1929 was an unusual year for greyhound racing because the boom experienced during the two previous years suddenly slowed. The total annual attendance across the country for 1929 increased slightly to 15,855,162 from 13,695,275. Prize money was cut and the construction of new greyhound tracks had slowed down dramatically. The fledgling industry had seemingly reached a peak but the arrival of Mick the Miller from Ireland was about to make greyhound racing the nation's pastime. The public flocked in their tens of thousands to watch the first star of greyhound racing; he had arrived from Ireland with eleven wins from fifteen including winning the Spring Cup and National Cup at Shelbourne Park. The £10 entry fee was sent to London after the National Cup so that he could travel over for the 1929 English Greyhound Derby. Mick the Miller broke the 30 second barrier for 525 yards recording 29.82 in first round qualifying that led to his owner Father Martin Brophy auctioning his star on the terrace steps. He sold to a London Bookmaker Albert Williams for 800 guineas. It was huge amount of money in 1929 and was well documented in the evening newspapers. The bid beat off an attempt by Wimbledon deputy chairman Arundel Kempton to buy the brindle dog. Mick the Miller went on to win the Derby and would take up residence at the Burhill kennels of Sidney Orton when in December Arundel Kempton finally got his dog, he purchased Mick the Miller for an incredible £2,000 as a present to his wife.
Tracks
was opened on 21 June, a local businessman Archer Leggett and his brother in law put down £400 to equip a small piece of land near the Crown Hotel in London Road. Privately owned greyhounds would race around a track chasing a hare powered by an old Ford car engine. It was one of four independent tracks to open, another one was Crooked Billet, the precursor of Walthamstow Stadium. Southampton was purchased by the Hampshire Greyhound Racing Syndicate from the Southampton Greyhound Racing Company but Charles Knott retained control. Blackpool decided to take independent status on 29 July and two new tracks Mansfield and Doncaster were both banned from the NGRC after a breach of the rules of racing and the refusal to comply with the NGRC stewards. The Southend-On-Sea syndicate of Shand, Wilson and Bilsland moved their entire operation, greyhounds included by train to take over Stanley in Liverpool. Stanley was sold to the Electric Hare Company by the GRA and prospered.
News
Wimbledon introduced weighing scales at their kennels so that the racing public could be issued with the greyhounds weights before racing. Wimbledon would be at the forefront of experimentation and enterprise. Trainer Harry Leader left the track to return to Ireland and was replaced by Sidney Orton. A greyhound called Idle Chief won 16 consecutive races at Slough.
Competitions
After the Derby, Mick the Miller went for the International and duly won the event before taking on Welsh dog Back Isle in two match races. Mick the Miller lost to Back Isle in the race at White City Stadium, Cardiff but gained revenge a week later at Wimbledon. Back Isle also claimed the Welsh Greyhound Derby and in the Grand National competition Levator trained by Bob Burls at Wembley won the final by no less than 12 lengths. The win was Levator's 13th win from 29 races but he died shortly afterwards following a tragic kennel fight. The leading bitch in racing, Bradshaw Fold, was unlucky when finishing runner up in both the Oaks and Cesarewitch. Two new events were introduced, both for puppies. They were The Puppy Derby at Wimbledon and the Trafalgar Cup at Wembley. The first running of both competitions ended with So Green trained by Jim Syder taking the honours. The St Leger provided a bizarre incident, in the first semi-final the Paddy McEllistrim pair of Loughnagare and Sonnie Hale qualified for the final and awaited opposition. The second semi-final started with Fleeting Fashion disqualified for interference and a re-run was ordered. The re-run then saw Starman disqualified leaving Keen Goer and Ham Sandwich with places in the final without having to qualify.
