Newcomers can be forgiven in thinking that the racing whippet is a blue blooded pedigree dog that was developed by the Kennel Club. The fact is the racing whippet was around before the Kennel Club existed.  It is generally thought that the Whippet developed in Northern England during the 19th century. The cross that was used is unknown for definite but it is generally thought that Greyhounds were crossed with small terriers (including possibly the Bedlington Terrier), to produce a small, swift dog capable of hunting rabbits and other small game.
Back then the whippet belonged mainly to the working class people of England. These were factory and mine workers in Northern towns near Manchester and Liverpool, who worked hard and lived simple lives.   Because of this, the whippet became known as the "poor man's greyhound," or the "poor man's race horse." During non-working days, owners raced their whippets in fields. These races became known as "rag races," because a piece of cloth was waved and used as a lure. The dogs typically ran a straight 200 yard track and Whippet Racing was born.