Greyhounds
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Here's my list, (my local track was White City):
2 bends: (weren't run)
4 bends: Cullen Boy (Joe Pickering)
6 bends: Pieces of Eight (Les Parry)
Hurdles: Peter's Hope (Gordon Hodson, I think)
2 bends: (weren't run)
4 bends: Cullen Boy (Joe Pickering)
6 bends: Pieces of Eight (Les Parry)
Hurdles: Peter's Hope (Gordon Hodson, I think)
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Gordon Holt owned a dog called "Ashgrove Road". The dog won the J.H.Balfour Trophy at White City where it was later to win the "Springbok Hurdle"
I understand that it may have also won the Aldersdhot Derby....Gordon had a fine trophy that he always used to hide when the Stewards came to inspect his kennels. "Ashgrove Road" was a Wembley dog & was terrific value over hurdles there, beating better dogs on a regular basis. Gordon maintained that the reason for this was the three hurdles in the long Wembley back straight (tracks normally had two)which caught out the visitors at the third......fallers galore. |
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Shopitaly
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Also had a useful litter brother called "Ashgrove Tric". I seem to remember Ashgrove Road was tried over 6 bends and trained for a while at White City by, I believe, Joe Pickering. Can't remember if he was susessful over 6 bends.
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"TheMadGhost".....I had an Ashgrove Road puppy (out of Super At Last) that won a couple of races at Portsmouth under Hugo Spencer.
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Mr Memory: "Super At Last" was this an ex White City stayer? It rings a bell from somewhere.
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I thought Selby Bill was a very good hurdler.
How he didn't win the Sprinbok still drives me mad! Gutted  |
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My memory is not so good as to remember the very best graders at my local track. I do though recall one particular debut at my local track Clapton which was a bottom grade race featuring mostly newcomers and was one narrowly by the 3/1 fav a certain Chittering Clapton.
I must confess to admit to being unimpressed by the youngster and could never in my wildest dreams have believed he would go on to win the Derby. Still old timers will also recall Tartan Khan! |
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sorry i cant remember the name of this one about 15 years ago
there was a black and white bitch at wimbledon that was deaf always lost at least 6 lengths at the start great watching her go through the field and pick em off reached a3/a4 |
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Going back a bit but when I started Sherrys Prince was unbeatable.
I have liked a lot of them, I remember Tommy Fosters think itwas Parktown Ranger used to fly around Crayford beat his own trsck record a few times. Of the graders Blackwater Glory made a comeback at Crayford at the age of 8 and won, used to love him. Here is picture of Sherrys Prince http://www.greyhound-data.com/photodb.php?land=all&letter=S&filter_sex=0&birthyear=196x&x=2 |
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there was one called SKINT AGAIN at wimbledon owned by a billy's odds compiler, only backed it once when it actually won .... but so appropriately named
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White City London,
mate said to me back this 'Tartan Khan' -graded race trained by Dave Kinchett. got beat ..in a graded race! mate said to me 'that dog will never win a race!' went on to win the Greyhound Derby and St Leger.!!! amazing but true!  |
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The story I heard about Tartan Khan was that the trainer told the owner to take it away as it was not good enough to win at White City!
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Yes Sparrow, "Tartan Khan" was asked to leave the track by the racing manager, via trainer Dave Kinchett, I believe. I and about six mates of mine had a large ante0post on "Sallys Cobbler" in the Derby Final and it trapped in front and led up when suddenly, the closest railer ever to run at White City ran off at the first bend. This allowed the White City reject to slip through and grab the lead. I thought the danger was "Myrtown", what do I know. Still have nightmares. In his next race, "Sallys Cobbler" was tried over 700 yards in the "Flying Four" at the old Crayford track and won & broke the clock.
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other favourites going back were
Derry Palm Sail Over |
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All Shawfield and all our own.
Srinter(Sewmuch Speed) 4 bends(Hanover Pine) 6 bends(Crack Of The Ash,Charlie Sprout,Hideaway Black,Winsome Emma) 8 bends(Mays Blossom,Sally Be Good,Culhane Trixie) Speedy the sprinter was my own bred and reared,emma,sally and mays we bred too and we reared charlie sprout too.Happy times. All ran in handicaps at some point although i think the best handicapper iv ever saw at shawfield would either be Crown Rover or Stay Please(derby finalist) Best hurdler by far would be Its only fred. |
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Thanks bookie25 nice to hear some old stalwarts mentioned. This game isn't just about the open race stars but also the graders who give all every day.
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Time up Silver, Catford in the 70s and Surprising fella ,Catford who won the Gold Collar as a grader
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Going back to the Wick days.. there were a few graders who were so reliable when dropped in grade it was incredible.. a lowly grader called Red Suit every time they dropped it to A8 they gave it Trap 6 made it an even money chance and it won 5/6 lengths time after time.. same story with a good bitch there called Pillar Daisy, top heat there but every time they dropped her in grade.. bang out and gone at skinny odds... Many a time I went all in with them.
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Clapton,Youre post put me in mind of a Hackney grader called Ma Doyle soon as she was given a chance she won.Ballyfolian Coal was a job dog at the Wick,only won when the readies were down.From a financial point of view I remember Ballybeg Story,Man Im Movin(trap one specialist)Mill Parade and North Wall all at Harringay.A grader at Catford who got me out of trouble a couple of times was Not My Terry and Parktown Ranger (already mentioned )when he came to Catford in Open hurdle sprints drawn in red he never threw out,although at skinny odds.Some genuine graders at Walthamstow that were good money spinners for me were the dual distance graders Odense and Flanagans Mate,Muont keefe Flash and Oakfront Flash.I offered a farmer 50 quid for a pup called Yellow Forge at Limerick one night ,it looked light weight and was done very bad to be honest,the sale was agreed I went to pick it up and pay next day but a Cockney bloke I knew was there at first light and give sixty quid for it knowing I wanted it.Well I backed it in its first six races over here starting off in the first race and he won four of them.He eventually won a couple of small opens but I won a nice bit of money with him although I didnt own him.The people who had him didnt back him first time up and Harry Newman put up 14/1 I had 500/35 and he won breaking 30.They couldnt get thier breath(the owners)I dont know what the trainer told them but that dog looked the part that night.You always remember the success stories!!Three good White City graders I recall,Kilworth Kitty,Kenmare rRed and Kilmogany Five.Two good hurdlers who were unlucky to be about the same time as the all time great,Sherrys Prince,were Adamstown Valley and Irish Hedgehog.
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Whitmarsh: Nice post but after going to White City from 1969 to 1984, I can't remember Kilworth Kitty or Kenmare Red but have a vague memory of Kilmogany Five. Were they befoe 1969? To the good hurdlers who were about at the same time as "Sherry's Prince" were Derry Palm, Colonel's Rib, Tony's Friend, Ballintore Tiger, Foreign Currency, Beauty's Wonder, Ragtime and Anchor Sound. Going back to Hackney I do remember they had a period of short priced low grade dogs starting short but winning by a long way, though I can't remember their names although "Cloughjordan Jet" is one I can remember, (maybe because she was owned by Carry-On actress Liz Frasier).
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Remember some great graders from the old London tracks :
Clapton.. Pestalozzi a top heat bitch lightning early.. Lissakyle queen low grade but reliable when in the right grade. Harringay.. Glenshane Pride 6 bender another who was spot on when the readies were on..Friendly alex & Anthene marathon bitches West Ham... Doon Monarch stayer...Pluckanes Star early paced low grader. New Cross.. Local View top heat.. Wattlehurst Rum early paced low grade. On the open race scene early to middle 70s, there were some top stayers about... Pitmans Brief.. Chain Gang.. Lizzies Girl.. Silver Lipstick.. Ballseedy Star... Not Permissable. Sprinters.. The one and only Dont Gambol.. Ace of Trumps.. Prims Chick. Where do you stop.. Great Memories ! |
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Clapton- Two good graders at Clapton you may remember Dalcais Foam and Kilcarbery Pride at 575 yards. And at 760 yards Prince of Tullig and Handsome Lass. I remember Pestalozzi, was she a black bitch?
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sparrow.. Pestalozzi was a black bitch ran out of Trap 6... the only Kilcarberry I can remember is Kilcarberry Fairy.. I think Handsome Lass was involved in the Dagenham coup ?
Do you recall the betting ring there, what a buzz it was absolutely bursting, chunks changing hands.. we had a right touch there one night with a low class grader called Dougs Champion, you probably know how it was in the wet there, the outside was the place to be, it ran from Tr6 it turnt about 3 clear, a big bosh up behind at the 1st turn and won by 10... I think it was the last time I got a few quid !! |
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Clapton- Handsome Lass was indeed involved in the Dagenham coup. The market at Clapton was incredible at times and the big three would certainly not be able to manipulate it.
I stopped attending regularly around 1970 as I moved up to Yorkshire but you are quite correct about a wet track benefitting the wide runners, we used to pray for rain at times as it made it so much easier. The graded dogs there in the 60s were far superior to other tracks and lower grade dogs were nearly all capable of winning minor opens. The Derby record at that time proves that superiority. Unfortunately the GRA takeover wrecked the track and the winning times were considerably slower in the 70s. |
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Lazy gael was a good old grader at White City trained by Adam Jackson used to be tailed off in s4 races 660 but would win marathon opens occasionally ..
and Credit Control Unleadable graded also won a couple of opens  |
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Difficult to name a 2 bend dog that started out in graded company at Catford, they didn't do sprints for graders.
4 bends, that fantastic bitch and one of my favourite dogs of all time Tenth Of June. 6 bends, Lead The Bottle trained by John Horsfall I think it was and Slieve Donard trained by Paddy Milligan who got to the quarters of the Derby, not a bad effort for originally a Catford grader. Kampos trained by Irene McNally who won the Guineas and last but not least, Fenessey's Gold who pretty much was invincible in the top grade who then went on to win The Springbok, trained by the late Ray Peacock. Just remembered Lone Keel, another top grader 6 bend who clocked 46.15 for his debut over 718 metres which was a time unheared of by even the best open racers around that time, won by 15 lengths. Hurdlers, Catford not really known for top hurdlers as a rule, Mountleader View was pretty much unbeatable in his day. When I was a regular at Henlow Joes Venture was the standing dish for ages. |
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My dad used to go Clapton, his favourites were Kilcarberry Pride and Larrys Model!!!
My uncle was a "Big" dog man and used to tell me a story (at least 50 times ) ofa grader at West Ham beating Yellow Printer.. Bank Note, he backed it on the draw  |
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Every time I read these recollections of years gone by. the memories haunt me.. how could it come to this .
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In the Whitmarsh post he mentions Kilworth Kitty as a notable grader.She raced many years ago and was a prolific winner at 525+725yds.She was owned by the Secretary of a Racing Pigeon Club.Kenmare Red was also a winner of multiple 525yds graded races and was a very sound dog who seemed to be about forever.
Mr.Memory mentions Ashgrove Road,he was a litter brother of Ashgrove Trick who also made open class.The dam was Ashgrove Star. Hopping,Everytime I drive past the site of the old White City I have an overwhelming feeling of regret,as you say how did it ever come to this. |
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Pitmans Brief was a black bitch who stayed forever.She improved markedly when upped to six bends at Harringay.She was soon open class and was hard to beat whoever was in opposition when she was drawn in trap one.When she was upped to 8 bends she was a revelatoin.She was owned by a Mr.Thompson who owned a lot of good dogs at Harringay in the 60s+70s.His daughter is Laura Thompson,the horseracing scribe who writes in the Post.Pitmans Brief raced till she was six years old and held the track record for 1050yds at White City in the seventies,I have fond memories of this great staying bitch who always wanted to win.She was one of them that would run through a brick wall for you and kill a paper bag.
Wood Lane,I didnt know of the connectoin with the pigeon club regarding Kilworth Kitty,but you jogged my memory about Kilmogany Five,Mad Ghost you are right it was late sixties,trained by Randy Singleton and owned by a man who cycled to the dogs and walked about with about six months of old dog cards in his hand. |
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There was a lot of Ashgrove dogs that used to run at White City.
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Whitmarsh: There was a man who used to publish his own greyhound newsletter and attended White City. I can see his gaunt face but have no idea of his name except possibly his first name was Jack. He used to always wear a "dirty" tan coloured raincoat but knew everyone there was to know in greyhound racing.
Brian Marks owned a lot of dogs at White City & Harringay trained by Randolph & Jim Singleton and Frank Melville. I know there were a lot of dogs with the "Brinmark" prefix. "Duke", "Pawn", "Plush" and "Tiny" were some I can remember along with "Trentham Theresa" and "Hunterfield Stan". There was an interesting story about "Stan". When he first went to White City he trialled like a champion but put him in a race, he was useless. Trainer Gordon Hodson was at a loss. Then he realised what was wrong. The dog couldn't run under artificial lights! So he installed an electric bulb in the dog's kennel and left it on 24 hours a day. It worked and eventually "Hunterfield Stan" became a top heat/open race 725 yard winner for him. |
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"TheMadGhost"...........Jack Huss.
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whitmarsh: Andy Thompson is the man, I think, who owned Pitman's Brief. He also owned litter brothers "After The Show" & "Commutering". He usually appeared on the racecard as Mr AA Thompson.
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Mr.Memory,I would agree with you that was Jack Huss.One of the most knowledgable dog men ever.I visited him not long before he died,he was living in flats on Blackfriars Rd and was down on his luck.He should have written a book,he was mustard on pedigrees and everything to do with dogs.
Does anyone remember listening to the greyhound news on the wireless?Weekdays it was at 5.50 on saturday at 11.45am.All the results for the London tracks were given out at10.30pm every night. Andy Thompson was the man Mad Ghost,exactly right.I think he got a bit of help on the quiet with the trap draw when it was "off" with one of his.Lovely gentleman though and his daughter has done well a credit to him. |
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Remember some of the old afternoon Bags performers, Elder Sister good staying bitch ran at Hendon-- Sam the Creed & Blunt Madam middle grade at the wick.. I suppose they must have got me a few quid to stick in my mind !
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Whitmarsh - cor you are going down the old oak chest, Trentham Theresa - there was a lot of dogs with this prefix and a lot of them was trained by the govenor (JP) he first handled them at New Cross back in the 50's and followed him when he moved back to Northaw. They were bred by a lady called Pat Farrow who also owned the majority of them.
There was also the Adamstown prefix Adamstown Valley who was around with Sherry's Prince and the April prefix How about Rorys Pleasure the hurdler, and Rostown Genius who ran a faster time in the Derby consolation than the winner in the final |
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ColonelsRib: What about KP Lucky, Johnny Redwing, Hebe's Colonel, Hebes Major, Tiberetta, Shara Dee, Shara Flash at White City and not forgetting all the "Todos" dogs owned by Tom & Dorothy Unwin and trained at Walthamstow.
(PS If I remember rightly when Sherry's Prince won his first hurdle race at White City @ 20/1, didn't you finish second?) |
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TheMadGhost: Yes they were the days the old Hebe dogs and the Todo's, and I can go further back than that how about N for Nellie Stamford Bridge 1948,
I probably did.But I did win the Cobbs hurdles at Catford |