Greyhounds
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I think I could have seen the earliest Derby of the people on this forum it was Palms Printer winning in 1961, I was 11 years of age and I went with my mother who I am sad to say did not back the winner.
What was your earliest Derby and what do you remember.
What was your earliest Derby and what do you remember.
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june 05,aged 23, sat in the b365call centre taking calls off customers when i put myself on hold to watch one of the heats,
kinda watching the leaders and all of a sudden something came from nowhere, way off the pace to win a heat. Made a note of the dog and on me next break went into the small canteen that was there and had a score on at 40/1 and called me dad. Jokingly said...Dad, iv seen this years debry winner haha... tr4 in the such and such watch this dog..............Westmead Hawk. Been hooked every since on this race. |
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salad dodger
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knew it was you puke!
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seaside, i was 17yrs old in 1975 and me and my pal whos family bred and raced greyhounds decided to get the train to london for the
derby final. on the train we were asked by some transport police asking where we were going and what for ?? when we explained about the final we were happily allowed on our way. i will never forget the buzz in the betting ring and the derby " roar ". ps, no i never backed the winner!!! ....... tartan khan 25/1. happy days.  http://www.greyhoundderby.com/1975-greyhound_derby.htm |
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From 1976 until the last one. Never forget the buzz of Final night and so many memories. Sorry, but would rather it had gone to Wembley than Wimbledon..
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I travelled down to London in 1983 to watch I'm Slippy run in the final at White City, my mate and I had bet it ante-post, never seen such a big stadium before and the track was all grass, the thing that really amazed me though was the run in, it looked about 50yds. from the final bend, but I'm Slippy held on by a sh.hd. it made it a wonderful experience. went back the next year when Whisper Wishes won haven't missed a derby since, already been to all the first and second rounds. cheers.
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dolores rocket 1971 white city premier class. wimbledon 4th division
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1951 Ballylanigan Tanist. Remember it like it was yesterday. I was hooked on Greyhound racing from that day. The Wimbledon Derby's will never be like those at White City. The atmosphere was electric. Thousands of punters and Hundreds of Bookmakers lining both straights. Fantastic.
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your right there even a graded card at white city was a very good night out there
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saw dolores rocket win the blue ribband at wembley backed her for the derby straight after hoping she didnt go in season happy days
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The great Pigalle Wonder in 1958.
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Just a few names I remember from the 'Final' nights I attended at White City - Game Ball, Debbycot Lad, Hurry On Bran, Indian Joe, Llacca Champion, Welsh Cobbler in the marathon, Upton Rocket in the sprint, and of course, for the benefit of Slippy Blue, the stunning run of Haymaker Mack in the consolation..Happy Memories....
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Pigalle Wonder
Photo(s) Courtesy www.thedogs.co.uk County Kilkenny-bred Pigalle Wonder (by Champion Prince out of Prairie Peg) was whelped in March 1956. In conformation he was a near perfect specimen of the breed, and if he hadn’t been a racing dog he would have been outstanding in the show ring. Named Prairie Champion by his breeder Tom Murphy, he put up a brilliant performance in the McCalmont Cup at Kilkenny, followed by a blistering trial at Harold’s Cross. He was then bought by Mr Al Burnett, who owned the Pigalle Club in London, and his name was changed to Pigalle Wonder. Pigalle Wonder was blessed with blinding speed from the traps and the courage of a lion. Immensely adaptable, he set track records at seven different tracks. Trained for the 1958 Derby by Jim Syder Jnr. at Wembley, Pigalle Wonder clocked 28.44 seconds in his semi-final, a record that stood for ten years. He won the final by three lengths, with Northern Lad second. A neck behind in third was Mile Bush Pride, who in 1959 was to win the English, Scottish and Welsh Derbys. In the 525 yard Pall Mall at Harringay, Pigalle Wonder again set a record time of 29.03 seconds which also lasted for ten years. His record clocking of 28.78 seconds over Wembley’s 525 yard course stood for almost twenty years, unbeaten until the distance was changed to metres. A wonderful dog both to look at and to watch in action, Pigalle Wonder passed on his attributes to his offspring at stud. Sold for the then huge sum of £3500, he stood in County Wicklow and became renowned as a sire of bitches. One example is his daughter Martin’s Pigalle, granddam of 1978 English Derby winner Lacca Champion. Among the many good male dogs he sired were Irish Derby winners Wonder Valley and Russian Gun. |
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Same as the bairn, I'm Slippy in 1983. We all done our brains on Game Ball but it was one of my best ever memories of greyhound racing at wonderful White City.
HaymakerMack broke the track record in the consolation final that night with a time that was never to be bettered. I'm Slippy made all to win from trap 4 in the final, the same box as Slippy Blue had ! Here is the 1983 final in all its glory, should bring back memories for the bairn and a few others no doubt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH0EV1R7jLg |
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Good man Aladdin
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all that grass...first thing i thought of was the old flap at swansea.
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forest fach
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thanks for that SLIPPY, ive only just realised how unlucky debbycot lad was. !!
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that was good slippy blue looking at white city again and the great harry carpenter the tote odds board
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ithought the same mdm, the massive crowd, the radiant toteboard, loads of bookies, all added to make a great atmosphere....not to be
recreated im afraid. |
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Good to see a grass track again.
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Khan 75 never missed a round or race till the final Derby ,Hard to believe what the greyhound world has Come to
The Derby at Whitecity was a spectacle to behold ,We are now left with a race being run in broad daylight so a few ****s piling money into roulette machines can watch it  YOU CANNOT MAKE IT UP |
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was like a grand lawn Sparrow
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dont you remember the track in winter?
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Straw track in the winter
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tartan khan and derick law
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sorry for the southern bias but......if we had white city, wathamstow and hackney now, with greyhound racing acknowledged and attended as a sport and not a form of animal abuse with the facilities of betfair.....jesus we would get a few quid.....
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71 Dolores rocket she was the real deal
Kennelling was buzzing over cheap side for free food My pin up dog MRYTOWN so unlucky Shamrock point the best looking dog ever Ger McKenna dogs where like picures Could not take my eyes off them he was the daddy |
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lauries panther
cant remember when marvellous night |
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MRYTOWN the Middle Pace
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Myrtown wonder what they named him after ? there is not a place called that
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Patricias Hope 1972
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Thanks lads brought tears to my eyes the mention of some of the dogs.
I would go to the heats and try and find one to have a punt in one of the later rounds. Had a nice few shillings coming if Harry ON Bran had won he ended up coming second to Indian Joe aggggggggggg One was always interested in the dogs Ger McKenna would bring over No one turned out dogs like he did, they were a thing of beauty, I bet like me you would go and have a look at them just under the big tote board before they came on the track. So sad those days are gone How much was it to get in ? Shillings if I remember right what value it was a joy and a pleusure. |
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I saw Ford Spartan win in 1951 he went on to win the laurels at Wimbledon.
The first dog I owned was by his sire Polonius. |
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1978 - Lacca C
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1978 - Lacca Champion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-s0r3It4fU |
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Sorry Ford Spartan 1957.
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1977 - Balliniska Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R65GsJ6WnMQ |
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i remember mid 70s my Dad tellling me if Flip Your Top won the Derby , we'd go up Peticoat Lane in East London and buy me a brand new bike. No win - No bike
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