1958 English Greyhound Derby

April 2022 1958 English Greyhound Derby 14 June 28 June £1,500 (winner) White City Stadium 1957 1959 The 1958 Greyhound Derby took place during June with the final being held on 28 June 1958 at White City Stadium.Hobbs Jonathan Greyhound Annual 2008 page 90 2007 Raceform 978-1-905153-53-4 The winner was Pigalle Wonder and the winning owner Al Burnett received £1,500.Genders Roy The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing page 110 1981 Pelham Books Ltd 07207-1106-1 Final result At White City (over 525 yards):http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?r=2054 1958 Greyhound Data PositionName of GreyhoundBreedingTrapSPTimeTrainer 1stPigalle Wonder Champion Prince - Prairie Peg 14-5f28.65 Jim Syder Jr. (Wembley)2ndNorthern Lad Champion Prince - Choice Beauty 525-128.83 Bob Burls (Wembley)3rdMile Bush Pride The Grand Champion - Witching Dancer 35-228.86 Jack Harvey (Wembley)4thGentle Touch Magourna Reject - Abbey Jane 4100-629.16 Dennis Hannafin (Wimbledon)5thSimmer Down Pal Ollys Pal - Ballygortagh Girl 250-129.54 Joe Booth (Private)6thOutside Left Demon King - Gilera 66-129.62 Bob Burls (Wembley) Distances 2¾, Neck, 4, 4¾, 1 (lengths) The distances between the greyhounds are in finishing order and shown in lengths. From 1950 one length was equal to 0.08 of one second.Genders Roy NGRC book of Greyhound Racing (Timekeeper) p310 1990 Pelham Books Ltd 0-7207-1804-X Competition Report Two brindle dogs called Pigalle Wonder and Mile Bush Pride were heavily involved in the 1958 Derby and would become famous names within the sport of greyhound racing. Pigalle Wonder started his career called Prairie Champion and won the 1957 McCalmont Cup at Kilkenny Greyhound Stadium. He was bought by Al Burnett (owner of the Pigalle Club in London) after clocking 29.10 sec in a 525 yards trial at Harold's Cross Stadium and was renamed Pigalle Wonder. However in the first round he suffered a shock defeat. This defeat led to the bookmakers making Kilcaskin Kern the new Derby favourite, this fawn dog had finished the previous year well and broke the track record in his heat recording 28.63.Dack Barrie Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years pages 104/105/106 1990 Ringpress Books 0-948955-36-8 Mile Bush Pride had been bought for the Derby by Jack Harvey for Noel Purvis but suffered a minor setback when a corn had to be removed from his foot shortly before the first round which he safely negotiated. The second round brought mixed fortunes for the main contenders, Kilcaskin Kern won but finished lame after the race. Pigalle Wonder and Mile Bush Pride progressed comfortably. In the semi-finals Kilcaskin Kern was declared fit but failed to progress any further. Mile Bush Pride clipped three spots off the track record set by Kilcaskin Kern before Pigalle Wonder won by 13 lengths, in 28.44, breaking the record once again in the second semi-final. The Wembley trainers once again dominated proceedings with four finalists, Bob Burls handled two of them, the first time he had trained a Derby finalist. The draw was unkind to Mile Bush Pride and trap one further enhanced the chances of Pigalle Wonder who went off at 4-5 favourite. Northern Lad made the best start and led until the third bend but Pigalle Wonder always in close pursuit took over the lead at that point and drew clear to win by over two lengths. Mile Bush Pride ran on well for third place despite his bad trap draw. See also 1958 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year References English Greyhound Derby English Greyhound Derby Category:English Greyhound Derby