1949 English Greyhound Derby

April 2022 1949 English Greyhound Derby 11 June 25 June £1,500 (winner) White City Stadium 1948 1950 The 1949 Greyhound Derby took place during June with the final being held on 25 June 1949 at White City Stadium. The winner Narrogar Ann received a first prize of £1,500.Dack Barrie Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years 88–89 1990 Ringpress Books 0-948955-36-8http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=oxfshlib&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS103106779&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0 "Sports In Brief." Times [London, England] 27 June 1949 The Times Final result At White City (over 525 yards):http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?r=2063 1949 Greyhound Data PositionName of GreyhoundBreedingTrapSPTimeTrainer 1st Narrogar Ann Dutton Swordfish - Winnie of Berrow 25-128.95 Leslie Reynolds (Wembley)2nd Dangerous Prince Bella's Prince - Dark Evening 5100-729.05 Ken Appleton (West Ham)3rd Sailing At Dawn Shannon Shore - Bilting Antoinette 1 9-229.25 Sidney Probert (Wembley)4th Local Interprize Ruby Border - Mythical Daisy 4 3-129.37 Stanley Biss (Clapton) 5th Glencloy Regent Glenview Shaggy - Little Twilight 39-4f29.40 Mayor Baker (Wolverhampton)6th Saft Alex Mad Tanist - Fair Light 611-230.20 Jack Toseland (Perry Barr) Distances 1¼, 2½, 1½, neck, 10 (lengths) The distances between the greyhounds are in finishing order and shown in lengths. From 1927-1950 one length was equal to 0.06 of one second but race times are shown as 0.08 as per modern day calculations.Genders Roy NGRC book of Greyhound Racing (Timekeeper) p310 1990 Pelham Books Ltd 0-7207-1804-X Review Antepost favourites were Local Interprize 6-1 and Village Major 8-1.Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1949) April edition Greyhound Star The new sensation from Ireland Ballymac Ball was the Greyhound Racing Association's and White City's big hope for victory.https://www.gbgb.org.uk/racing/racing-legends/ballymac-ball/ Hall of Fame Greyhound Board of Great Britain During the first round the 1948 English Greyhound Derby runner-up Local Interprize Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1949) May edition 2012 Greyhound Star ran poorly and only finished in second place to Derrys Game. A British bred bitch called Narrogar Ann won easily by four lengths, Narrogar Ann had won the British Bred Produce Stakes in 1948 when trained by Joe Farrand at Oxford before switching to Derby winning trainer Leslie Reynolds. Ballymac Ball was a shock elimination and then aimed at the Laurels. Saft Alex, the Puppy Derby and Midland Puppy Derby champion was the only race favourite to win during the second round. The heavily backed Whiterock Abbey lost out by one length to Narrogar Ann and Local Interprize struggled again going through by virtue of a third and final qualifying place in his heat. The first semi-final contained the 7-4 favourite, West End Dasher, and he went out after first bend trouble which allowed Glencloy Regent to win the race from Local Interprize and Dangerous Prince. Sailing at Dawn justified favouritism in the second semi-final winning from Narrogar Ann and Saft Alex. The final was wide open in regard to starting prices and the longest price available was the Grand National runner up Dangerous Prince at 100-7. The famous Derby final roar took place and from the start Dangerous Prince took a one length lead at the sectional placing, the lead increased as Saft Alex and Glencloy Regent were bumped at the first bend. Along the back straight Narrogar Ann began to make a move and took up second place from Sailing at Dawn. As the field came around the last bend Narrogar Ann edged in front and went on to win. She was only the second bitch in Derby history to take the title and the first to come from well behind the field in a final since the 1935 English Greyhound Derby (coincidentally the year that Greta Ranee became the first bitch to win). This was also a second success in three years for the British breeders. The winning owner and breeder, Mr William J Reid and trainer Leslie Reynolds (now a two time Derby winning trainer) were fortunate that Narrogar Ann came into season two days after the final because if it had been earlier she would not have been able to have competed. See also 1949 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year References English Greyhound Derby English Greyhound Derby Category:English Greyhound Derby