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Dennis, left, with his son, Jim, and Noble Santa who had just taken first place at the Pride of the Midlands Race in Wolverhampton in 1970, winning a canteen of cutlery

The last night of racing at Derby Greyhound Stadium

Dennis Bentley, left, is presented with a cup won by his greyhound, Home Grown, at Newcastle

The entrance gate to the former Derby Greyhound Stadium

Dennis Bentley wearing his naval uniform during the war

Greyhound racing became a way of life for Dennis Bentley, of Spondon, who has been the proud owner of several winners in his time and provided them all with a comfortable retirement home when their racing days were over. Here Dennis recalls his days at Derby Greyhound Stadium and some of the characters he came across there.

My first venture into greyhound racing began with the purchase of a two-month-old pup while on home leave from the navy.

I sent off the official documents for registering and naming my new charge.

My first choice of name was Merchant Navy. However, this name was already registered, so I had to settle for my second choice, which was Merchant Marine.

I had enlisted in the Merchant Navy when I was 16 years old; thus my desire for a naval title. I returned to my ship and, sadly, while I was at sea, my greyhound died.

Whenever my ships docked in Liverpool, I always tried to travel to Derby, if only for a few hours, to attend the dog races. Most of the year, the meetings were afternoon venues as, due to wartime blackout restrictions, race meetings had to take place during daylight hours.

By a strange quirk of fate, one such meeting on a Saturday afternoon probably saved my life.

On that particular Saturday, I arrived at Derby Station at 2.15pm, crossed the road and caught the No 22 bus to Ashbourne Road, which got me to Vernon Street for 2.30pm. Against my better judgement, I stayed for the last race after 5pm. Any hope of arriving back in Liverpool that night had gone.

In those days, merchant seamen reported to the Merchant Navy Pool Office every day until you were assigned to your next ship. On the Saturday in question, I had been told to report with gear ready for sea on Sunday morning.

My journey back to Liverpool necessitated travelling via Birmingham and Crewe, which led to me literally missing the boat. I arrived at the docks early on Sunday morning to be informed by security that my ship had sailed to join the convoy outside Liverpool harbour.

I made my way back to the Seamen’s Mission for the day, mulling over the fate that probably awaited me when I reported to the Merchant Navy Pool Office the next day regarding my misdemeanour. Missing a ship in those days was a very serious matter and usually meant a custodial sentence, unless a very good excuse was proffered.

I weathered the storm but needless to say I made no mention of the part Derby Greyhound Stadium played in the saga.

Within a couple of days, I was assigned to another ship. A little time later, I heard that the ship I should have joined had been sunk.

When I eventually returned to civvy street life, my brother and I became regular visitors to the dogs. I don’t think we ever missed a meeting.

Tracks at that time were only allowed to hold two meetings a week, with, I believe, one extra meeting on Boxing Day. Derby stadium opted for Wednesday and Saturday meetings.

A few years later, I had enough cash to go to Hackney Greyhound sales and brought back my purchase to Derby – a grand little dog called Dangerous. He made his debut at the stadium a fortnight later and recouped his purchase price in his first race at the track. He won many races for me and turned out to be a public favourite.

I then decided to go one step further and purchased Home Grown, a winner of the all-England cup and many other open races throughout the country.

Unfortunately, he ended up with a broken hock so I took him home to a well earned retirement and stud duties.

After a couple of years, he appeared to be experiencing some pain in a foreleg, so I took him to the most highly regarded veterinary surgeon in the country – Paddy Sweeney, of Rugby.

After an x-ray, he decided to amputate the leg at once. The operation was a success, but Home Crown died due to shock the following day.

My son and I then acquired Noble Santa, who was probably one of the fastest greyhounds in the Midlands.

While kenneled with trainer Ken Davies, at Derby, he recorded the fastest time by a resident greyhound in an open race at the track and his record stood until the closure of the stadium.

Derby Stadium had three blocks of kennels in the complex, each one supervised by one of three trainers. Noble Santa was trained and lived with Ken.

Later, after he moved on to trainer Colin McNally at Perry Barr Stadium, Birmingham, Noble Santa won six consecutive open races at Hall Green. He also ran with great distinction in the Pall Mall at Harringay, winning his heat, the semi-final and was only beaten in the final.

Noble Santa also won many more opens, including the Pride of the Midlands’ heat and final; plus he ran a close second in the same final a year later.

Better known to friends and punters at Vernon Street were some of my other greyhounds, trained there by Ken Davies and Paddy Murphy, namely Dangerous, Black Thomas, No Shop, Anglo Vision, Waggies Equal, Repeat Duchess, Tug Mark, Tug Lorraine and Another Grand, who was the son of Home Grown, owned by my son and his friend.

Noble Santa was held in high regard by the management and prior to the closure of the stadium, an open race named The Noble Santa stakes was on the race card, with other star runners of the past, as tribute to their memory.

My last two greyhounds, Spondon Cleo and Lakeview Dolly, having run with distinction at Perry Barr, died at home with me a couple of years ago. Their ashes were scattered on the lawn which they had enjoyed playing on in their retirement.

I have no dogs now but still have many wonderful happy memories of that era.

The characters and dog owners I recall from my days at Derby Stadium include Connie Hadfield, of Hadfield Dairies (Gallowshill Rambler); Billy Thrupp, the fruiterer (Sir Ken); Tommy Pratt, the coal merchant (Sleet Rain) etc; The Limberts (Elton Johnny and Elton Jimmy); Dr Shortt (Tame Printer and Scrapeaway Boy); Geo Stevenson, the butcher (Portland Peak); and the Dickensons from Shardlow farm, who had too many dogs to mention.

Other great characters who frequented the stadium were Bread and Jam (Sam); the Derby Evening Telegraph seller from the bus station who looked remarkably like Arthur Askey; Tommy Kelly, the well-known Derby boxer; Ray (Shake the bottle) Barker; and former Derby County player Tommy Powell Senior.

Arthur Kiely gave my dogs some good write-ups in his Evening Telegraph column when he was Vernon.

All the greyhounds I owned enjoyed a happy retirement after their racing life was over. At one time I had 14 at home and, thanks to my partner Evelyn, we somehow managed.

Evelyn, who passed away in 1979, attended Derby Greyhound Stadium as often as possible and really loved the dogs. On a Sunday, which was visiting day at the stadium she would spend many hours there walking the dogs and making a fuss of them.

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County:  Derbyshire

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