The History of the Gabba Greyhound Racing Club

29th August 2005

Openly laughed at by many as being doomed to failure, no night greyhound racing had been run in Brisbane since 1928, when greyhounds raced under gas lights. The 1928 Gabba meetings were subjected to strict government regulations and no bookmakers or betting was allowed. Up to 20 races were run on a program with prizemoney ranging from 2 pounds ($4) to 5 pounds ($10) for feature events. The meetings featured greyhounds chasing a mechanical lure known as a tin hare. Novelty events such as hurdle races, with monkeys being used as jockeys, were put on for crowd entertainment. However the lack of betting meant the concept was doomed to failure. Of that demise one publication later wrote, “No doubt the vested interest was too strong (thoroughbreds) and was able to persuade the government not to encourage the sport”.

The modern day Gabba Greyhound Racing Club was formed on March 17, 1971. A Brisbane Alderman, Clem Jones was the inaugural President of the Club. In later years, Clem Jones would write himself into the history books by becoming the longest serving Lord Mayor of Brisbane.

The first Secretary/Manager of the Gabba Greyhound Racing Club was John Hicks. He had resigned his employment as press secretary to the Deputy Premier, Sir Gordon Chalk, to take up his Gabba position. John Hicks continued in his role for over a decade of Gabba operations – leaving in 1982 to manage a suburban TAB in Brisbane at Coorparoo for two years. He then spent the following six years as Chief Executive of the Queensland Harness Racing Board.

On April 6, 1972 the first race meeting – consisting of nine races – was held, but controversy dogged the project in the run up to the Gabba opening. Crowds of up to 6,500 came to see the trials. On two separate occasions “saboteurs” tried to disrupt proceedings at the $1.2 million greyhound racing complex, by cutting the rope that ran the lure. A Brisbane daily newspaper of the time – the Telegraph – reported on 24.3.72 that the President, Alderman Clem Jones, ordered “police patrols and caretakers with watchdogs to stand guard over the track at night”.

Now with beefed up security in place the unbridled success of opening night shocked even the club’s administrators. A huge crowd of 11,500 turned up and the restaurant with a seating capacity of 400 was booked out. It was standing room only and huge crowds became the order of the day.

The first race run at the Gabba was called the Sir Gordon Chalk Opening Stake after the man who had cut a ribbon at the winning post to officially open the track. The race was won by Jafferine (black bitch Benjamin John – Tamerina) in 33.42 for trainer G.S.(Stan) Cleverley. When Irish Korina won Race 8 on the same program, it gave Stan Cleverley a double on the evening.

John Hicks told me recently “42 bookmakers attended opening night. Of those 42 we invited 4 from interstate. Sydney bookmaker Bill Waterhouse was invited and came”. (Bill Waterhouse would in later life become embroiled in the Fine Cotton ring-in at Eagle Farm on August 18, 1984). John continued by saying “we had 36 bookmakers here for at least 6 years and when I left in 1982, we were down to 24”.

Upon the resignation of John Hicks in 1982, Ken Norquay took on the role of Secretary/Manager until 1986 when inaugural course broadcaster Mick Cox returned as Secretary/Manager. Mick passed the baton to Bob Lambert who was with the Gabba club until closing night and then Bob stayed on at the new Albion Park headquarters – in the same role – until his resignation in 2002.

Mick Cox had been the popular race caller at the Gabba from opening night and his race calls were broadcast live to Brisbane radio station 4BK. His signature statement in his race calls of “wouldn’t beat my German Shepherd” – to describe a short priced favourite going nowhere in the run – was a sure death knell to punter’s hopes of that greyhound’s chances.

The Gabba Greyhound Race Club was a pioneer in introducing many new ideas to the racing industry. Other race clubs – across the three codes – later followed suit. They were the first race club in Australia to trial free admission. They bucked the national trend by allowing women to become members and also introduced on-course child minding facilities to the course.

The Gabba Greyhound Club had to go metric soon after opening and on New Year’s Day 1973, greyhounds were to be forever subsequently weighed in kilograms – pounds were gone. The distances also changed and yards became metres and the Gabba would then run with four distances – 420, 558, 704 and 895 metres.

The track record for (610 yards) 558 metres set on opening night by the invited Paul Cauchi’s New South Wales trained visitor Ragsie (Roman Earl x Fairbairn Lady) wasn’t broken until 9/5/74, when Top Simbi ran 32.58, but 7 days later Top Simbi broke his own record when running 32.50. To the day the Gabba closed, Top Simbi was regarded as the most acclaimed greyhound to ever grace the track. Top Simbi was born one of a litter of five on March 3, 1971 and was a white and brindle son of 1969 Melbourne Cup and Vic Peters Memorial Classic winner Milimsimbi and the broodbitch Susie Voile. Bred by Cyril Channels at Telegraph Point in New South Wales and raced and trained by Bert Kennedy in partnership with his long time friend Bill Brideson, Top Simbi won 20 of his 24 Gabba starts. On three other occasions he was placed and the only time he was unplaced he fell during the running of the race. His best wins at the Gabba were in races like the Autumn Trophy, Lord Mayor’s Cup, Springtime Cup, Gabba Sprint Championship, Exhibition Trophy and the Bacardi Rum Trophy. Taken to Sydney’s Harold Park during his career, he proved he was not just a Gabba dog by winning an Invitation Stakes and the As You Were Trophy.

Top Simbi amassed about $23,000 prizemoney in his career and was retired to stud in 1975. Whilst he threw winners at the Gabba and other tracks, he was deemed disappointing at stud and never produced any progeny that could remotely replicate his own racetrack career.

Top Simbi’s 558 metres track record stood for some years before the Peter Rayner trained Iron Hawk broke the record when he clocked 32.39 in 1978.

The first full financial year of operations (1/7/72 to 30/6/73) revealed astounding betting turnover. The total betting on Gabba greyhound meetings in those 12 months totalled $22,358,297, consisting of $15,392,812 bookmakers, $2,031,169 on course totalisator and $4,934,316 off course at TAB outlets.

The average crowd in the first year of operations was 5,500 but the introduction of late night shopping in 1978, had an adverse affect on crowd size. Not to be denied, the Gabba Club decided to open the gates for free admission one night on the 26th June 1980. Again the response was overwhelming with more than 7,000 people attending and the massive on course betting turnover totalled $799,554.

The Gabba Greyhound Club had its first triple dead heat on 7/12/1972 when three greyhounds Sir Mullaway, Dino’s Chance and Black Karo couldn’t be separated by the judge. That became only the second triple dead heat in Queensland greyhound racing history – the other being on 9/1/1964, when Ma Parra, Breakout and Waitawhile Lady dead heated at Brisbane’s Loganholme track (long since closed).

Many incidents occurred at the Gabba over the years and John Hicks noted many down for posterity. He recorded the track having three individual male streakers run onto the track on 25/7/1974, 6/3/1975 and 1/1/1981. He also recorded the greyhound Joy Of Salome being tackled by a member of the crowd on 19/8/76. A subsequent failed attempted tackle was made on the greyhound Darling Kate in 1979 near the 558 metres boxes, which John hadn’t noted. In all five instances police apprehended the lawbreakers.

The Gabba hosted three National Sprint and four National Distance championships in its history. The winner’s of the three National Sprint finals were firstly via Victorian Bowetzel in 32.70 seconds (1977) and then two Queenslander’s, Madonna Lee (32.73 – 1982) and Dancing Gamble (32.89 – 1988). The four National Distance titles were won by Victorian He’s Some Boy (42.09 – 1973), Dotie Wilson from New South Wales (41.66 – 1975) and Queenslander’s Kirsty’s First (41.65 – 1986) and Just A Charm (41.45 – 1991).

Many champion greyhounds earned the title “Greyhound of the Year” for their wonderful racetrack deeds. From inception, the greyhounds to earn that accolade were:-

QUEENSLAND GREYHOUND OF THE YEAR

YEAR NAME OF DOG BREEDING
1973 Top Simbi Milimsimbi – Susie Voile
1974 Top Simbi Milimsimbi – Susie Voile
1975 Coorparoo Flyer Solar Blaze – Crimplene
1976 Kabisa Gem Thunder Lane – Georgie Fair
1977 Rebel Attack Pied Rebel – Swanky Doll
1978 Solar Beach Solar Blaze – Royal Deb
1979 Gallant Anne Tivoli Chief – Riveria Moss
1980 Miss Perlita Eddy Barry – Blue Perlita
1981 Final Dream Ungwilla Lad – Paradise Peg
1982 Glanzend Castleisland Lad – Tekatana
1983 Pewter Frost He’s Mystic – Denise Linley
1984 Rustic Venture Tangaloa – Pretty New
1985 Amanda Flash Waverly Supreme – Our Pantomine
1986 Kirsty’s First Ungwilla Lad – Katie’s Disco
1987 Pretty Fearless Pretty Short – Fearless Payout
1988 Dancing Gamble Riviera Tiger – Dancing Damsel
1989 Musical Maestro Pretty Short – Stagebrush Sal
1990 Cool Marvel Dark Pretender – Nation’s Copy
1991 Wallowa Flash Acacia Park – Flash A Coin
1992 Elusive Odie West Cape – Elusive Osti

The feature race on the final night of Gabba racing was aptly called the Goodbye Gabba Trophy and was won by six lengths by Worth A Packet for Bundamba mentor Don Gammon who trained greyhounds right up until his untimely passing at an Ipswich Greyhound Club meeting in April 2005. At that Ipswich meeting he had kennelled a greyhound, but didn’t come to get it out for the race despite calls over the public address. The dog was declared a late scratching and Gammon was later found to have suffered a fatal heart attack in his car. In an amazing occurrence Gammon also trained the last race winner at the Gabba – Pretty Boy Buddy – a litter brother to Worth A Packet (Worth Doing x Prize Packet), giving him victory in both the feature race and the last race at the Gabba. Pretty Boy Buddy had a neck to spare when the judge called a halt in a time of 33.37. Both Worth A Packet and Pretty Boy Buddy were owned by Gammon’s partner Ann Richie.

The track records after closing night that will stand eternally were:-

TRACK RECORDS CURRENT ON CLOSING NIGHT

DISTANCE GREYHOUND TIME
420 Genuine Crown 24.04
558 Tickety Boo 32.14
704 Kirsty’s Charity 40.83
895 Don’t Cry 53.42

John Reimer had the distinction of being the only trainer to taste success on both opening and closing night at the Gabba. On opening night he won with Nijinski and Time And Tide whilst on the final night the Gabba raced he trained three winners. He was successful with litter sisters Tokyo Deville and Tokyo Capers as well as Opal King. Incredibly all three of Reimer’s final night winners shared the same parentage (Pretty Short – Tokyo Princess) but Opal King was from an earlier 1988 litter.

Albert (Bunny) Hewton was one of only two members (the other being Jim Neary) of the inaugural Gabba Greyhound Racing Club committee to be still there on closing night. As at 2005, he has been serving on a greyhound committee for 39 consecutive years, having started with Loganholme club in 1966. When that track closed he served at Beenleigh and Capalaba, before taking on his role when the Gabba opened. He was a foundation committee member at Albion Park when that track replaced the Gabba.

The man who drove the lure for the entire duration of the Gabba track was Jack McDonald. After 20 consecutive years of driving the lure for every greyhound that ever looked through a muzzle on the track, Jack McDonald declared, “the (track) record breakers keep up their blistering pace for the entire race. Champions do the same thing. They never slow up even on the turns. The average dog steadies himself into turns, champions don’t”. Jack McDonald went to drive the lure at Albion Park when that venue took over from the Gabba, before he resigned in 2005.

Although there were still 20 years to go on the existing Gabba lease, the government offered greyhound racing an attractive proposition to relocate to Albion Park. The Gabba Greyhound Racing Club held its last race meeting on 4/2/1993 in front of a farewell crowd of 4,500 and Brisbane night greyhound moved to Albion Park, to share its home with the already established home of night harness racing.

Upon the cessation of greyhound racing at the Gabba, the grounds were re-developed and became the joint home of both Sheffield Shield and Test cricket and the Brisbane Bears AFL club – the latter subsequently changing there name to the Brisbane Lions.

The once weekly night meetings of the Gabba have now been replaced by two nights at Albion Park each week. It is fair comment that the grass track at the Gabba would not have withstood the amount of racing that today’s sand tracks can handle. Most of the racetrack crowds and bookmakers that created the atmosphere have long since gone, as television brings the races live into our homes in the modern era. For the tens of thousands of us who were privileged to have our health and geographical proximity to be able to regularly attend race meetings at the Gabba, the venue served to leave pleasant and indelible memories, in our minds, for the rest of our lives.

They talk about “the good old days” and few would argue that most of the time we are better off today with all the mod cons. However I make no secret that if they could re-create the “good old days” of the Gabba they would still pack them to the rafters once again. We’d all back a few that “wouldn’t beat my German Shepherd” and a few fighters that would have been better off down the road at Festival Hall on the under card to Hector Thompson – but we wouldn’t have changed it for the world – because we are a long time dead.

Historical photos of the Gabba may be viewed by clicking on “Photo Gallery” at the entrance to the website. Simply scroll down on the drop down menu to “Gabba Greyhounds” and allow all photos to download fully as per the bottom left hand side of your computer before viewing. All photos can be enlarged by clicking “View larger photo”.

This website offers the only historical reference source for the results of 10 of the feature races run at the Gabba track. That this website offers the only publicly accessible reference source to those results is in itself is a disgrace and it is no wonder much of the wonderful history of racing across the three codes is lost eternally. This article and the results will also be put in my book “justracing.com.au Volume 1” which will be released in late October 2005 to ensure the information is preserved for future generations.

Those ten races and their results are:-
RACE 1. COCA COLA BOTTLERS CUP (formerly Brisbane Cup)

YEAR WINNER TIME
1972 Garron Court  33.67
1973 Top Simbi 32.85
1974 Mister Oollee 32.90
1975 Alpha Brava 32.70
1976 Clover Duke 32.74
1977 Rebel Attack 32.61
1978 Young Breeze 33.31
1979 Acclaim Star 32.73
1980 General Jeff 32.72
1981 Picture This 32.95
1982 Peter Glider 32.89
1983 Acacia Park 32.58
1984 National Lass 32.60
1985 Super Max 32.74
1986 Pretty Fearless 32.69
1987 Whip Tip 32.64
1988 Dancing Gamble 32.57
1989 Golden Fox 32.63
1990 Whisky Bale 32.99
1991 No It’s Not 32.32
1992 White Coonowrin 32.83

RACE 2. QUEENSLAND SHORTCOURSE

YEAR WINNER TIME
1977 Remlap Star 24.63
1978 Phantom Warrior 24.52
1979 Moon Critic 24.32
1980 Linden Busy 24.48
1981 Rossmore Baron 24.52
1982 Golden Purse 24.58
1983 National Ivy 24.54
1984 Hallowed 24.41
1985 Great Sensation  24.26
1986 Has To Be 24.42
1987 Lord Trease 24.37
1988 Golden Guy 24.43
1989 Golden Guy 24.37
1990 Glinell Page 24.49
1991 Night Merinda 24.32
1992 Travelling Tears 24.18

RACE 3. QUEENSLAND CONSTELLATION

YEAR WINNER TIME
1974 Refidex 33.28
1975 Aurora Light 32.94
1976 Michael’s Gift 33.16
1977 Annerley Flyer 33.24
1978 Brigadier North 33.70
1979 Smart Mission 32.83
1980 Frosty Lee 32.96
1981 Intraspect 33.00
1982 Greedy Reidy 33.00
1983 Todlock 33.19
1984 Fashion Bow 33.09
1985 Flag The Fawn  33.12
1986 Meadow Ruler 33.09
1987 Track Trump 32.81
1988 Markaboy 32.43
1989 Musical Maestro 32.39
1990 Cool Marvel 32.40
1991 Your Attention 32.43
1992 White Coonowrin 32.25

RACE 4. GABBA GOLD CUP (formerly Fourex Gold Cup, SGIO Cup and FAI Gold Cup)

YEAR WINNER TIME
1974 Captain Winter 42.12
1975 Dotie Wilson 41.83
1976 Dotie Wilson 42.08
1977 Mandarin Girl 41.70
1978 Dusty Ginny 41.75
1979 Mockacindy 41.46
1980 Gini’s Choice 41.90
1981 Final Dream 41.83
1982 Picture This 41.88
1983 High Monakii 41.75
1984 Shy Deena 41.62
1985 National Star 41.61
1986 Clover Park 41.40
1987 Shy Nimbus 41.74
1988 Gary’s Hope 41.49
1989 Mary Casey 41.51
1990 Rocket To Tubrid 41.68
1991 Cobbalena  41.71
1992 Elusive Odie 41.37

RACE 5. LORD MAYOR’S CUP

YEAR WINNER TIME
1972 Bomber’s Gal 33.10
1973 Top Simbi 32.50
1974 Top Simbi 32.77
1975 Wresace 33.34
1976 Jo Gilhooley 33.19
1977 Dainty Monaro 33.38
1978 Doo Five 32.80
1979 Gallant Anne 32.66
1980 Aconite 33.43
1981 Pastel Avonhue 33.48
1982 Glanzend 32.94
1983 Fawn World 33.18
1984 Sell Out 32.81
1985 Rich Manner 33.05
1986 Pseudo Frost 33.29
1987 Track Trump 32.87
1988 Mackyla 32.74
1989 Swell Affair 32.63
1990 Tusitu 33.02
1991 Tenthill Flyer 32.83
1992 Ultimate Style 32.62

RACE 6. QUEENSLAND FUTURITY

YEAR WINNER TIME
1973 Little Colleen 33.44
1974 Hi Now 33.21
1975 Kabisa Gem 32.73
1976 Pinto Power 33.25
1977 Overflow Love 32.87
1978 Katie’s Disco 33.06
1979 Gallant Anne 33.17
1980 Pretty New 33.03
1981 Miss Budweiser 32.89
1982 Truly Active 32.62
1983 Double Crown 32.71
1984 Rustic Venture 32.45
1985 Kirsty’s First 32.60
1986 Cyclone Magpie 32.94
1987 Fifi She’s Not 32.61
1988 Run Baby Run 33.22
1989 Milluna Babe 32.67
1990 Tardy Tears 32.53
1991 I’m An Angel 32.76
1992 Turbo Tears 32.72

RACE 7. GABBA THOUSAND

YEAR WINNER TIME
1973 Plunderola 54.45
1974 Yodel High 54.52
1975 Dotie Wilson 53.85
1976 Marg’s Fortune 54.55
1977 Cabanossi 54.24
1978 LittleVogue 53.48
1979 Tiger Louis  54.72
1980 TipToe Tak 54.71
1981 Miss Coroneagh 54.33
1982 Sibrea 54.09
1983 Sweet Nimbus 53.77
1984 Branded A Lady 53.99
1985 Gay Santina 54.18
1986 Star Walk 54.12
1987 Shady City 54.48
1988 Satan’s Risk 54.51
1989 Kristy’s Bale 54.28
1990 Starry Eyes 54.46
1991 Oguri Cap 53.90
1992 Don’t Cry 53.42

RACE 8. QUEENSLAND DERBY

YEAR WINNER TIME
1972 Dixie’s First 33.75
1973 Dan Meadow 33.22
1974 Ben Hamilton 33.04
1975 High Climax 33.05
1976 Irish Outlaw 33.39
1977 Rebel Attack 32.90
1978 Iron Hawk 33.47
1979 Smart Mission 32.81
1980 Morayfield 32.88
1981 Hatari Chief 32.96
1982 Duration 33.00
1983 Tangleshell 32.92
1984 Magic Gull 32.34
1985 Kismet Range 32.84
1986 Raging Rajah 32.59
1987 Track Trump 32.76
1988 Raging Rajah 32.59
1989 Nifty Business 33.01
1990 Mr Alert 32.96
1991 Your Attention 32.32
1992 Tear’s Finito 32.54

RACE 9. PRESIDENT’S CUP (formerly Carlton Cup and Foster’s Cup)

YEAR WINNER TIME
1972 Bernadette Moss 42.65
1973 Zepplin King 41.96
1974 Tientsin Oscar 42.83
1975 Kabisa Gem 41.80
1976 Mandarin Girl 42.29
1977 Solar Beach 41.63
1978 Cool Rene 42.26
1979 Kirwan Cutie 42.28
1980 Jewell Bag 41.78
1981 Kenthurst Kate 41.64
1982 Jane’s Replica 42.29
1983 Shy Deena 41.62
1984 Onya’s Rebel 42.04
1985 Clover Park 41.44
1986 Clover Park 41.81
1987 Hickari 41.86
1988 Terrific Tramp 41.45
1989 Empire Dancer 41.79
1990 Bonnie’s Hope 41.77
1991 Streaking 41.40
1992 Elusive Odie 41.62

RACE 10. CHRISTMAS TROPHY (formerly Fourex Trophy)

YEAR WINNER TIME
1978 Brigadier North 33.00
1979 Katie’s Disco 32.74
1980 Wings Of Steel 32.92
1981 Call Me Roscoe 32.84
1982 Glanzend 32.60
1983 Duration 32.91
1984 Acacia Park 32.90
1985 Amber Flash 32.89
1986 (Jan) Sharyn’s Vogue 33.08
1986 (Dec) Fifi She’s Not 32.61
1987 Dancing Gamble 32.75
1988 Fifi She’s Not 32.61
1989 Son of Ella 32.63
1990 Highly Blessed 32.47
1991 Soldier On 32.60
1992 Iceni Princess 32.93

An enormous amount of unpaid time and effort went into bringing this story to readers and lovers of greyhound racing. I wish to publicly thank the inaugural Secretary/Manager of the Gabba Greyhound Club – John Hicks – for supplying photography and entrusting me with many rare racing photos and news snippets which were one offs.