2014 English Greyhound Derby winner Salad Dodger has passed away

Former Derby winner passes away at 14

Salad Dodger, the fairytale winner of the 2014 English Greyhound Derby at Wimbledon having started his career in an A6 at Romford, died yesterday. He was 14. 

Trained to Classic success by Bruno Berwick and part-owned by Berwick and Ron Mills, Salad Dodger started out a 500-1 outsider for the Derby at the old Plough Lane stadium, then sponsored by William Hill and worth a record £200,000 to the winner. Without winning a heat, he kept on qualifying with his gritty performances being rewarded with a place in the final.

Lining up a 16-1 chance for the 480m decider in a race Pat Buckley's Irish hotpot Mind The Net went off the 4-6 favourite, Salad Dodger was always handy before powering up the home-straight in typically strong-running style to cross the line a half a length in front of Paul Young's Droopys Ward and Ireland's longtime leader Crokers Champ for Peter Cronin.

Victory sparked joyous scenes as Wimbledon rose to celebrate the 'one man and his dog' story of Berwick's, albeit with part-owner Mills very much involved as a renowned sports physiotherapist who has worked with other Derby winners since.

"Dodger's was a great story, probably one of the best greyhound racing has ever had - even if I say so myself," said Mills."They are amazing memories to this day and great also to report that Dodger had a wonderful life in retirement with Glenn Hocking and his family who looked after him brilliantly and would send me some lovely photos of him."

A June 2012 son of Crash and Airforce Stacey, Salad Dodger was also twice a winner at Nottingham and won three times at Romford at the start of his career - in A6, A5 and A4 - having raced at the London Road venue in graded races there on no fewer than 14 occasions. The track paid tribute to him via X today.