The 1982 Spillers Greyhound Derby took place during May and June with the final being held on 26 June 1982 at White City Stadium. The winner was Lauries Panther and the winning owner Laurie James received £25,000. The competition was sponsored by the Spillers for the final time.
Final result At White City (over 500 metres): PositionName of GreyhoundBreedingTrapSPTimeTrainer1stLauries Panther Shamrock Sailor - Lady Lucey 16-4f29.60Terry Duggan (Romford)2ndSpecial Account Westmead County - Ka Boom 47-229.64 Natalie Savva (Milton Keynes)3rdDuke of Hazard Instant Gambler - All Brown 59-229.66John Coleman (Wembley)4thSupreme Tiger Knockrour Tiger - Rising Tide 33-129.74 Matt O'Donnell (Ireland)5thPineapple Barrow Ballyard Band - Pineapple Grand 616-129.78Michael Compton (Cradley Heath)6thKillimy Ivy Ivy Hall Solo - Corrigeen Echo 214-100.00 Matt O'Donnell (Ireland)
Distances ½, head, 1, ½, dis (lengths) The distances between the greyhounds are in finishing order and shown in lengths. One length is equal to 0.08 of one second.
Competition Report Parkdown Jet returned in an attempt to defend his title and claim a third consecutive win for Ireland. The British challenge was led by a record £50,000 purchase called Long Spell bought by turkey farmers Ray and Eddie Turner from Irish Breeder Pat Dalton. Ante-post favourite Brief Candle from the Midlands kennels of Paddy Hancox and Laurels champion Lauries Panther were two other leading contenders.
In a qualifying round Lauries Panther defeated Night Miller and set a new track record with 27.72 sec. Supreme Tiger and Fearless Mover went fastest in the first round held on two separate nights but both Brief Candle and Long Spell were eliminated. Geoff De Mulder's Fearless Mover went fastest again in the second round whilst Parkdown Jet and Lauries Panther both remained unbeaten. During the quarter-finals Parkdown Jet qualified by just missing a first bend incident and Lauries Panther won another crowded race that resulted in Fearless Mover and 1981 English Greyhound Derby finalist Clohast Flame both being eliminated.
The first semifinal resulted in a very unusual situation after a dead-heat for third place, and it was left to a toss of a coin to determine who made the final. Luck was with Pineapple Barrow and not Jims Memory (trained by Louis Solomon) who had to be content with standing as reserve for the final. The race had been won by Lauries Panther who still remained unbeaten from Duke of Hazard. The second semi was won by Puppy Derby champion Special Account from Supreme Tiger and Killimy Ivy in a race that saw the defending champion Parkdown Jet finish lame.
In the final Supreme Tiger made the best start but was pursued by Lauries Panther at the first bend who then bumped and knocked over Killimy Ivy with Special Account hampered in the process. Supreme Tiger led until the third bend when Lauries Panther then took the lead and held off a strong finishes by Special Account and Duke of Hazard. Laurie James from Romford had turned down an offer of £70,000 on the day of the final for Lauries Panther.
Quarter-finals
Heat 1 (June 17)PosName SP Time 1st Crickets Style 10-129.722nd Special Account 4-129.763rd Pineapple Barrow 7-4f29.804th Gibilisco 10-130.125th Westpark Goldie 5-130.666th Tully Prancer 9-4 00.00
Heat 2 (June 17)PosName SP Time 1st Lauries Panther 9-4 29.452nd Killimy Ivy 25-1 29.553rd Supreme Tiger 3-129.634th Fearless Mover 1-1f 29.715th Clohast Flame 20-129.816th Yellow Cowboy 33-1 29.97
Heat 3 (June 17)PosName SP Time 1st Duke of Hazard 9-4 29.932nd Cannondale 5-1 30.093rd Parkdwon Jet 11-10f 30.194th Smart Apprentice 20-1 30.205th Knockrour Rocket 5-1 30.326th The Mill Prince 14-1 30.34
Heat 4 (June 17)PosName SP Time 1st Huberts Shade 3-130.152nd Jims Memory 8-1 30.273rd Kiel Protected 3-130.354th Antoinettes Lil 12-1 30.395th Peruvian Queen 4-1 30.876th Crossleigh Fir 7-4f 00.00
Semifinals
First Semifinal (Jun 19) PosName of Greyhound SP Time Trainer1st Lauries Panther 4-7f 29.55 Duggan2nd Duke of Hazard 4-1 29.73 Coleman3rd+ Pineapple Barrow 11-2 29.91 Compton3rd+ Jims Memory 25-1 29.91 Solomon5th Cannondale 10-1 30.09 Cox6th Crickets Style 14-1 30.11 Holloway
Second Semifinal (Jun 19) PosName of Greyhound SP Time Trainer1st Special Account 14-1 29.30 Savva2nd Supreme Tiger 11-4 29.34 O'Donnell3rd Killimy Ivy 2-1 29.54 O'Donnell4th Huberts Shade 12-1 29.64 Jackson5th Parkdown Jet 7-4f 29.66 McKenna6th Kiel Protected 12-1 29.76 Jackson
+ Final qualifying place decided by toss of coin
See also 1982 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
References