendon) 608,290Gloucester & Cheltenham 590,615Liverpool (White City) 540,426Cardiff (Arms Park) 492,054Derby469,214Birmingham (Kings Heath) 461,214

StadiumTurnover £Ramsgate (Dumpton Park) 443,161Reading (Oxford Road)439,599Poole437,938Rochester & Chatham 436,003Cradley Heath 396,066Oxford385,504Portsmouth 315,081Glasgow (Carntyne) 311,978Leicester (Blackbird Rd) 298,807Middlesbrough 298,445Rayleigh (Essex) 280,445Hull (Old Craven Park) 262,486Preston 262,360Swindon 199,692Wakefield 196,670Norwich (City) 181,398Nottingham (White City)131,687

References