1968 Irish Greyhound Derby

1968 Irish Greyhound Derby File:1968 Irish Greyhound Derby champion Yellow Printer with John Bassett.jpg Yellow Printer 10 August £2,000 (winner) Shelbourne Park Dublin 1967 1969 The 1968 Irish Greyhound Derby took place during July and August with the final being held at Shelbourne Park in Dublin on 10 August 1968.Genders Roy NGRC book of Greyhound Racing 261 1990 Pelham Books Ltd 0-7207-1804-X In January 1968 Shelbourne Park came under the ownership of the Bord na gCon for £240,000, which resulted in Shelbourne becoming the permanent home of the Irish Greyhound Derby from 1970.Genders Roy The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound 1975 Page Brothers (Norwich) 0-85020-0474 The winner Yellow Printer won £2,000 and was trained by John Bassett, owned by Miss Pauline Wallis and Sir Robert Adeane.Comyn John 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland Aherlow Publishers Ltd Final result At Shelbourne, 10 August (over 525 yards): PositionWinnerBreedingTrapSPTimeTrainer1st Yellow Printer Printer's Prince - Yellow Streak 4 11-8f 29.11John Bassett (England)2nd Russian Gun Pigalle Wonder - Shandaroba 6 5-2 29.23Tom Lynch3rd Drumna Chestnut Bermuda's Cloud - Drumna Snowdrop 3100-6 29.59P McCusker4th Ballybeg Flash Prairie Flash - Knock Late 5 100-7 J Brennan & J Clohessy5th Clinker Flash Prairie Flash - Water Cress 1 50-1 M Carroll6th It's A Mint Prairie Flash - Cranog Bet 2 5-2 Leslie McNair Distances 1½, 4½ (lengths) Competition Report The leading entry for the 1968 Derby was Yellow Printer, who was regarded as being the fastest greyhound in training for many years. He had reached the Easter Cup final beaten by It's A Mint before taking part in an eventful 1968 English Greyhound Derby. He was jointly owned by Pauline Wallis and Sir Robert Adeane and arrived in Ireland with trainer John Bassett and was housed at Gay McKenna's Kennels in Cabinteely. He was installed at an incredibly short ante-post price 5-2. He ran a solo trial recording a fast 29.40 just one day before the heats, and his odds were shortened further to an unprecedented even money favourite, extraordinary odds for a competition.Fortune Michael Irish Greyhound Derby 1932–1981 Victory Irish Promotions Ltd On 20 July Yellow Printer became the first greyhound to break 29 seconds over 525 yards at Shelbourne Park, when he won by nine lengths and clocked 28.83sec in a first round victory. Defending champion Russian Gun also won in an impressive 29.22 and Philotimo, the McAlinden Cup and Laurels champion posted 29.32. Other winners included It's A Mint, Mister Rubble and Puppy Derby champion Kalamazoo.Fortune Michael The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby Irish Greyhound Review 0332-3536 The second round proved eventful because It's A Mint went fastest in 29.29 but Yellow Printer and Russian Gun both remained unbeaten after the round. Yellow Printer remained unbeaten as he wrapped up his semi-final in 29.43 from Ballybeg Flash; It's A Mint defeated Drumna Chestnut in the second decider and the remaining semi provided the punters with a superb fight back from Russian Gun when the black dog had looked in a hopeless position; he then came from nowhere to qualify behind Clinker Flash. In the final Ballybeg Flash broke first out of the traps, but it was Yellow Printer from trap four who took the lead followed by Russian Gun, who stayed with him the whole way round and only conceded the race late on. See also 1968 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year References Greyhound Derby Irish Greyhound Derby