Tugrah Beaver
Inductee Hall of Fame 2024
Red brindle dog, whelped December 1976, (Sally’s Jim – Harmony Rose), Owner – Trainer Reg Ivory (Devonport)
Reg Ivory was the first trainer inducted into the Hall of Fame in its inaugural year 2007. Along with his marvellous wife Aileen, they raced a plethora of star chasers, especially from the 1960’s to the early 1990’s. It’s doubtful any trainer had more big-name greyhounds, with the likes of Unique Venture, Sally’s Jim, Scott James, Hindu Flame and Arabian Prince virtually household names in our Sport.
But the great Tugrah Beaver was their kingpin. Blessed with huge natural talent, Tugrah Beaver was an all-track champ, and certainly one of the most durable champions to enter the Hall of Fame. “Beaver” was also a member of that rare club of chasers winning in excess of 50 races.
Like many Ivory stars, Tugrah Beaver was a home-bred, but nevertheless a blueblood. Whelped in December1976, his sire Sally’s Jim was a bona fide superstar speedster and bountiful winner for Reg. The Ivorys also raced “Beaver’s” dam Harmony Rose for Don Gale.
Her nine-start career which was ended early due to a major injury still yielded seven wins. She was breeding royalty, by N.S.W. champion sprinter/sire Milimsimbi, out of the magnificent producer Denises Charm, making her a litter sister to Butch Deverell’s wonderful all distance star Blue Stream. This was the direct line of Hall of Fame brood bitch Our Barbara.
Tugrah Beaver broke in like a smart dog, but a serious leg injury prompted a veterinarian to advise Reg not to persevere. Very much his own man, Reg did persevere and as a 21-month-old on 6 September 1978, Tugrah Beaver made his debut in a Devonport Juvenile. Despite leading by 6 lengths as a 6/4 favourite, he was run over late when 2nd to Manjuana. After two fifths, Tugrah Beaver did win his Devonport Juvenile at start four, followed in quick succession by juvenile victories at both Launceston’s White City track, and Hobart’s T.C.A. Our boy was officially off and running. Nevertheless, his next six starts yielded Trial Stakes wins in Hobart and Launceston, but three unplaced efforts as well. He was looking useful at this stage, but far from special.
It’s almost like Reg, (or “Shorty” to most), switched a light on, as only he could do. On 16 December 1978, and just three days after these modest efforts, the “Beaver” rose in class to a Heat of the Opal Stakes at White City and blew the opposition away by 10 lengths in a smart 30.21. Just four days later, Reg really upgraded to a Heat of the 1978 Devonport Cup, and he ran a tenacious 2nd to the great Evenray. Ten days on, it was back to White City where he bolted in the Division 3 Opal Stakes Final.
Just 4 days later, it was against the very best back at Devonport in his 1978 Devonport Cup Semi Final. Despite being significantly out graded, he was beaten only a neck by a neck behind Viv Beresford’s wonderful Baron Band. The ensuing 13 clashes between “Beaver” and Baron Band, of which Beaver won 8, became folklore in our sport.
Following a Grade 3 Devonport victory, Tugrah Beaver was given a crack at the 1979 Launceston Cup. A nose defeat in his January 20 heat behind Caboleah Rose, was followed by a brave ¾ length Semi-Final win over Newdonna Lass. At 25 months of age the “Beaver” ran a mighty one length 2nd behind outsider Spotted Toby in the prestigious Final, with another Reg Ivory star in Mersey Mist finishing 3rd. That was only start number twenty for this budding champ, and his next 95 starts would all be against the best top grade dogs Tasmania could offer on all three tracks. It encompassed a twenty-month uninterrupted run of starts, testament to Tugrah Beaver tenacity and durability, and the masterful handing of Team Ivory.
TUGRAH BEAVER WINNING HIS HEAT OF THE 1979 TASMANIAN GOLD CUP AT THE TCA (AUDIO)
CLASH BETWEEN THE BEAVER & AMIN BABA (AUDIO)
It was all guns blazing for Tugrah Beaver following his Cup 2nd. Following back-to-back 502 metre victories at White City he was beaten only a head by Hobart Thousand winner Astradome Lad at Devonport. Then it was five straight victories which included the 1979 Heat and Final of the Hounds Trophy at the T.C.A. The fifth of these wins was over the Hall of Fame champion Royal Griffin in their heat of the 1979 Easter Cup. He was 3rd to the mighty Benjamin Credit in that Easter Cup Final, then 3rd again in a Heat of the Arnott Spillers at Devonport.
But, in just 21 days commencing 28 April 1979, another Beaver blitz followed with a brilliant string of six wins on the trot. After a 7 length Heat win of the A.B. Moore Classic at the T.C.A. it was a 5-length win in a FFA at Devonport. His A.B. Moore Classic Final win was an epic, with the champion Royal Griffin 1 ¼ lengths away in 2nd. A narrow Mother’s Day Stakes win over archrival Baron Band at White City was succeeded by wins in his Heat of the N.W.G.O.T.B.A. at Devonport, and his Members Stakes Hobart win over yet another champion in Good Effort. This sting was broken with is 2 length 3rd in the N.W.G.O.T.B.A. Final behind track specialist Amin Baba.
His next 11 starts were all in “gold” class in an era of seemingly unlimited star chasers. It yielded 7 wins and 4 placings. In six straight clashes with Baron Band, in which they shared 3 wins and 3 seconds a piece, the Beaver did dominate in the L.G.O.T.B.A. Final.
Beaver also had dominant Invitation victories over Good Effort in that tranche of wins. Next up, he started threes on in his White City Heat of the Arnott Spillers Champion of Champions, defeating the track record holder Red Tollana by a length. At twos on the result was reversed in the Hobart Heat, with Red Tollana dominant by 2 ½ lengths. Both were beaten in that prestigious Final; Tugrah Beaver winding up 5th behind Getaway King.
Between that Final and the end of 1979, the indefatigable Tugrah Beaver raced another 18 times for 8 more wins and six placings, and with the same consistency on all three tracks. Best of these was his sterling 1979 Tasmanian Gold Cup Heat win over quality bitch Fenton Darling, before succumbing to huge interference when only 7th in the Final. He also started favourite in both his Heat and Final win of the Christmas Stakes at the T.C.A.
TUGRAH BEAVER CLAIMS THE DEVONPORT GOTY TITLE (AUDIO)
1980 was Tugrah Beaver’s final year of chasing. His first five runs of 1980 netted another Free For All win over Baron Band and a 5th in his Hobart Thousand heat. In true “Beaver” style he bounced straight back with seven straight victories encompassing all three tracks. The third of these, the 1980 February Stakes Final at White City, was his 40th win. He posted wins in the March Stakes Heat and Final as well, and his streak left such stars as Thousand winner Scene Control and Negro Caboleah in his wake.
After a 7th and two 2nds Tugrah Beaver virtually sealed his greatness and certainly his toughness in a quickfire nine start burst between 2 April and 7 May 1980. Reg stepped this pure speed sprinter up to testing Devonport 573 metres and was brave to lead and hold off Solar Seven in his heat of the Brambles Championship. Three days later he nicked back to White City for an all-the-way win is his heat of the Easter Cup. Back to Devonport four days later, he led clearly and wound-up 3rd in the Brambles Distance Final to his top-class kennelmate Star For Two which equalled the 573-track record. Testament that he took no ill effects was his sensational 1980 Easter Cup victory at White City just three days on, where he put fellow Champion Scene Control away be four lengths. Straight back to Hobart he won his G.O.T.B.A. Heat before a 6th in that Final. His Arnott Spillers Heat win back at Devonport on 30 April 1980 was his 49th win. His Free For All win back at White City three days later was WIN 50. To round off a perfect week, he beat the classy Rod’s Doll in the 1980 Arnott Spillers Final at Devonport for win 51.
Following this dazzling sequence Tugrah Beaver had 22 more starts which yielded just one more win, his 52nd, and twelve placings. Reg pulled up stumps after four runs in September 1980 which still netted two 2nds, a 3rd and a 4th. He held his form to the very end against a host of new and younger stars such as Highland Summer, Scene Control, Glen Huon Boy and Play For Kicks.
Reg always stated how racing never harmed the Beaver due to his tremendous nature and temperament. He was often found asleep in the race night kennels before competing. His career record vindicates this completely. His 114 starts for 52 wins, 22 seconds and 16 thirds elevate him to that rarified air of champions that reached 50 victories or more. Tugrah Beaver was also named the 1978 – 1979 Devonport Greyhound of the Year, and the 1979 Tasmanian Greyhound of the Year. Now 45 years later he enters the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame.
View Tugrah Beaver racing record
By Greg Fahey