1955
GREYHOUND
This
race was run at the
Pos. |
Greyhound |
Sire |
dam |
Price |
Distances | Time |
1 |
Rushton Mac (2) |
Rushton News |
Rushton Panda |
5/2 |
3/4 yd | 28.97 |
2 |
Barrowside (3) |
Ballymac Ball |
Nifty Bella |
1/2 f |
4 1/2 yds | 29.01 |
3 |
Coolkill Chieftain (4) |
Celtic Chief |
Coolkill Darkie |
100/7 |
1 yd | 29.28 |
4 |
Imperial Dancer |
Daring Belle |
8/1 |
1 3/4 yds | 29.34 |
|
5 |
Home Straight (1) |
Jeffs Pal |
Honey Bear |
100/6 |
3 yds | 29.44 |
6 |
Duet Leader (5) |
Champion Prince |
Derryluskin Lady |
10/1 |
29.62 |
The Winner was owned by Mr F and Mrs J Johnson
Rushton Mac was trained privately by Frank Johnson
Barrowside was trained by Jack Harvey at Wembley
Coolkill Chieftain was trained by Jack Harvey at Wembley
Gulf of Honduras was trained by Jack Harvey at Wembley
Home Straight was trained by Tom Lightfoot at the White City, London
Duet Leader was trained by Tom (Paddy) Reilly at Walthamstow
Rushton Mac beat Barrowside to claim the £20,000 prize in a time of 28.97.
Tanist |
|||
Tanimon |
|||
Princess Mona |
|||
Rushton News |
|||
Turk |
|||
Fly Joan |
|||
Clarendon Bess |
|||
RUSHTON MAC |
|||
Dee Rock |
|||
Swinging Light |
|||
Beaut |
|||
Rushton Panda |
|||
Rotton Row |
|||
Hazy Rhyl |
|||
July Record |
THE FINAL
Early round results implied this was a two dog race and the betting reflected this. While Rushton Mac was a well backed 5/2 shot, the clear odds on 1/2 favourite was the three dog Barrowside. All seemed well for favourite backers as Barrowside led from the boxes, with Home Straight and Rushton Mac following closely behind. Barrowside went wide at the first providing Rushton with the opportunity on the inside. Down the back straight Rushton maintained a length lead, always challenged by Barrowside, and these went clear of the others led by Home Straight and Coolkill Chieftain. Around the fourth bend Ruston was still in the lead as Barrowside mounted a strong challenge, but Rushton held on by 3/4 length, with the pair some 4 and a half lengths ahead of the fast finishing Coolkill Chieftain.
[The article listed below is reproduced by cortesy of Byrne's Auctioneers, Chester.]
In his heyday
Now, 50 years later, the
magnificent silver trophy presented by the Greyhound Racing Association for Mac's 1955
English Greyhound Derby win is to be sold. Chester fine art and antiques auctioneers
Byrne's will offer the trophy together with Mac's trap No. 2 jacket worn for the race; the
winner's jacket worn by the dog during the subsequent parade and presentation, a
photograph of the trophy presentation; an original race card from the meeting held on June
25 1955 and one of Mac's stud cards. The collection is expected to fetch up to £3,000
when it is sold on the second of a two-day sale on Wednesday and Thursday, December 7 and
8.
Rushton Mac was bred out
of Rushton News and Rushton Panda by the late Mr Frank Johnson and his wife Mary at
Boothouse Farm, Rushton, in Tarporley,
"Boothouse was a
small farm on the
"My sister, Ann,
and I were always being bundled into the back of a van with the dogs and we used to help
at the tracks. It was so exciting when we came home as winners. It was very unusual to run
English-bred greyhounds because in those days most were bred in
Mac's track record was
unique. Apart from being a triple
A contemporary report of
the English Derby run at the famous White City Stadium in
Mac was retired and put
to stud in late 1956 or early 1957 having won more than £8,500 in prize money. Mr and Mrs
Johnson retired in the early Sixties and the trophy and archive has remained in the family
since. By the important
Pictures courtesy of Byrne's Auctioneers, Chester.
Semi-Finals Saturday 18th June 1955 | ||||||||||
Trap | Dog | Distance | Time | SP | Trap | Dog | Distance | Time | SP | |
3 | RUSHTON MAC | 1 3/4 yds | 29.14 | 11/8 f | 1 | BARROWSIDE | 5 3/4 yds | 28.86 | 4/11 f | |
1 | COOLKILL CHIEFTAIN | 3/4 yd | 29.24 | 11/4 | 2 | HOME STRAIGHT | 1 1/4 yds | 29.20 | 33/1 | |
5 | GULF OF HONDURAS | 1 yd | 29.28 | 9/2 | 4 | DUET LEADER | 29.28 | 8/1 | ||
6 | SNOW TRAILS | 4 yds | 29.34 | 8/1 | 5 | MATCHLOCK | ||||
4 | WULAR CHOICE | Sh Hd | 29.58 | 40/1 | 3 | SMOKEY CHAMPION | 29.34 | 100/8 | ||
2 | YON CASSIUS | 29.59 | 6/1 | 6 | CHANCE ME PADDY | 29.50 | 50/1 |
Second Round Heats Thursday 16th June 1955 | ||||||||||
Trap | Dog | Distance | Time | SP | Trap | Dog | Distance | Time | SP | |
Heat 1 | Heat 2 | |||||||||
1 | DUET LEADER | 2 1/4 yds | 28.96 | 4/1 | 4 | BARROWSIDE | 6 1/4 yds | 28.73 | 2/5 f | |
2 | MATCHLOCK | 1 yd | 29.10 | 11/4 | 3 | GULF OF HONDURAS | 5 yds | 29.12 | 100/6 | |
3 | HOME STRAIGHT | 29.17 | 33/1 | 2 | CHANCE ME PADDY | Sh Hd | 29.42 | 10/1 | ||
1 | ALTA TANIST | 29.43 | 11/2 | |||||||
Heat 3 | Heat 4 | |||||||||
1 | CATCHMAN | 1/2 yd | 29.45 | Disq | 5 | RUSHTON MAC | 1 1/4 yds | 29.34 | 11/10 f | |
4 | COOLKILL CHIEFTAIN | 1 yd | 29.48 | Void | 3 | SNOW TRAILS | 3 yds | 29.42 | 10/3 | |
2 | SMOKEY CHAMPION | 2 3/4 yds | 29.53 | Void | 6 | YON CASSIUS | 29.61 | 6/1 | ||
5 | WULAR CHOICE | 29.69 | Void | |||||||
PAUL'S FUN | Lame | |||||||||
HI THERE | Lame |
First Round Heats Saturday 11th June 1955 | ||||||||||
Trap | Dog | Distance | Time | SP | Trap | Dog | Distance | Time | SP | |
Heat 1 | Heat 2 | |||||||||
5 | HI THERE | 29.28 | 6 | GULF OF HONDURAS | 3/4 yd | 29.28 | 7/2 | |||
2 | IMPERIAL AIRWAYS | 5 | WULAR CHIKOR | 1/4 yd | 29.32 | 9/1 | ||||
6 | DUET LEADER | 29.34 | 4/1 | 1 | HOME STRAIGHT | 29.34 | 7/1 | |||
3 | WILD FOWLER | 4 | CUSTOMER'S SON | |||||||
4 | MARCHAL MUSIC | 2 | FIERY BILL | |||||||
1 | BRINDLE SEAL | 30.42 | 40/1 | 3 | CONFEY BALL | |||||
Heat 3 | Heat 4 | |||||||||
5 | YON CASSIUS | Neck | 29.09 | 7/1 | 4 | SNOW TRAILS | 7 yds | 29.31 | 11/4 | |
4 | CATCHMAN | 29.10 | 2 | FLY RUBY | 29.73 | |||||
1 | IMPERIAL FAWN | 1 | PAUL'S FUN | |||||||
3 | COOLKILL CHIEF | 5 | GARDEN GLAMOUR | |||||||
2 | MANGANSTOWN MAJOR | 3 | COACH REJECT | |||||||
6 | THE GRAND CHAMPAGNE | 6 | BALLYLENNON LADDIE | |||||||
Heat 5 | Heat 6 | |||||||||
2 | MATCHLOCK | 1 1/4 yds | 29.20 | 4 | RUSHTON MAC | 3/4 yd | 29.09 | 8/11 f | ||
4 | CHANCE ME PADDY | 1 3/4 yds | 29.28 | 33/1 | 5 | SMOKEY CHAMPION | 29.13 | 100/8 | ||
5 | ALTA TANIST | 29.38 | 9/1 | 6 | GULF OF DARIEN | |||||
1 | VERY USEFUL | 1 | FITZ'S MARQUIS | 29.21 | 6/1 | |||||
6 | TITLE ROLE | 3 | ARDSKEAGH VILLE | 29.33 | 50/1 | |||||
3 | CLONEARL LADDIE | 29.74 | 66/1 | 2 | WHIDDY SURPRISE | |||||
Heat 7 | Heat 8 | |||||||||
2 | BARROWSIDE | 3 1/4 yds | 28.82 | 2/5 f | 1 | STEP INSIDE | 28.91 | |||
6 | AGHACOMMON REX | 29.02 | 2 | FLEET ADMIRAL | ||||||
3 | RUSHTON SPOT | 3 | COOLKILL CHIEFTAIN | 29.35 | 5/4 jf | |||||
1 | PANCHO VILLA | 4 | SPRING SWING | |||||||
5 | CLEVER COUNT | 29.44 | 50/1 | 6 | MOYOLA FLASH | 29.87 | 40/1 | |||
4 | BLUE SAND | 5 | THE LUNATIC |
WELSH GREYHOUND DERBY (Cardiff White City)
Winner | Sire | Dam | Time |
Rushton Mac | Rushton News | Rushton Panda | 29.40 |
IRISH GREYHOUND DERBY (Harolds Cross)
Dog | Sire | Dam | Time |
Spanish Battleship | Spanish Chestnut | Ballyseedy Memory | 29.53 |
Crostys Bell | The Grand Champion | Crosty Lady |
For further information email johnwslusar@gmail.com