1968 GREYHOUND DERBY

Pos.	Greyhound	Sire	dam	Price	Distances	Time
1	Camira Flash (4)	Prairie Flash	Duet Fire	100/8	1 yd	28.89
2	Witches Smoke (2)	Wonder Valley	Witches Hand	100/7	Neck	28.95
3	El Campo (6)	Swift Wonder	Miss Bentley	13/2	3 yds	28.98
4	Shady Parachute (5)	Crazy Parachute	Shady Contempara	4/6 fav	3 yds	29.16
5	Shady Begonia (1)	Pigalle Wonder	Castle Swan	6/1	Sh Hd	29.34
6	Winning Hope (3)	Solar Prince	Millie Hawthorn	7/2		29.35

The Winner was owned by Mr HRH Duke of Edinburgh

Camira Flash was trained by Randy Singleton at the White City, London

Witches Smoke was trained by Phil Rees snr at Wimbledon

El Campo was trained privately by Jim Irving

Shady Parachute was trained by Phil Rees snr at Wimbledon

Shady Begonia was trained by Norman Oliver at Brough Park

Winning Hope was trained by Paddy Keane at Clapton

			Slaney Record
		Hi There
			Dublin Red
	Prairie Flash
			The Grand Champion
		Prairie Peg
			Prairie Vixen
CAMIRA FLASH
			Champion Prince
		Duet Leader
			Derryluskin Lady
	Duet Fire
			Keep Moving
		Quare Fire Again
			Quare Fire

derby 1967a.JPG (190068 bytes)

THE FINAL

It was not surprising that the unbeaten Shady Parachute, from the 5 box, was made the 4/6 favourite. Winning Hope, previously trounced by Shady in the semi final, was second favourite at 7/2, while the ideally drawn inside runner Shady Begonia went off as third choice at 6/1. What was amazing was that the poorly drawn trap 4 runner, Camira Flash left behind his slow starts of previous rounds and led at the first bend from the well drawn El Campo on the outside. El Campo challenged throughout and was particularly threatening around the final two bends, but Camira was not to be denied and ran on strongly to win by just over a length in 28.89. It was left to Witche's Smoke to claim second spot just a neck in front of El Campo, while the disappointing Shady Parachute could do no better than fourth, a further 3 lengths away.

As a footnote to his victory, Camira Flash earned in excess of £8000 in prize money during his career, and made at least the same amount again in stud fees.

Controversy was the order of the day after the semi final exit of Camira Flash. John Donald, a lifelong greyhound racing enthusiast who lived on the White City Estate at the time and felt as if the White City was his second home, rightly questions whether Camira Flash should have been allowed back into the Derby after his fourth place elimination, and whether it had anything to do with his association with Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. In the second semi final Camira Flash started slowly, along with Withche's Smoke and El Campo. However, the early leader Not Flashing caused crowding at the third bend and, in the opinion of the judges, had fought and caused sufficient mayhem to enable Withche's Smoke to power home on the outside by 2 lengths from El Campo,the 2/1 favourite and trap 6 runner, with Not Flashing in third. Immediately the buzz around the stands was that Not Flashing should be disqualified, but even when this decision had been made there was then a second decision as to whether it should become a 5 dog final or Camira Flash (9/4) be promoted into the final. In a less eventful first semi final the 11/10 unbeaten Shady Parachute was fast away to lead throughout and win by 5 lengths in an impressive 28.62.

Not Flashing was disqualified for fighting and placed last. Controversially, Camira Flash, owned by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was allowed to take his place in the final.

Early discussion of potential winners centred on the Duke of Edinburgh owned Camira Flash and the John Bassett trained Yellow Printer. Prince Philip had accepted the predominantly white dog, Camira Flash, on behalf of the 'Water Rats Club of Great Britain' in the knowledge that any winnings would be donated to his Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. The dog was trained by Randy Singleton from the GRA Hook kennels at Northaw, near Potters Bar. The competition nearly got off to a sensational start when Yellow Printer was beaten in the first round and only just survived by taking the final qualifying place. No such worries for supporters of Camira Flash, who finished strongly to beat Not Flashing after his customary tardy start, or for another well fancied runner El Campo who also won his first round heat. By the time the second round was under way the previously lucky Yellow Printer found that his luck had run out and he was eliminated after failing to finish.

SEMI-FINALS Saturday 15th June 1968
Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP	Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP
4	WITCHE'S SMOKE	29.12	2	8/1	6	SHADY PARACHUTE	28.62	5	11/10 f
6	EL CAMPO	29.24	Neck	2/1 f	4	WINNING HOPE	28.92	3/4	5/2
3	NOT FLASHING	29.26	Sh Hd	7/1	3	SHADY BEGONIA	28.96	Sh Hd	5/1
2	CAMIRA FLASH	29.27	1 1/2	9/4	2	CASTLE FAME	28.97	1 1/2	100/6
1	SUNSET JOE	29.36	1 1/2	4/1	5	SUPER KID	29.06	2 1/2	100/6
5	LAMBETH WALK	29.45		20/1	1	DICK'S DILEMMA	29.21		20/1

Second Round Thursday 13th June 1968
Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP	Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP
1	WINNING HOPE	28.56	4	11/10 f	2	SUPER KID	28.89	1 1/2	25/1
2	WITCHE'S SMOKE	28.80	2 1/4	9/2	4	EL CAMPO	28.98	2	13/2
6	CASTLE FAME	28.94	3 1/4	100/6	6	CAMIRA FLASH	29.10	3	11/4
5	PARK CHIEFTAIN	29.14	1	25/1	1	K P WONDER	29.28	Head	100/7
4	BILL THE BLACK	29.20	1	11/2	5	BREACHS BEN	29.30	DNF	25/1
3	SWIFT HALF	29.26		4/1	3	YELLOW PRINTER	DNF		4/5 f

Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP	Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP
6	SUNSET JOE	28.82	5 1/4	6/1	4	SHADY PARACHUTE	28.90	1	11/10 f
1	LAMBETH WALK	29.14	2 1/4	8/1	1	NOT FLASHING	28.96	D-Heat	4/1
4	DICK'S DILEMMA	29.28	1/2	100/7	2	SHADY BEGONIA	28.96	1 1/2	6/1
5	LIMITS CRACKERS	29.31	2	6/1	6	MUCH VENTURE	29.05	Sh Hd	8/1
3	HI HO SILVER	29.43	3	7/2	5	WITCHEN	29.06	3 1/4	10/1
2	AS YOU WISH	29.61		Evens f	3	BALLYNEALE KIM	29.26		6/1

First Round Saturday 8th June 1968
Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP	Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP
6	SWIFT HALF	28.89	4	7/2	3	EL CAMPO	28.76	4 1/4	10/1
1	DICK'S DILEMMA	29.13	Neck	10/1	2	WINNING HOPE	29.02	2	9/4 f
5	WITCHE'S SMOKE	29.16	Neck	2/1 f	6	SUPER KID	29.14	2	13/2
2	OUTCAST MAD	29.19	2 3/4	5/2	1	LISSADELL HI	29.26	2 3/4	5/2
4	IVERAGH HEATHER	29.35	4 1/4	8/1	5	HI MOMENTS	29.42	1 3/4	5/2
3	PUBLIC REPLY	29.61		100/6	4	TOWN TAMER	29.52		25/1

Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP	Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP
4	CAMIRA FLASH	28.86	1/2	6/4 f	2	WITCHEN	28.97	2 1/2	100/8
1	NOT FLASHING	28.89	2 1/2	20/1	6	BALLYNEALE KIM	29.12	3 1/4	13/8 f
5	LIMITS CRACKERS	29.04	Sh Hd	6/1	5	LAMBETH WALK	29.32	Neck	9/1
6	RED MARINE	29.05	2	3/1	1	IWASTHINKING	29.34	5 3/4	6/1
2	WHITELEAS GIFT	29.17	2 3/4	7/2	4	BREACHS BILL	29.68	1 1/2	11/2
3	BLONDIE CON	29.33		20/1	3	GROWING WILD	29.77		5/2

Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP	Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP
3	K P WONDER	29.04	4	7/2	2	HI HO SILVER	29.14	2 3/4	4/1
5	SHADY BEGONIA	29.28	Head	3/1 jf	3	BREACHS BAN	29.30	1 1/4	4/1
4	PARK CHIEFTAIN	29.30	4	8/1	5	CASTLE FAME	29.32	Neck	7/1
2	FLYING BAUHUS	29.54	1/2	7/1	6	KILDANGAN BOB	29.34	3/4	5/1
1	RAPID EXIT	29.57	Head	3/1 jf	4	ARDRALLA WONDER	29.38	1/2	5/1
6	SOME CHEATHA	29.59		11/2	1	BEAVERWOOD WIND	29.41		9/4 f

Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP	Trap	Dog	Time	Dist.	SP
3	SUNSET JOE	28.90	1 1/2	20/1	2	SHADY PARACHUTE	28.90	1 1/4	Evens f
6	AS YOU WISH	28.99	Sh Hd	9/2	3	MUCH VENTURE	28.98	1/2	100/8
2	YELLOW PRINTER	29.00	4 1/2	2/5 f	5	BILL THE BLACK	29.01	1	7/1
1	GREENANE ROBIN	29.27	3 1/4	33/1	4	FILIPINO	29.07	3	8/1
4	DASHING MINK	29.47	6	100/7	6	SHANES ROCKET	29.25	1 1/4	3/1
5	ANY STORM	29.83		100/6	1	NOBLE NAME	29.33		5/1

Winner	Sire	Dam	Time
Swift Half	Hack Up Chieftan	Imperial Astra	29.58

Dog	Sire	Dam	Time
Yellow Printer	Printer's Prince	Yellow Streak	29.11
Russian Gun	Pigalle Wonder	Shandaroba