Remember When - What A Picture

Some Picture disputes the early lead in the 1997 Derby Final – pic Steve Nash 

1997 English Greyhound Derby - Some Picture

As we approach the quarter-finals of the Derby, three runners: Sole Mio, Bockos Diamond and Droopys Trade remain unbeaten. That figure will be reduced by at least one on Saturday with the latter pair drawn together. 

In the last 28 Derbys, only three hounds have gone through the event unbeaten: Westmead Hawk (2006), Chart King (1999) and Some Picture (1997). 

We decided to concentrate on the first of those, the ’97 decider, which featured one of the great Derby winners . . . . 

Some Picture entered the 1997 Derby at Wimbledon, already recognised as one of the best hounds in training. 

It was back in early 1996 that the Barney Mooney-trained black had won the Dunmore Puppy Cup before being sold onto the English flaps. 

With a string of big race wins behind him, the 35 kilo black had joined Charlie Lister and duly won the Eclipse at Nottingham and the Select Stakes at Wembley in impressive style. 

He had warmed up for Wimbledon by winning a small competition and then going through the Scottish Derby unbeaten, winning the £20,000 final as the even money favourite. 

He headed the market for the Plough Lane event, despite the protestations that ‘Wimbledon and Shawfield are two entirely different types of tracks’. 

That perceived wisdom was muted when the wide running black dominated the first round with a 28.45 run. The closest to it was El Premier’s 28.64. 

Linda Mullins’ future Laurels winner then took some of the limelight when clocking the quickest second round heat (28.36) compared to Some Picture’s 28.47. 

However, Premier had run in an early heat, and as often happened, at Wimbledon, it was assessed as being .10 spots quicker than for Picture’s qualifier. 

But it was far from a two-runner contest. He Knows produced an identical clock to the Lister runner with Heres Andy and Astrosyn Eulogy going around in 28.57 and 28.59 respectively. 

All five were made favourite to win their respective third round heats but only Some Picture maintained his form with the quickest run of the night (28.64) while El Premier was eliminated. 

The Picture success story continued in the quarter-finals but only just when catching Stows Val on the line in 28.83. The emerging star, who beat He Knows by six lengths in 28.41 was a comparatively unknown 9/2 chance trained by Nick Savva, Toms The Best.  

His Derby run – this year at least – would be over one run later with a fourth place behind his kennelmate Annies Bullet who clocked 28.94. 

By this stage, Wimbledon racegoers had grown used to the running style of Some Picture. 

Not the quickest into his stride, the big black wearing white and black, simply galloped around the outside of the opposition. 

So when the early paced Stows Val and Capital Cee led up, Picture fans would have been unfazed as he took up the lead at the third bend and pulled away to win the quicker semi in 28.70. 

The line-up for the final was exceptional, and unusually, featured two females. 

In red was the locally bred outsider Charpaidon who had been running A2 before the event got underway. He would go on to contest a Gold Collar Final. 

In trap two was Heres Andy who had been the beaten favourite in the previous year’s Scottish Derby Final and would finish behind Toms The Best in the forthcoming Monmore Gold Cup. 

In three was the bargain sales buy Stows Val who had already finished runner-up in the Pall Mall and would go on to contest a series of major finals including winning the Northern Oaks. She would later throw an Arc winner. 

In four was the brilliant He Knows. Barrie Draper’s runner would go on to win the Dransfield Invitation and Blue Riband, beating Toms The Best in both, as well as setting a 660m track record at Sheffield.  

In five was Oaks winner/Arc runner-up Annies Bullet who would go to to become a successful dam with progeny including future Derby finalist Larkhill Bullet. 

And in six was Some Picture, a winner of 18 of his 26 races for Charlie Lister and looking to extend his winning sequence to 11. 

He would be looking to extend his prize money pot to almost £90,000. 

As for the race itself . . .  

Of course, regular Star readers could have done worse than taking the advice of Charlie Lister, who, before a heat had been staged, make the following observation. . . 

“That longer run to the bend will suit him (Some Picture). He’s not the best trapper I’ll grant you, but many people underestimate his early speed. 

“He walked away in the Select Stakes but was right up behind Night Trooper at the first bend, and we know he’s a right good dog. 

“He’s also a competition dog who takes all the runs which is very important at Wimbledon. 

And one fancy other than his own? 

“I like He Knows, he looks a real fast dog. The Drapers are good friends and I wish them all the luck, which is something we’ll all need.” 

As we have previously written, Some Picture’s Triple Crown attempt failed at Shelbourne Park and he was put to stud immediately. 

Sadly, in April 1999 Some Picture is found dead in his kennel at Sean and Michael Dunphy’s Portlaw range. No post mortem was carried out though it was assumed that death was by heart attack. 

Picture was two months short of his fifth birthday when he died. Described by trainer Charlie Lister as “the best greyhound that I ever put a lead on” he had been at stud for 19 months siring 128 litters. 

Among his progeny were Reactabond Rebel, Ballyhaden Lad, Fat Boy Slim, Frisby Fassan, Sexy Delight, Ryefield Snowy, Barefoot Ridge, Longvalley Tina and Kit Kat Kid. 

Charlie Lister and Some Picture – Newark  – pic Steve Nash