The 1977 Spillers Greyhound Derby took place during June with the final being held on 25 June 1977 at White City Stadium. The winner was Balliniska Band and the winning owner Raphael Bacci received £17,500. The competition was sponsored by the Spillers.
Final result At White City (over 500 metres): PositionName of GreyhoundBreedingTrapSPTimeTrainer1stBalliniska Band Lively Band - Certral 51-1f29.16+Eddie Moore (Belle Vue)2ndEl Cavalier Mel's Pupil - El Raco 15-129.36Ted Griffin (Private)3rdPat Seamur Tullig Rambler - Dainty Black 45-129.72 Geoff De Mulder (Hall Green) 4thBallybeg Grand The Grand Silver - Ballybeg Lady 316-129.76Tom Chamberlain (Private)5thWestmead Manor Mel's Pupil - Westmead Silver 68-129.86 Natalie Savva (Bletchley)6thSaucy Buck Sole Aim - Limerick Lass 27-129.96 Barbara Tompkins (Perry Barr) + Equalled the track record set by Glen Rock
Distances 2½, 4½, ½, 1¼, 1¼ (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 The 1977 Derby entries included the defending champion Mutts Silver and Westmead Champ. The ante-post favourite was Glen Rock, who had set a new world record for 525 yards and held the White City track record of 29.16 sec in addition to winning the 1976 Irish Puppy Derby.
The qualifying round ended with 96 greyhounds left in the betting. Glen Rock was eliminated in the very first round in a heat won by Pat Seamur. Balliniska Band lost to Westmead Special in round one and Mutts Silver was beaten by Gaily Noble but both progressed. In the second round Greenfield Fox and Westmead Champ both went out but Ger McKenna's leading entry Red Rasper won well as did Balliniska Band. Balliniska Band then won again in the quarter-finals recording 29.24 but Red Rasper was eliminated.
The first semi-final saw Balliniska Band lead out of the traps pursued by El Cavalier, Pat Seamur did well to take third place especially as Balliniska Band equalled the time he had set in the previous round. The second semi ended the hopes of Mutts Silver after he stumbled during the race and finished last behind the victor Westmead Manor, the deposed champion was retired to stud a few days later.
In the final Balliniska Band forced Saucy Buck to check up when going past him, and then he showed good early pace to draw clear. He beat El Cavalier by lengths in a track-record-equalling 29.16 sec. He was owned by Raphael Bacci and trained by Eddie Moore.
Quarter finals
Heat 1PosName SP Time 1stBalliniska Band1-3f29.242ndMercian Fireball10-329.403rdEl Cavalier 20-129.664thStingray 25-129.925thHunday Angina 33-129.986th Shakehands 40-1 30.14
Heat 2PosName SP Time 1stPat Seamur 6-4f29.672ndWestmead Manor 13-229.793rdBallybeg Grand 16-129.834thWestmead Special13-829.975th Heather Rain33-130.036thI'll Make It 4-1 30.06
Heat 3PosName SP Time 1stMutts Silver2-1 29.732ndReddans Walk 40-129.743rdElteen Queen 12-129.824thGaily Noble6-1 29.985thSugarloaf Jessie11-8f 30.026thRemote Control 4-130.20
Heat 4PosName SP Time 1stSilver Trixie 25-129.862ndSaucy Buck7-2 29.872ndIvors Alamo 40-129.874thLinacre6-4 29.935thGlenesk Comet 14-129.976thRed Rasper5-4f 30.00
Semi finals
First Semi-final (Jun 18)PosName of Greyhound SP Time Trainer1st Westmead Manor 5-1 29.66 Savva2nd Ballybeg Grand 16-1 29.76 Chamberlain3rd Saucy Buck 5-2 29.88 Tompkins4th Mercian Fireball 5-2 29.90 Barnett5th Ivors Alamo 20-1 29.98 6th Mutts Silver 2-1f 30.04 Rees
Second Semi-final (Jun 18)PosName of Greyhound SP Time Trainer1st Balliniska Band 4-7f 29.24 Moore2nd El Cavalier 20-1 29.30 Griffin3rd Pat Seamur 7-4 29.46 De Mulder4th Silver Trixie 12-1 29.76 Reilly5th Reddans Walk 12-1 30.02 CurtisN/R Elteen Queen Rees
See also 1977 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
References