HOVE HALL OF FAME
(by Patrick Kelly)

Members of the newly-instituted ‘Hall of Fame’ at Coral Brighton & Hove Stadium were chosen by a panel a couple of weeks ago and the six inductees will enjoy special recognition at tonight’s fixture.

Doreen Walsh, who began a long career in greyhound racing when joining Hove handler Reg Birch in 1952, eventually linked up as head girl to George Curtis in 1967 and she became the first woman trainer in the history of the stadium when taking over a position vacated by the retiring Fred Lugg on New Year’s Day, 1975, and gave fantastic service until her retirement at the end of 2018.

PETER SHOTTON

Peter Shotton, a former Hove racing manager and subsequently appointed as Wembley’s head of greyhound racing in the mid-1980s before returning to his former base as director of Coral stadia, was one of the sport’s most foremost administrators and he created ‘Formbank’ to standardise racing office form.

George Curtis, one of the most revered personalities in greyhound racing history and unquestionably Hove’s most famous trainer since the sport was first staged at the track in 1928, handled such illustrious performers as Glin Bridge, Bonzo, Langford Dacoit, Wired To Moon, Upland Tiger,Yankee Express and Ballyregan Bob.

Glin Bridge, the supreme six-bend champion of his era, won the 1975 Spring Cup (660m, Wimbledon), 1975 Regency (695m, Hove), 1975 Gold Cup (655m, Wembley), 1976 Ladbroke Golden Jacket (660m, Harringay) – he was unbeaten in ‘match’ races versus Streaky Sheila (670m, Hove), Dancing Dolores (640m, Walthamstow), Lizzies Girl (730m, White City) and was solely responsible for a record crowd at Rochester when easily defeating Spats and Burnley in a well-publicised three-cornered event over 650m in a new track record.

GLIN BRIDGE

YANKEE EXPRESS

Yankee Express, a multiple big-race winner, rewrote the history books when winning the Scurry Gold Cup (1982-84) at Slough for three consecutive years, was undisputedly the most successful four-bend greyhound trained by George Curtis on the open-race circuit.

The legendary Ballyregan Bob was part of the greyhound fraternity’s every-day lives in the mid-1980s – an institution, a legend, the greatest performer in the history of the sport – he set a new world record of 32 consecutive wins before the BBC cameras in 1986 when landing the ‘Racing Post World Challenge’ over 695 metres at Hove.

BALLYREGAN BOB

CRAYFORD

PLANE DADDY

PLANE DADDY’ with owner Chris Sliney holds the Grand National trophy flanked by trainer Gemma Davidson and kennelhand Keith Ashton. Pic Steve Nash

One of Crayford’s most successful hurdlers, Plane Daddy won the Grand National at Wimbledon in 2010 and the Champion Hurdle at the same venue in 2011. He was named GBGB Hurdler of the Year in successive years (2010 & 2011).

Trained by Gemma Davidson for leading owner Chris Sliney, Plane Daddy will always hold a special place in the heart of his trainer, given the future star jumper featured in the last litter bred by Gemma’s late father John, a Crayford trainer himself for many years.

“He was the last dog my dad sold to Chris (Sliney) so there was a real emotional attachment too,” says Gemma. “Chris has been a loyal owner to me and my father before me, so it was a great success all-round for our kennel.”

An October 2006 son of Big Daddy Cool and Lordsbury Knows, Plane Daddy made an inauspicious debut at Crayford in an A6 in May 2008, turning in the traps, after which he had to be re-qualified. But those early issues were soon resolved, and he progressed to represent Crayford in all the top hurdles races.

“He only had four races on the flat and didn’t really take to it, although nearly won an S6! However, the hurdles were the making of him – he loved jumping! He won over the sticks at the second time of asking and never looked back. He gave us the best of times in greyhound racing – just a wonderful greyhound.”

POOR SUE

A major star of the open-race scene in the early 1990s, Poor Sue held the record for the most number of wins with a career tally of 77 victories from 157 starts – and was successful at no less than 18 different tracks.

STAN KENNETT & POOR SUE

Trained here by Stan Kennett, a Crayford handler for a decade when joining the track in 1989, Poor Sue was a May 1988 daughter of Aulton Villa and Rhincrew Moth, the dam bought by Kennett for breeding who had won the Puppy Derby.

“Rhincrew Moth was a top-class bitch who I send to Ann Fitzgerald in Youghal for breeding – and had two from the litter,” says Stan. “They were Poor Sue and her sister Poor Annie. Annie was a cracking bitch, too, winning the Ben Truman Stakes at Catford.

“But Sue was the real star – and had a real following, especially at Crayford. In many ways the track didn’t suit her style of running but her class saw her win 11 races here and reach two Ladbrokes Golden Jacket Finals behind Bobs Regan.

“However, we got our revenge in a match race here. Sue beat Bobs quite comfortably in a two-dog match, which gave her more room! A big crowd came down to watch the match and Sue was a popular bitch – they roared her home.

“And were still doing that into the sixth year. She won her final race at Catford – and racked up wins everywhere – she loved Walthamstow. We even travelled to Shawfield, Glasgow, and she beat the locals on their home patch. Happy days.”

PURE PATCHES

PURE PATCHES

One of Crayford’s favourite sons, Pure Patches had the distinction of winning one of greyhound racing’s traditional Classics, the Gold Collar at Catford in 1998 for legendary handler and fellow Hall of Famer, Dink Luckhurst.
Purchased in Ireland by Pat Barrett for owners Michael and Barry Clark he graded S6!

A January 1996 son of Arrigle Buddy and Pure Princess, Pure Patches raced to a brilliant 34.48sec victory in the Gold Collar final to lead home a field which included the 1996 champion Homeside Knight.

But his success at Catford was not the end of the Pure Patches story. He reached the prestigious Greenwich Cup back at Catford the following year before reaching the sport’s pinnacle, the 1999 Greyhound Derby Final at Wimbledon.

However, there was to be an unfortunate twist, as Julie Luckhurst, daughter of trainer Dink, recalls.

“He ran fantastically well during the Derby. He won his second round heat at 14-1, won again in the third round finished second to Chart King, who went on to win it, in the quarter-finals, then won his semi-final,” she says.

“I paraded him in the final – and will never forget it. The atmosphere was amazing. We didn’t expect to win, but unfortunately he broke a hock at the first bend. It was a bittersweet night, but we patched him up and he lived out his days with us.

DINK LUCKHURST

DINK LUCKHURST

One of the original line-up of trainers when the ‘new’ Crayford opened in 1986, ‘Dinky’ is still represented here at the track by daughter Julie. Dink is now 89 and remains a source for advice to Julie when needed.

“Dad is still around the place and keeps an eye on things – and occasionally makes it to the track,” Julie says. “He still has lots of friends at Crayford and goes back to the old track – he first took out his trainer’s licence in 1948! I took over in 2005.”

Dink Luckhurst was leading trainer at Crayford for many years, although two of his best successes came at Catford where he landed two Gold Collars in the space of four years with Pure Patches in 1998 and Haughty Ted in 2001.

Dink also won two Grand Nationals with Breeks Rocket (1988) and Castlelyons Cash (1986), the last-named success coming as a ‘private’ trainer before the new Crayford was built and he rejoined the training ranks here.
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TERRY O’SULLIVAN

Trainer Barry O’Sullivan with dad Terry O’Sullivan
Pic Steve Nash

Another surname synonymous with greyhound racing – especially here at Crayford –  Terry O’Sullivan was a longtime Crayford-based trainer, originally joining the ‘old’ track in 1955.

After a spell at Catford when Crayford closed for redevelopment, Terry returned in  the mid-1990s before his son Barry took over the licence when Terry retired. Barry now trains out of Central Park.

The O’Sullivans’ schooling track at their kennels in Fawkham, Kent, has seen many a canine champion put through his or her paces, with both father and son renowned as leading trainers of hurdlers, especially.

“Dad has schooled many a Springbok and Grand National winner and we’ve trained a few ourselves, too, as well as a Golden Jacket winner!” says Barry. “I learned everything from him and he’s still around the kennels.

“He’s 80 now and has a renewed interest in greyhound racing, guiding his granddaughter Rosie, who works for us. Dad’s been in the sport since a boy  at West Ham, working with his uncle, Paddy Power.

“When he applied and got the job at Crayford he was the youngest trainer in the country.”

PETER BUSSEY

PETER BUSSEY

Peter was ‘Mr Crayford’ for many years. The track’s foreman and head groundsman, electrician and hare controller – and later a home-finder for retired greyhounds – Peter could turn his hand to anything.

He worked at the both the old and new Crayford track, overseeing the redevelopment and rebuilding of a new track and racing surface. He was head groundsman when the old peat track was replaced with sand in the early 1980s.

Peter was known as the groundsman’s groundsman – someone who developed new ways of looking after racing surfaces with the use of tractors, brushes and rakes – a way of working copied by groundsmen at other tracks in the UK.

In later years, Peter was instrumental in setting up the Friends of Crayford Retired Greyhounds (FOCRG), homing hundreds of greyhounds in that time.

Peter sadly died in 2008 but his name lives on here at Crayford with the Peter Bussey Memorial Trophy, a 540m Category Two competition supporting the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket in February