The Scurry Gold Cup is an original classic greyhound competition, and was first run at Clapton Stadium, East London in 1928, when Cruiseline Boy trained by Paddy McEllistrim ran out a convincing winner at odds of 4/7f. The Scurry, staged over Clapton’s 400yd distance, was chiefly suited to greyhounds with plenty of early pace, and attracted a certain type of ‘hound who thrived over both track and trip.
Following the closure of Clapton in 1973, the event was switched to Slough, where the great Yankee Express, trained by George Curtis, claimed the title three years in a row from 1982-84. Daleys Gold, who lifted the trophy a year later, went on to become a very successful sire, transmitting the early pace for which he was renowned to many of his progeny.
The Scurry Gold Cup found a new home at Catford in 1987, where it remained until the track’s closure in 2002. Well known names to have triumphed over the South East London circuit’s 385m include Farncombe Black (Ernie Gaskin Snr), Portrun Flier (Paddy Milligan), and El Boss (Linda Mullins).
The Scurry moved to current venue Perry Barr for a four year period in 2005, where it was reinvented as a sprint competition. Horseshoe Ping (Jim Reynolds) broke the track record on his way to winning the event in 2007, a time which stood for fully 15 years until it was eclipsed by Gougane Jet (Mark Wallis) in last year’s final. Following spells at Belle Vue and Harlow, the Scurry Gold Cup returned to Perry Barr in 2021, under the sponsorship of Arena Racing, boosting the Birmingham venue’s already burgeoning major open race portfolio.
