1987 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year

none November 2024 November 2024 1987 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year 1987 Gold Collar Final.jpg 1987 Gold Collar winner Half Awake and trainer Barry Silkman (far right) 1986 1988 The 1987 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 62nd year of greyhound racing in the United KingdomGreyhound Racing South Gloucestershire Gazette 24 July 1926 9 March 2026 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004065/19260724/015/0003 British Newspaper Archive subscription and the 61st year of greyhound racing in Ireland.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001542/19270419/075/0003 Belfast's New Sport Northern Whig 19 April 1927 British Newspaper Archive subscription 9 March 2026Fry Paul The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook 1995 Ringpress Books 186054-010-4 Roll of honour Major Winners Award Name of Winner1987 English Greyhound Derby Signal Spark Dack Barrie Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years, pages 192/193/194/195/196 1990 Ringpress Books 0-948955-36-8http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?r=61 1987 Greyhound Data1987 Irish Greyhound Derby Rathgallen Tady Fortune Michael The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-2006 Irish Greyhound Review 0332-35361987 Scottish Greyhound Derby Princes Pal Hobbs Jonathan Greyhound Annual 2008, pages 153-154 2007 Raceform 978-1-905153-53-4Greyhound Trainer of the Year Fred Wiseman Greyhound of the Year Signal SparkIrish Greyhound of the Year RandyTrainers Championship Geoff De Mulder Summary The performances of Ballyregan Bob and Scurlogue Champ during the two previous years, combined with a strong UK economy resulted in a significant increase in greyhound racing popularity. The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) released the annual returns, with totalisator turnover up nearly 20% at £77,832,636 and attendances up over 5% recorded at 4,020,438 from 5255 meetings.NGRC calendar January 1988 National Greyhound Racing Club Track tote remained at 17.5% and a further boost to the industry came when the government abolished tote tax on 29 March.http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/8K6Ap5 "No on-course betting tax." Times, 18 Mar. 1987, p. 1 The Times 18 March 1987 1 Times Digital Archivehttp://greyhoundstar.co.uk/remember-july-4-2/ Remember When July 28 July 2019 Greyhound Star Major changes took place within the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA), the company merged with Wembley Stadium owners Arena Holdings to form a new company.http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/8K7FN4 "Pledge on future of Wembley." Times, 23 Oct. 1987, p. 48 The Times 23 October 1987 48 Times Digital Archive The new company retained the GRA name and is valued at £68.5 million.http://greyhoundstar.co.uk/22658-2/ Remember When - October 1987 28 October 2018 Greyhound Star In March the company closed Slough Stadium and six months later in September they closed Harringay Stadium which had been sold to Sainsbury's in 1985.Barnes Julia Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File 1988 Ringpress Books 0-948955-15-5 Satellite Information Services began to beam pictures into the betting shops from the 5 May, the company owned by the 'Big Four' Ladbrokes, Corals, William Hill and Mecca Bookmakers would pay the greyhound racing industry a fee for the televised rights.Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1987) May edition Greyhound Star Ladbrokes however abstained from negotiations because they owned some of the tracks involved. Corals also owned some tracks involved but had the foresight to realise that they should pay a fee to help maintain the health of the industry. Ladbrokes actions only further enhanced the belief that bookmakers had too much control of the industry which was already subject to an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading.http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/8K63a8 Goodbody, John. "Ladbrokes split from Big Four." Times, 23 Apr. 1987, p. 42 The Times 23 April 1987 42 Times Digital Archive Goodbody John The negotiations ended with the NGRC charging £300 per each S.I.S meeting in addition to an extra 10% of the track's BAGS fee which prompts Ladbrokes to seek legal advice.http://greyhoundstar.co.uk/22658-2/ Remember When - October 1987 28 October 2018 Greyhound Star Tracks Two more tracks closed along with Harringay and Slough, they were Clacton and Chester but four also opened, those of Barrow, Canterbury, Swaffham and Bideford. Hall Green underwent refurbishment costing £400,000 and Powderhall's new grandstand was completed costing £750,000 but suffered a fire that then caused £25,000 damage. The Scottish Greyhound Derby rights, held by GRA meant that Edinburgh would hold the event for the first time leaving Glasgow with no classic race. Shawfield Greyhound Racing and Leisure Company Ltd re-opened the Shawfield despite not having the Scottish Derby as their blue riband event.Genders Roy NGRC book of Greyhound Racing 1990 Pelham Books Ltd 0-7207-1804-X Competitions Harringay's closure resulted in the Oaks going to Wimbledon Stadium and the Pall Mall Stakes going to Oxford. The Scurry Gold Cup switched to Catford Stadium following the closure of Slough.Barnes Julia Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, Vol Two 1991 Ringpress Books 0-948955-61-9 Crayford took possession of the Golden Jacket after spells at Hall Green and Monmore. Harringay had also held the event in the afternoon and it was very popular due to the television exposure of the event. Crayford also provided a new matinee meeting for their own Ladbrokes betting shops.Barnes/Sellers Julia/John Ladbrokes Greyhound Fact File 1992 Ringpress Books 0-948955-22-8 Role of Fame made amends for a disappointing TV Trophy performance at Oxford by winning the Cesarewitch at Belle Vue. The Savva camp had a double success towards the latter part of the year. First with Olivers Wish (from the same litter as Westmead Move) who won the £5,000 Gold Collar. Then in the Laurels at Wimbledon, Flashy Sir beat a field that included Derby champion Signal Spark. News Trainers Ray Peacock and Linda Mullins joined Catford and Romford respectively from Harringay, Pam Heasman joined Wembley. Trainer Joe Booth died in hospital and George Curtis retired to be replaced by head man Bill Masters. The kennel of Gary Baggs contained Puppy Derby champion Spiral Darkie, in addition to Fifty Pence, Fiddlers Run, Signal Spark and Karens Champ. Signal Spark emerged as the star when winning the 1987 English Greyhound Derby. Signal Spark was then transferred to Ernie Gaskin following a well-documented dispute between Gary Baggs and owner Towfiq Al-Aali, resulting in the latter removing his dogs from the Walthamstow trainer.http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?r=61 1987 Greyhound Data Fred Wiseman also had a strong kennel including Scurry champion Rapid Mover, head man John McGee was credited for much of the success from the kennel. Signal Spark was voted Greyhound of the Year. Principal UK races Grand National, Hall Green (Mar 28, 474m h, £3,000) PosName of GreyhoundTrainerSP TimeTrap 1st Cavan Town Mel Cumner 4-1 30.01 42nd Monroe Tiger 20-1 30.04 33rd Mondays Cannon Phil Rees Jr. 5-2 30.08 14th Parktown Ranger Tom Foster 7-1 30.24 25th Distant Echo Mel Fordham 11-2 30.42 56th Diamonds Sparkle Stan Gudgin 6-4f 30.70 6 BBC TV Trophy, Oxford (April 8, 845m, £4,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Glenowen Queen Dick Hawkes 7-153.37 42nd Super Spell Tony Martin 33-1 53.55 63rd Change Guard Trevor Draper 5-1 53.59 54th Role of Fame Adam Jackson 4-9f 53.67 15th Tender Champ Walter Dewbury 10-1 54.27 36th Irish Pallas Ernie Wiseman 50-1 55.27 2 Scurry Gold Cup, Catford (Jul 18, 385m, £5,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Rapid Mover Fred Wiseman 1-1f 23.62 22nd Lyons Turbo Kenny Linzell 25-1 23.80 43rd Quarrymount Sigh John Honeysett 7-1 23.86 64th High St Franz Linda Mullins 5-1 23.92 35th Lively Sailor John Gibbons 10-1 23.98 16th Up For One Mick Puzey 7-2 24.00 5 St Leger, Wembley (Aug 28, 655m, £12,500)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Life Policy Bob Young 12-1 39.96 52nd Lone Wolf Bill Masters 5-2 40.06 63rd Longcross Jim Phil Rees Jr. 7-1 40.20 24th Yellow Emperor Derek Knight 6-4f 40.40 15th Bankers Benefit Adam Jackson 6-1 40.58 36th Deal Now Geoff De Mulder 6-1 40.82 4 Scottish Greyhound Derby, Powderhall (Aug 29, 465m, £10,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Princes Pal Matt Travers 1-1f 27.58 22nd Killouragh Chris Pete Beamount 6-1 27.74 53rd Karens Champ Gary Baggs 11-2 27.88 34th Twiggys Rose Hugh Davies 33-1 28.06 15th Fiddlers Run Gary Baggs 14-1 28.07 66th Tapwatcher Bob Young 3-1 dnf 4 Gold Collar, Catford (Sep 19, 555m, £5,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Half Awake Barry Silkman 4-1 34.90 42nd Justa Mo Dinky Luckhurst 2-1f 35.02 13rd Moths Dysert Mick Puzey 4-1 35.20 64th Eldorado Bob Young 4-1 35.32 25th Blackie Comehome John Honeysett 16-1 35.48 56th Rashane Glory Hugh Davies 7-2 35.58 3 Cesarewitch, Belle Vue (Sep 26, 853m, £3,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Role Of Fame Arthur Hitch 1-7f 52.41 12nd Denes Mutt Fred Wiseman 10-1 53.01 23rd Gotoon Peg Carol Aymes 20-1 53.31 64th Mollifrend Es Colin Packham 8-1 53.37 45th Little Dragonfly John Coleman 14-1 53.65 56th Tender Champ Walter Dewberry 12-1 53.68 3 The Grand Prix, Walthamstow (Oct 10, 640m, £5,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Olivers Wish Nick Savva 7-2 39.86 42nd Super Duchess Kim Marlow 6-4f 39.98 23rd Moths Dysert Mick Puzey 4-1 40.08 64th Winsor Way Fred Wiseman 7-1 40.44 55th Giblet Ernie Gaskin Sr. 16-1 40.74 16th Silver Walk Ernie Gaskin Sr. 7-1 40.80 3 Oaks, Harringay (Oct 23, 475m, £5,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Lucky Empress Allen Briggs 2-1 28.43 62nd Foretop Kenny Linzell 7-4f 28.57 13rd Louise Champion Eric Vose 5-1 28.79 34th Holiday Hope Pat Ryan 6-1 28.89 55th Giblet Ernie Gaskin Sr. 20-1 29.03 26th Dominique Phil Rees Jr. 12-1 29.11 4 Laurels, Wimbledon (Dec 26, 460m, £5,000)PosName of Greyhound TrainerSP Time Trap 1st Flashy Sir Nick Savva 11-4 27.52 22nd Pike Alert Tom Foster 10-1 27.66 33rd Wendys Dream Tom Foster 8-1 27.78 44th Signal Spark Ernie Gaskin Sr. 1-2f 27.84 55th Skomal Barry Silkman 14-1 27.86 1N/R Lissadell Tiger Ernie Gaskin Sr. Totalisator returns The totalisator returns declared to the National Greyhound Racing Club for the year 1987 are listed below.Totalisator returns of National Greyhound Racing Club Licensed tracks 1987 National Greyhound Racing Club 28 January 1988 Running Hard to Stand Still Greyhound Owner StadiumTurnover £London (Walthamstow) 12,915,186London (Wimbledon) 11,992,684London (Catford) 5,328,078London (Wembley) 5,199,032Brighton & Hove 4,956,464Romford 4,913,624Birmingham (Hall Green) 3,011,000Manchester (Belle Vue)2,830,723London (Harringay) 2,319,045Crayford 2,296,855Edinburgh (Powderhall) 1,789,171Newcastle (Brough Park) 1,694,113Oxford1,691,894 StadiumTurnover £Sheffield (Owlerton) 1,552,649Ramsgate 1,409,112Wolverhampton (Monmore)1,397,324Yarmouth 1,145,974Portsmouth 1,124,862Maidstone 1,007,390Glasgow (Shawfield) 992,903Reading 873,921Bristol 791,570Milton Keynes762,064London (Hackney) 720,476Swindon 634,107Derby598,136 StadiumTurnover £Henlow (Bedfordshire) 514,742Rye House 472,527Hull (Old Craven Park) 467,553Poole439,697Nottingham 363,550Middlesbrough 346,800Cradley Heath 329,951Peterborough 325,466Norton Canes 320,783Ipswich 150,111Canterbury 135,000 References 30em Category:Greyhound racing in the United Kingdom Category:Greyhound racing in the Republic of Ireland UK and Ireland Greyhound Racing Year UK and Ireland Greyhound Racing Year UK and Ireland Greyhound Racing Year UK and Ireland Greyhound Racing Year