Fullerton (greyhound)
| Breed | Greyhound |
|---|---|
| Discipline | Hare coursing |
| Sire | Greentick |
| Grandsire | Bedfellow |
| Dam | Bit of Fashion |
| Maternal grandsire | Paris |
| Sex | Dog |
| Whelped | 17 April 1887 |
| Died | 5 June 1899 (aged 12) |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Color | Brindle |
| Breeder | Edward Dent |
| Owner | Col. John T. North / Edward Dent |
| Trainer | Edward Dent |
| Major wins | |
| Waterloo Cup 1889 (divided) Waterloo Cup 1890 Waterloo 1891 Waterloo Cup 1892 | |
| Honours | |
| Waterloo Cup all-time champion | |
| Last updated on: July 2026. | |
Fullerton (17 April 1887 - 5 June 1899) was a greyhound trained in the sport of hare coursing. He won the Waterloo Cup four years in succession, starting in 1889, the only greyhound to achieve this feat. His breeder and trainer was Edward (Neddy) Dent of Shortflatt Tower in Northumberland. Fullerton was owned by Colonel John T. North for his coursing career.
Early life
Fullerton was born in a litter of ten puppies, on 17 April 1887, at Shortflatt Tower, the home of Edward Dent. His mother (dam) was Bit of Fashion, his father (sire) was Greentick. Fullerton was brindle in markings, and went on to weigh 65 pounds (29 kg),[1] relatively heavy compared to other sporting greyhounds of that era. He was initially raised by Mary Mole at Lanehead, Tarset before he was returned to Shortflatt for training.[2]
Dent sold Fullerton in December 1888 to North, who was known as the Nitrate King from his international fertiliser investments. The auction price was 850 guineas, which as of May 2026[update] is equivalent to £102,000 and was at the time considered an astronomical sum for a dog. However Fullerton's winnings were to greatly exceed this sum.[3][4] Fullerton was brought down from Northumberland to London by train for the auction at the Royal Repository, Barbican, London, however after the sale to North, and with North's permission, Fullerton was returned to Shortflatt Tower with Dent, to complete his training.[5]
Early trials in 1888
Before Fullerton's Waterloo Cup début, he had events at Haydock Park, Kempton Park, and Gosforth Park. At Haydock Park in September 1888, Fullerton lost against Greengage in his first public competition, the Haydock Derby for puppies. Greengage had a bye in the previous course, and Fullerton had a lame foot by the time they met in the deciding course. The correspondent for The Sporting Chronicle noted that Dent believed strongly in Fullerton's potential, and went on to report: "Although defeated, I am not at all certain that Fullerton met a better greyhound than himself in Greengage."[6]
At Kempton Park in January 1889 Fullerton twice lost trial spins against the veteran Miss Glendyne, his aunt with 4 years seniority on the puppy, which was seen as an unsatisfactory outcome.[7] But Fullerton was the clear winner, six lengths, against Troughend at the February Gosforth trial, shortly before Waterloo.[5]
Waterloo Cup 1889
Fullerton was to meet Troughend again at the Waterloo Cup. For Waterloo Fullerton was still something of an unknown quantity, but he attracted initial betting long odds of 1000 to 110 against, suggesting that success for Fullerton was considered a possibility by the bookmakers given the need to win six consecutive courses.[5]
Fullerton nevertheless won the Waterloo Cup on 22 February 1889, but in an enforced division, the cup was shared with Troughend, who was Fullerton's half brother, and also owned by Col. North and trained by Dent. The stewards' ruling to award the cup jointly to Fullerton and Troughend was not popular with the event's spectators, who favoured another greyhound, Herschel, who Fullerton beat in the fifth round.[8]
Waterloo Cup 1890
For the February 1890 run of the Waterloo Cup, the odds changed markedly, and Fullerton ended as 6-4 favourite. This was despite the fact that the dog had only had one other trial at Kempton in December 1889. Fullerton won the Waterloo Cup comprehensively, leading five lengths in the deciding course, against Downpour. The Liverpool Mercury's report showed how the spectators' view of Fullerton had changed since the previous encounter: "Fullerton's victory was universally popular, for though the general public did not win much money, still every sportsman was glad to see such a magnificent greyhound win".[9][10]
Waterloo Cup 1891
Fullerton's reputation was now well established and the opening odds on offer were 7 to 2, with the second favourite trailing out at 100 to 8. His final run, against Faster and Faster, was decisive, even if some observers felt that it was a less impressive encounter with the hare, compared to the previous rounds, or the year before, and the year after.[11]
Waterloo Cup 1892
The 1892 event was delayed by a day due to frost. Fullerton's performance in the 1892 Waterloo Cup series was deemed by both Hall and Cox - who were both present - as being the dog's finest outing. The 64 dogs in the knockout competition was dominated by the lineage of Greentick, sire of Fullerton but also of 24 other greyhounds. In the final Fullerton beat Fitz Fife, with odds of 9 to 2 on. Unlike Master McGrath on his final Waterloo Cup, Fullerton still gave every appearance as being at the top of his sport.[11][12]
Waterloo Cup 1893
Fullerton's successes came to an end in February 1893, when having won the first round against Castlemartin, he was defeated in the second round by Full Captain. Fullerton was the 4 to 1 favourite, but fell into a ditch, leaving the way clear for Full Captain. Fullerton attracted cheers of sympathy from the spectators when he was led off. This outcome still left Fullerton qualified for the next day's Waterloo Plate competition, but it was subsequently announced at dinner at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpoool that Fullerton would be permanently retired from racing and would therefore not compete for the Plate. The winner of the 1893 Waterloo Cup was Character.[13][14]
Retirement
After Fullerton's unsuccessful appearance in 1893, he was initially allocated to stud duties at North's Avery Hill house near London, which was not successful. This appears to have been an unhappy time for Fullerton, soon after he escaped, and was lost for several days until found in a poor condition by a postman in Limpsfield. North gave the postman a £40 reward, just under a year's wages. His breeder felt that he was trying to return to Northumberland.[15] North, who died in May 1896, bequeathed the ownership of Fullerton back to Dent in his will. Fullerton returned to Shortflatt Tower, where he became Dent's canine companion until the dog's death.[1][16][17]
Death
Fullerton died in 5 June 1899 at Shortflatt Tower, at the age of twelve.[1] News of his death was reported as far away as Queensland, Australia.[3] His body was preserved, and Fullerton is now an exhibit in gallery 6, cabinet 77, of the National History Museum in Tring, Hertfordshire.[18]
Legacy
Fullerton was described as one of the best greyhounds ever to run in England.[19] His record of four Waterloo Cup wins was never matched before or since by any other greyhound,[3] and given that the Cup's final event was in 2005 it is destined to be the dog's permanent legacy. Fullerton competed in a total of 33 courses, winning all but two, and with a total of £2,000 in prize money. In comparison Master McGrath won £1,750 in prize money from his 37 courses, losing only the last one.[20] Fullerton's formidable reputation was well established, however for some people involved in hare-coursing there were rival greyhounds in contention. Harding Cox, who was an unsuccessful underbidder for Fullerton at the December 1888 auction, solicited the views of owners, trainers and breeders, asking a series of questions for his book. The circulars were sent out in 1891 after Fullerton's third victory, but before his fourth. Fullerton was top of the poll for best-looking greyhound and the best greyhound the voters had seen run, but not for the first question: When asked to list the twelve greatest greyhound of the 19th-century, Fullerton got 27 votes, beaten by his great-great grandmother, Bab at the Bowster, with 28 votes, with Master McGrath leading the poll with 32 votes.[21]
Edward Dent died in May 1926 and is buried in St. Andrew's Church, Bolam, Northumberland. In his will Dent bequeathed an endowment of £1,000 to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle upon Tyne for the "Dent Fullerton Bed", which as of May 2026[update] is equivalent to £55,800. Lord Armstrong, chairman of the board of governors for the RVI and the hospital's main benefactor, said he was very pleased to accept the endowment.[22]
Fullerton in art
In addition to the preserved body of Fullerton at the National History Museum, Fullerton features in three oil paintings. Two were by the Northumberland artist John Charlton: one shows Fullerton with his mother, Bit of Fashion, the other shows him with Edward Dent seated on a bench outside Shortflatt Tower. In 1892 he was depicted by Cecil Aldin in a pencil and watercolour painting.
Pedigree
| Sire Greentick |
Bedfellow | Contango | Cashier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bab at the Bowster | |||
| Bed of Stone | Portland | ||
| Imperatrice | |||
| Heartburn | Blackburn | Lancaster | |
| Kitty Malone | |||
| Nancy | Repealed Hop Duty | ||
| Merry Wife | |||
| Dam Bit of Fashion |
Paris | Ptarmigan | Contango |
| Petronella (l. Graceful) | |||
| Gallant Foe | Don Antonio | ||
| Maggie Smith | |||
| Pretty Nell | Countryman | Regulus | |
| Ristori | |||
| Sister to Saxon | Willie Wyllie (l. Vexation) | ||
| Miss Johnson |
Sources:[8][23]
Bit of Fashion won the Waterloo Cup in 1885 for Edward Dent, in a divided cup decision. Greentick was the runner-up in the Waterloo Cup of 1884.[24]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Death of the famous greyhound Fullerton". The Newcastle Daily Chronicle. Newcastle. 6 June 1899. p. 8. Retrieved 2 July 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Blanning 2018, p. 366.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Coursing". The Capricornian. Rockhampton. 17 June 1899. p. 31. Retrieved 2 July 2026 – via Trove Australia.
- ↑ "Greyhound Racing: From Antiquity to the Modern Era". Towcester Racecourse. 4 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Blanning 2018, p. 368.
- ↑ "Coursing notes". The Sporting Chronicle. London. 29 September 1888. p. 4.
- ↑ "Coursing". The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. London. 2 February 1889. p. 578.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The Waterloo Cup (February 1889)". The Liverpool Daily Post. 23 February 1889. p. 6. Retrieved 1 July 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Blanning 2018, pp. 368–370.
- ↑ "The Waterloo Cup: Third day - Friday". Liverpool Mercury. 23 February 1890. p. 7. Retrieved 13 July 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Hall 2010, pp. 166–169.
- ↑ Cox 1899, pp. 26–27.
- ↑ Hall 2010, pp. 171–176.
- ↑ "The Waterloo Cup: first day - Wednesday, Feb 22". Liverpool Mercury. 23 February 1893. p. 7. Retrieved 13 July 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Death of Fullerton". Irish Field. Dublin. 10 June 1899. p. 10. Retrieved 4 July 2026 – via The British Library and findmypast.co.uk.
- ↑ Cox 1899, p. 29.
- ↑ Blanning 2018, p. 373.
- ↑ "Lord Byron's dog's collar to be auctioned in North Yorkshire". Harrogate Advertiser. 12 December 2017. Archived from the original on 2 July 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
- ↑ "Fullerton's death is now stale news". The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. London. 17 June 1899. p. 6. Retrieved 4 July 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Genders, Roy (1975). The greyhound and greyhound racing: a history of the greyhound in Britain from earliest times to the present day. London: Sporting Handbooks Ltd. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-85020-047-8. OCLC 4002480.
- ↑ Cox 1899, pp. 145–148.
- ↑ "Greyhound bed for Infirmary: Memory of famous "Fullerton"". The Evening Chronicle. Newcastle. 17 June 1927. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Pedigree of Fullerton Greyhound". Greyhound Breed Archive. 12 July 2026. Archived from the original on 12 July 2026. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ Cox 1899, pp. 48, 49.
Further reading
- Blanning, Charles (2018). The greyhound and the hare: a history of the breed and the sport. Winchester: National Coursing Club (Great Britain). OCLC 1140150678.
- Cox, Harding Edward de Fonglanque (1899). Richardson, Charles (ed.). Coursing and falconry (2nd ed.). London: Longmans, Green and Co. OCLC 364871. OL 7224368M. Retrieved 3 July 2026 – via Open Library.
- Hall, Lowie (2010). Fifty-Six Waterloo Cups - Greyhounds and Coursers (reprint ed.). London: Vintage Dog Books (published 1922). ISBN 978-1-4446-5770-8. OCLC 1466491951.