Summary

Alternative Name(s): Board Game

'Doggo' boardgame, based on greyhound racing, in which bets are laid and coloured greyhound counters are moved along a foldout 910mm track based on the numbers on three (3) dice. The game is focussed more on betting outcomes than selections of particular dogs.

The game was made by John Sands Pty Ltd in the 1950s under licence from England. It consists of the track, dog counters, dice, betting board, optional hurdles, betting tokens in denominations of 1, 2 & 5 and instructions. The game is unused.

Game-makers produced a variety of racing games for children using both horse and dog racing, curved and straight tracks, and cards, dice and roulette-style wheels to advance the counters. The John Sands company first began to produce games in the 1920s, beginning with a horse-racing game called 'Totopoly'.

The donor's family had no connection to greyhound racing and did not keep pet dogs - their farming background meant that dogs were considered working animals, and their holiday plans also precluded a pet dog.

Physical Description

Game in long cardboard retangular box with lid, comprising the following parts: 1. Lid in full colour. Top has a picture of two greyhounds racing on a black and green background as well as lettering in yellow, red, green and black. 2. Plain cardboard box with narrow sides. 3. Cardboard playing board. Folded into three sections. The board is printed with six lanes or 'tracks' each with a specific colour and divided into 20 stages. At the top is the 'WINNING POST' with a picture of a hare. At the opposide end the board is folded to resemble starting cages for each dog. 4. Instructions printed in black on single white sheet (folded once). Front has a graphic of two greyhounds. 5. Multi-coloured cardboard betting board, folded into thirds. 6. Navy blue and white dice, wooden x three. One has a mis-shapen corner. 7. Cardboard tokens for betting board printed in green and white in denominations of '1' (36), '2' (36) & '5' (18). Still in their original pre-cut contact sheet (though one block of 27 '2' tokens has broken off. 8. Die cut cardboard hurdles and supports in green-grey. Still in pre-cut contact sheet. 9. Metal greyhound-shaped counters x six. One in each of the lane colours (red, white, blue, yellow, black and orange). Some wear and tear to the box cover, especially at the ends/edges. Some transfer of ink on the betting board. However, given that both hurdles and counters are still in their print/diecast sheets, the game appears to be in unused condition.

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