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BALLYREGAN BOB


Guest HAWKEYE

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Guest trev

48 races, 42 wins, 32 consecutive and six losses.

He held sixteen track records and won dog of the year in 85/86.

He was by Ballyheigue Moon x Evening Daisy and was bred in ballyregan in limerick by Bob Cunningham.

He was trained by the legendary George Curtis and will probably remain one of the best rememberd dogs of all times.

He packed the stadiums out were ever he went and is the dog that has greyhound racing were it is today.

 

Heres an extract the sums him up.

 

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Ballyregan Bob was top dog?

 

Lee Honeyball

Sunday January 18, 2004

 

Among the alsatians and poodles in the household dogs section at the Walter Rothschild Museum in Tring stands Mick the Miller, the world's most famous greyhound. Should you leave then you will have missed the greatest greyhound of them all, because ears pricked a few feet to the left of Mick is Ballyregan Bob, who remains as close to perfection as any greyhound has ever been.

Born in 1983 and blessed with a devastating combination of pace and stamina, Ballyregan Bob was so superior to his contemporaries - Scurlogue Champ aside - that in human terms he was the equivalent of Ed Moses or Michael Johnson. In simple terms, if he turned up, he won. And such was his freakish ability that he was barely extended to do so; his victories came easily.

 

As Ballyregan Bob was paraded at his local track in Hove, on 9 December 1986, just minutes before the final race of his career, he stood on the brink of a world record. He had won his past 31 races - a total that brought him level with the champion American greyhound of the late Seventies, Joe Dump. Ballyregan Bob was on offer at a miserly 1-4 to break the record. But then having your money on him was almost as safe as putting it in a bank. After surprisingly meeting defeat in the first four races of his life, Ballyregan Bob had gone on to win 41 of his next 43 races, breaking 15 track records in the process. In all of those races he was never handed odds greater than 4-9. 'He is the fastest I have ever seen,' said his trainer, George Curtis, on the day of his record-breaking attempt. 'Only bad luck can beat him. No other dog will.'

 

On the final evening of Bob's career, the race was at his mercy; only the Irish raider Low Sail was expected to offer any competition.

 

At 9.19pm the traps flew open for the 695-metre race. From his favoured wide position in the black and white striped No6 jacket, Ballyregan Bob was away slowly but lay third going into the first bend. There, Low Sail's race effectively ended after he was badly hampered.

 

The crowd cheered as Ballyregan Bob cruised into second behind Queens Comet, who had taken an early lead. But by the fourth bend Ballyregan Bob had collared her and from there the record was never in doubt. He merely extended his stride and powerfully surged clear to cross the wire nine-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Swift Breeze in second.

 

The victory was as routine as the 31 that preceded it. 'I have never before witnessed an occasion like tonight,' an emotional Curtis said afterwards. 'I am fortunate to have had a dog like Bob. I doubt that we will see his like ever again.'

 

The record-breaker was, as usual, taking everything in his stride. A midnight snack of raw horse meat and rusks was followed later by a walk and a hearty breakfast of egg, milk and cornflakes.

 

That morning Ballyregan Bob set about his new career, at stud. His first appointment, with Jaunty Countess, was at 10am.

 

'Bobby did it and did it well,' Curtis said, following the happy consummation. He may be a less famous greyhound than the great Mick the Miller, but he is definitely no Sideshow Bob.

 

 

ballyreganbob.jpg

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i can still remember watching him run on granstand on a tuesday night the a dog like him comes along as much has haley's comet , there will never be another in our life time of his calliber

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Traps is alright, I would class him as a freind, a little ecentric for want of a better word but he is a good guy.

He has gone out of his way to help me on many occasions, he put me in contact with the Legendary George curtis, we spoke about dogs, his life and a huge part in mine.

 

His words to me were, take things as they come and remember your only as good as the dogs in your kennell, i didnt make Bob he made me. <_<

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is traps still living at hull, when me and ian had a ride down i found REALLY ECCENTRIC lol but a lovely guy apart from his dog wanting to shagg ian and he was loving it aswell :11: .

i might give him a knock when i pass next time

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Guest Uncle Fester
<_<  <_<  He sure was Stabs and traps being the gentleman that he is, put me in contact with george and what a pleasure it was to speak the man in person.

 

:11: :11: :11: has he heard of you :11: :11: :11: :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

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