1928 GREYHOUND DERBY

This race was run at the White City on Saturday 28th July 1928 .

Pos.

Greyhound

Sire

dam

Price

Distances

Time(secs)

1

Boher Ash (1)

Over The Water

Honey Bee II

5/1

1/2

30.48

2

Fabulous Figure (2)

De Novo

Flash and Flare

 11/10 fav

Neck

30.50

3

Musical Box (4)

Jamie

Bracelet

 5/1

2

30.52

4

Bendeemer (3)

Ballyhannon

Ballyvoyle

 100/8

3/4

 30.68

5

Moorland Rover (5)

Cheerful Speed

Moorland Falcon

 4/1

3/4

30.74

6

Baby Elephant (6)

Jamie

Naughty Nivette

 20/1

 

30.80 

The Winner was owned by Mr M Stoke

Boher Ash was trained by Tommy Johnston snr at Powderhall

Fabulous Figure was trained by Joe Harmon at the White City, London

Musical Box was trained by John (Jack) Golder at the White City, London

Bendeemer was trained by John (Jack) Kennedy at Harringay

Moorland Rover was trained by Godfrey Hyde-Clarke at the White City, London

Baby Elephant was trained by Joe Harmon at the White City, London

In July 1928 the second Greyhound Derby took place, for the first time over 525 yards, at the White City and was won by Boher Ash in a time of 30.48 secs.

 

 

 

Busaco Boy

 

 

Dick The Liar

 

 

 

 

Stormy Sea II

 

Over The Water

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Andrew II

 

 

Nunagh Whirl

 

 

 

 

Catherine Caution

BOHER ASH

 

 

 

 

 

 

Runswick Lad

 

 

Forecast

 

 

 

 

Mercury II

 

Honey Bee II

 

 

 

 

 

Such A Moucher

 

 

Rathdangan Flower

 

 

 

 

Alimony

1928 FINAL

The final was made up of 5 greyhounds from London and Boher Ash from Edinburgh . It was not a surprise that Fabulous Figure, from Trap 2, was installed as 11/10 favourite; with the Trap 5 dog Moorland Rover the second favourite at 4/1. From the traps the favourite was boxed in with Boher Ash, running from Trap 1, and always handy. He pounced from half way and held on to win by a half length from the fast finishing favourite. Musical Box was a neck further away in third. The winning time was 30.48

WINNERS PROFILE

Boher Ash was a brindle dog owned by Molly Stokes from Edinburgh . Four of the six finalists were owned by women, and Molly bought Boher Ash for just £25.

1928 PRE-FINAL

By the time of the running of the second Greyhound Derby it had become an established event and was now sought after by all greyhound trainers. The nature of the competition and the prize money changed. The winner’s purse was raised to £1500 and the competition was no longer run as a regional competition in the early rounds. In the event there were 96 entries from around the country, including entries from Scotland . Boher Ash won his first round heat by 8 lengths in a time of 30.70 at a price of 8/11. He continued his winning ways in the second round when winning by 5 lengths in an improved time of 30.59 at evens favourite. However, Boher Ash was on offer at 3/1 for his semi final and missed the break, allowing the favourite, Fabulous Figure to win by 3 lengths in a time of 30.76. The winner of the second semi final was Musical Box in a time of 30.80.

SEMI-FINALS on Thursday 26th July 1928
Trap Dog Time Dist.   Trap Dog Time Dist.
1 FABULOUS FIGURE (11/10 fav) 30.76 4 yds   4 MUSICAL BOX 30.80 1/2 yd
5 BENDEMEER 31.08 1 yd   5 MOORLAND ROVER 30.84 1/2 yd
6 BOHER ASH 31.16     3 BABY ELEPHANT 30.88  
2 PALM BEACH       1 GUIDING TIPP    
3 DICK'S SON       2 TOFTWOOD MILLSACK    
4 THANET DESPATCH       6 FROM MA    
The winner won by 4 yards, with a yard back to the third.   The winner won by half a yard, with half a yard back to the second.
SECOND ROUND on Tuesday 24th July 1928
Trap Dog Time Dist.   Trap Dog Time Dist.
Heat 1   Heat 2
2 MUSICAL BOX 30.55 Dead-Heat   6 FROM MA 31.33 1 1/2 yards
4 DICK'S SON 30.55     4 THANET DESPATCH 31.42  
6 WEE MURRAY       2 CHESTNUT    
5 CANUTE       1 ALTRIVE    
1 CENTURY MARK       5 DOONANE    
3 STINGO       3 vacant    
Heat 3   Heat 4
5 MOORLAND ROVER 30.87 1 yard   4 BENDEMEER 30.93 4 yards
3 BABY ELEPHANT 30.95     2 PALM BEACH 31.25  
2 MUTABLE       5 ODD BATTLER    
1 CHEQUERS       1 QUICKER    
4 MOSELLE       3 KNOCKRUE    
6 vacant       6 vacant    
Heat 5   Heat 6
1 BOHER ASH 30.59 5 yards   3 FABULOUS FIGURE 30.45 2 yards
2 TOFTWOOD MILLSACK 30.99     1 GUIDING TIPP 30.61  
3 PALATINUS       2 BABETTE    
5 WHISK BEN       4 MELKSHAM DULCIE    
4 BUNKUM       5 CHAIN MAIL    
6 vacant       6 SIR ALBERT    

 

FIRST ROUND on Tuesday 17th July 1928
Trap Dog Time Dist.   Trap Dog Time Dist.
Heat 1   Heat 2
6 BENDEMEER (5/4 fav) 30.91 1 1/2 yds   3 MELKSHAM DULCIE (10/1) 30.83 1/2 yd
1 CHEQUERS 31.00     2 KNOCKRUE 30.85  
4 NO TUNE       6 CLOTH OF GOLD    
3 FAIR ENOUGH       4 KREISLER    
5 FIRST LADY       5 ODD BLADE (withdrawn)    
2 SWASHBUCKLER       1 BOB MARTIN    
Heat 3   Heat 4
5 WEE MURRAY (3/1) 30.72 1/2 yd   2 DICK'S SON (4/6 fav) 30.31 1 yd
2 MUTABLE 30.75     6 ODD BATTLER 30.37  
3 WINTER WIND       3 SOLAR PLEXUS    
4 KILRUSH       5 RADIANT APRIL    
6 MELKSHAM DAWDLER       1 HATCH    
1 NESS POINT       4 TIPPERARY BEAUTY    
Heat 5   Heat 6
4 STINGO (9/2) 30.65 1/2 yd   2 MOORLAND ROVER (2/1) 30.58 Sh Hd
1 GUIDING TIPP 30.68     6 PALATINUS 30.59  
6 ROLLING ROAD       5 WYKON    
5 NOW CROWD       3 BUFFOON    
2 MORNING PRINCE       4 ENEMY BELOW    
3 GRENGOGUE       1 RECKLESS    
FIRST ROUND on Thursday 19th July 1928
Heat 7   Heat 8
1 CHAIN MAIL 30.95 1 1/2 yds   2 CENTURY MARK 30.90 3/4 yd
3 CHESTNUT 31.04     3 DOONANE 30.94  
2 DONE DOWN       1 PRIME PROSPECT    
4 CRAW SICK       4 CARBERRY'S CHIEFTAIN    
5 KING OF CLUBS       5 BACHELOR    
6 vacant       6 vacant    
Heat 9   Heat 10
2 BABETTE 30.99 1 yd   1 TOFTWOOD MILLSACK 30.78 7 yds
4 ALTRIVE 31.05     2 THANET DESPATCH 31.20  
1 FAIR CHANCE       3 BROKEN CRAFT    
3 MYSTIC RITE              
5 DARK SCOTTIE              
6 vacant              
Heat 11          
1 MOSELLE 30.90 1 yd          
4 BABY ELEPHANT 30.96            
2 KNAVISH SPEED              
5 MELKSHAM DEFIANCE              
6 POLISHER              
3 vacant              
FIRST ROUND on Saturday 21st July 1928
Heat 12   Heat 13
1 SIR ALBERT (4/1) 31.00 Sh Hd   2 BOHER ASH (8/11 fav) 30.70 12 yds
3 PALM BEACH 31.01     3 CANUTE 31.42  
4 CARNACLAY HERO       4 DENDROCEROS    
5 WORSLEY JACK       1 CORMORANT    
6 QUICKLY       5 CHANCE BILLY    
2 GLINGERBANK       6 LEATHER BOTTLE    
Heat 14   Heat 15
1 FABULOUS FIGURE (7/4) 30.50 4 yds   6 BUNKUM (4/5 fav) 30.75 3 yds
6 FROM MA 30.74     4 WHISK BEN 30.93  
4 BACHELORS BARRISTER       1 WORSLEY BEN    
5 EARL'S BELT       2 SONNIE HALE    
2 MELKSHAM DENNY       5 GRACCOLA    
3 EAGLES BEAK       3 CROSS DRUM (withdrawn)    
Heat 16          
2 MUSICAL BOX (4/7 fav) 30.65 3 yds          
1 QUICKER 30.83            
3 FROTH BLOWER              
4 KEEN AND CLEVER              

WAITING IN THE WINGS IS MICK THE MILLER

I am extremely grateful to Joe Sloan for the following tale about the great Mick the Miller. His father, a greyhound racing enthusiast throughout his life, was at the opening of both the Celtic Park Stadium in Belfast and the Dunmore Park Stadium. Born in 1910, he would have been 18 when greyhound racing was launched in Ireland and would have travelled to the stadium by bus from Ballynahinch. He fondly recalls that he was at a meeting one day in 1928 when one of the handlers needed to relieve himself and asked his father to hold his dog until he returned. On returning he advised his father to keep a look out for the dog, telling him it was Mick the Miller. Joe was told by his father that Mick did not win that day! Within a year the words were to become true.
Mick the Miller ran many times at Shelbourne Park, but never did race at Dunmore. However, the great news is that very early on in his career he ran 3 times at Celtic Park in Belfast:-
On Wednesday 25th April 1928 Mick the Miller contested the 1st Round of the Abercorn Cup over 526.6 yards. He ran from Trap 3 and won at 1/5 favourite in 30.80.
On Monday 7th May 1928 Mick ran in the semi-final of the Abercorn Cup. He was in Trap 2 and won at 5/2 favourite in 30.60.
On Friday 11th May 1928 he was third in the Abercorn Cup from Trap 1 at 5/1 despite running a 30.40. The Evens favourite for the race was Dick’s Son, commonly known as the ‘Kilkenny Crack’, whilst his main rival was an Ulster dog called Moorland Rover at 11/8. In the event it was Moorland Rover who beat Dick’s Son by a short head with Mick the Miller just ½ a length back in third. This was almost certainly the race that Joe’s father was at, handling the great Mick the Miller whilst his handler took a leak!

WELSH GREYHOUND DERBY (Cardiff White City)

Winner Sire Dam Time
Cheerful Choice Mutton Cutlet Glorious Still 30.73

IRISH GREYHOUND DERBY (Harolds Cross)

In 1928, for the first time, Harolds Cross staged their own unofficial version of the Irish Greyhound Derby. It was won by Tipperary Hills and trained by Billy Quinn at Graigue. It was by Melksham Tom out of Melksham Na Boc E.

SCOTTISH GREYHOUND DERBY (Carntyne)

Dog Sire Dam Time SP
Glinger Bank Jamie Wafer 30.39 100/6

Email me at johnwslusar@gmail.com