Ballyregan Bob (12 May 1983 to 3 April 1994) was a racing greyhound who, along with Mick the Miller and Scurlogue Champ, is one of the most revered racing hounds in British greyhound racing.[2][3][4][5]

Ballyregan Bob
Ballyregan Bob at Oxford Stadium
SireBallyheigue Moon
DamEvening Daisy
SexDog
Whelped12 May 1983
Died3 April 1994 (aged 10)[1]
ColorBrindle
BreederRobert Cunningham
OwnerKevern family
TrainerGeorge Curtis (Brighton)
Record
World record holder (32 consecutive victories)
Other awards
1985 Greyhound of the Year
1986 Greyhound of the Year

Ballyregan Bob was a brindle dog and was whelped in May 1983. Trained by George Curtis he would become world famous for breaking the world record for consecutive race wins.[3]

Racing career

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In 1985 Ballyregan Bob won three major events, the Olympic at home track Brighton, the Test at Walthamstow and the Essex Vase at Romford. Whilst winning these events he remained unbeaten and was on his way to setting the world record. He also qualified for the final of the classic race the St Leger at Wembley but was a non runner in the final.

Wins and track records continued to come his way in 1986 until on 9 December he lined up for the Racing Post Challenge at Brighton and duly broke the world record held by American greyhound Joe Dump by winning his 32nd consecutive race.[6][3]

Retirement and death

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After retirement Bob was put to stud and sired many litters. In 1990 he returned from the United States where he had undertaken stud duties and was sent to Germany where he stood with breeder Franz Joseph Gillett, before eventually returning to Britain.[7]

Ballyregan Bob has the unique distinction of being the only dog ever nominated as Guest of Honour at the commissioning of Royal Navy patrol boat HMS Pursuer - an accolade awarded because of the depiction of a greyhound in the ship's badge.

After his death of old age in 1994, the greyhound was exhibited in the Natural History Museum at Tring along with Mick the Miller.

World record

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Date
1985
Distance
(metres)
Venue Starting Price Trap Win distance (lengths) Time Race
May 9 515 Hove 4-11 6 3 ¾ 29.63 Olympic Heats
May 11 515 Hove 2-9 6 4 ¼ 29.67 Olympic Semi Finals
May 16 515 Hove 2-5 4 1 ½ 30.04 Olympic Final
May 28 640 Walthamstow 1-4 6 9 ½ 39.40 TR Test Heats
June 4 640 Walthamstow 1-3 4 13 39.92 Test Semi Finals
June 11 640 Walthamstow 1-4 3 9 ¾ 39.59 Test Final
June 22 660 Wimbledon 1-4 6 12 40.43 Derby Final Night Stayers
July 2 575 Romford 4-11 5 Shd 35.48 Essex Vase Heats
July 6 575 Romford 4-7 4 11 ½ 35.21 Essex Vase Semi Finals
July 9 575 Romford 1-2 5 2 ¼ 35.15 =TR [8] Essex Vase Final
Aug 19 655 Wembley 4-9 5 3 ¾ 40.15 St Leger First Round
Aug 23 655 Wembley 1-3 5 8 39.46 TR St Leger Second Round
Aug 26 655 Wembley 4-9 5 1 40.56 St Leger Semi Finals
Nov 2 695 Hove 1-8 5 14 ¾ 41.13 TR Open
Nov 9 680 Nottingham 1-4 5 6 ¼ 41.87 TR Open
Nov 16 683 Hackney 1-6 5 8 42.24 TR Open
Nov 23 660 Wimbledon 1-6 6 7 ½ 40.35 TR Open
Nov 30 715 Sheffield 1-7 6 20 44.41 Open
Dec 6 688 Harringay 2-7 6 14 41.94 TR Open
Dec 12 710 Wembley 4-9 4 11 ¾ 42.63 TR John Power Showdown
Dec 21 740 Hove 3-10 5 9 44.65 Invitation
Date
1986
Distance
(metres)
Venue Starting Price Trap Win distance (lengths) Time Race
Mar 22 695 Hove None 5 11 ¾ 42.21 Open
Apr 2 655 Wembley 1-8 5 9 ½ 39.57 Trainers Championship
Apr 10 680 Nottingham 1-7 5 3 41.99 Open
Apr 19 660 Wimbledon 1-9 5 13 ¾ 40.15 TR Open
Apr 26 650 Powderhall 1-10 5 14 ¼ 39.60 TR Open
May 8 670 Brough Park 1-9 5 15 41.15 TR Open
May 17 660 Wimbledon 1-5 5 5 ¾ 40.23 Racing Post International
Nov 13 695 Hove 1-5 6 9 42.36 S1 Graded
Nov 21 688 Harringay 1-7 4 10 ½ 42.00 Open
Nov 28 688 Harringay 1-10 5 16 41.74 TR Open
Dec 9 695 Hove 1-4 6 9 ¼ 42.04 TR Racing Post Challenge

Pedigree

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Lively Band
Yellow Band
Monalee Peg
Ballyheigue Moon
Newdown Heather
Heather Suzie
Suzie Gaye
Ballyregan Bob
Monalee Champion
Here Sonny
Handbag
Evening Daisy
Spectre
Airdrie Hill
Yurituni

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "REMEMBER WHEN: APRIL". Greyhound Star. greyhoundstar.co.uk. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  2. ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  3. ^ a b c Racing Post Greyhound Year, pages 38-40. Racing Post. 1986. ISBN 0-9512081-0-1.
  4. ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, pages 399-401. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  5. ^ Montague, Trevor (2004). A-Z of Sport, page 378. Little, Brown. ISBN 0-316-72645-1.
  6. ^ "Ballyregan Bob profile". Greyhound Data. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1990) November edition". Greyhound Star. 2018.
  8. ^ "Remember When July". Greyhound Star. 28 July 2019.