{{Short description|British greyhound trainer and breeder (1934–2026)}} {{for|the American film executive|Giant Pictures}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Use British English|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Nick Savva | image = Nick Savva greyhound trainer circa 1990.png | caption = Savva circa 1990 | occupation = Greyhound trainer | sport = Greyhound racing | birth_date = {{birth year|1934}} | birth_place = British Cyprus | death_date = {{death date and given age|2026|4|2|91|df=y}} | death_place = | nationals = '''Derby wins:'''<br> English Derby<br>(1998, 2005, 2006, 2007)<br>Irish Derby<br>(1997)<br>Scottish Derby<br>(1982, 1990, 1998, 2001)<br>'''Classic/Feature wins:'''<br>St Leger<br>(1978, 1997, 1999)<br>Laurels<br>(1987, 1992)<br>Cesarewitch<br>(1972, 1996, 1997)<br>Gold Collar<br>(1977, 1986, 1992)<br>Grand Prix<br>(1986, 1987, 1992)<br>Oaks<br>(1994, 1996, 1998, 2006)<br>TV Trophy<br>(1974, 1978)<br>Trainers Championship<br>(1977, 1983, 2000, 2012) }}
'''Nicolas Savva''' (1934 – 2 April 2026) was a Cypriot-born British greyhound trainer and breeder. He was a four times winner of the English Greyhound Derby and was regarded as Britain's most successful breeder, along with his wife '''Natalie Savva''' (1935–2019) who also held the kennels training licence at one time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://greyhoundstar.co.uk/natalie-savva/|title=Natalie Savva|website=Greyhound Star|date=28 September 2019 }}</ref><ref name=ngrc>{{cite book|last=Fry|first=Paul|title=The NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook, pages 48–53|year=1995|publisher=Ringpress Books|isbn=1-86054-010-4}}</ref>
== Early life == Savva was born in British Cyprus in 1934, and left the island country for London where he gained work in an engineering factory and then a restaurant. He started attending race meetings at Harringay Stadium in 1952 and started a dressmaking business. He met Natalie Drew in 1957 and they married in 1961 before selling his dressmaking business and buying kennels.<ref name=ngrc/>
== Career == Nick and Natalie started training and breeding greyhounds and became increasingly successful. Many of the greyhounds bred at their Westmead Kennels base were given a name with the Westmead prefix and in 1972 the kennel gained their first major success with Westmead Lane after winning the Cesarewitch. Natalie held the trainer's licence at this stage<ref>{{cite book|last=Genders|first=Roy|title=The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound|year=1975|publisher=Page Brothers (Norwich)|isbn=0-85020-0474}}</ref> and actually won the inaugural Trainers Championship (jointly with Geoff De Mulder) in 1977.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002240/19770328/739/0014 |title=Seven is not so lucky for Geoff |work=Newcastle Journal |date=28 March 1977 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 April 2025}}</ref>
Westmead Myra reached the 1976 English Greyhound Derby final<ref>{{cite book|last=Dick|first=Barrie|title=Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years, pages 154/155/156/157|year=1990|publisher=Ringpress Books|isbn=0-948955-36-8}}</ref> and based near Dunstable in Bedfordshire the kennel would have spells at seven tracks; Wembley, Cambridge, Coventry, Milton Keynes, Hackney, Henlow and Walthamstow but would race mainly unattached.<ref name="hobbs2008">{{cite book|last=Hobbs|first=Jonathan|title=Greyhound Annual 2008, page 62|year=2008|publisher=Raceform|isbn=978-1-905153-534}}</ref>
During the next decade the Westmead name became the leading prefix with the likes of Westmead Power and Westmead Move, in addition Special Account won the Scottish Greyhound Derby.<ref name="barnes88">{{cite book|last=Barnes|first=Julia|title=Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File|year=1988|publisher=Ringpress Books|isbn=0-948955-15-5}}</ref> The remainder of 1980s and early 1990s saw major wins for Olivers Wish, Flashy Sir, Westmead Harry, Westmead Surprise and many more.<ref name=barnes88/>
The quality of breeding increased even further with the likes of Phantom Flash, Staplers Jo, Toms The Best and Tralee Crazy. During 1997, Toms The Best claimed the Irish Greyhound Derby and one year later the English Greyhound Derby,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?r=2071|title=1998|publisher=Greyhound Data}}</ref> Tralee Crazy won a Classic double and Larkhill Jo won the Scottish Greyhound Derby.<ref name="hobbs2002">{{cite book|last=Hobbs|first=Jonathan|title=Greyhound Annual 2003|year=2002|publisher=Raceform|isbn=1-904317-07-3}}</ref>
Sonic Flight won the 2001 Scottish Derby before the Savvas established themselves as the industry leaders in breeding and training during an extraordinary spell. The spell came after he gained a new licence in 2004 following a two-year break and saw Westmead Hawk secure two consecutive English Derby wins in 2005 and 2006 and Westmead Lord set a record by completing a third successive Derby win for the kennel in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://greyhoundstar.co.uk/remember-december-5/|title=Remember When December (2019)|website=Greyhound Star|date=22 December 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?r=2254832|title=2007|publisher=Greyhound Data}}</ref>
== Death == Savva died on 2 April 2026, at the age of 91.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Donaldson |first1=Phil |title=Industry pays tribute on death of Nick Savva |url=https://www.racingpost.com/greyhounds/industry-pays-tribute-on-death-of-nick-savva-aGDun4B3Ba0H/ |access-date=3 April 2026 |publisher=The Racing Post |date=3 April 2026}}</ref>
== Awards == The Savvas are four times winners of the Trainers Championship in 1977, 1983, 2000 and 2012.<ref name=hobbs2008/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Savva, Nick}} Category:1934 births Category:2026 deaths Category:British greyhound racing trainers