Hall Green RM Rob Coulthard admits to being more immediately concerned about a bout of kennel sickness than the story that track owns Euro Packaging have put the stadium up for sale.

Meanwhile local trainer Richard Whelan has all his runners suspended following positives tests for azaperone and azaperol two months earlier. Whelan will never have another runner at the track.

Shawfield’s Thomas Jordan makes history when he sends out the first runner under the new owner trainer scheme. Pelaw expect to have their first runner over the same weekend. Perhaps the best known of the new licence holders though is former professional handler Lorraine Sams who joins Perry Barr.

A Belle Vue BAGS card becomes the first British meeting to be broadcast into Australia’s SKY/TAB service. Each race attracted average pool bets of between $3,000-$5,000.

On the track, Kevin Boon has a night to remember as Murrys Act (12-1) lands the Racing Post Juvenile, on the same night that kennelmates Knockard Spring (16-1) and Shaneboy Freddie (10-1) also do the business. The result is a 2,431-1 treble. There is an equally big shock when new track record holder Sober Call is beaten at 1-3f in the final of the Springbok. But trainer Ricky Holloway avoids a ‘stewards’ when allowing Razldazl Raidio to win a televised hurdle open while still wearing a collar. Under the radar on the same card was a little known Hove runner Astute Missile who landed the 500m open at 8-1.

Seamus Cahill produces his own treble with a 1-3-4 in the richest final of the month, the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby won by Forest Con.

The third of the trebles went to Kevin Hutton who landed a trio of Trainers Championship meetings. The competition remained a three-way contest going into the last leg with went to Hutton’s 12-1 chance Velvet Blaze. The race would also feature the final runner for trainer Jimmy Wright who was to hand in his licence.

Meanwhile in Ireland, Aulton Jet lands the Supersprint at Cork to send his record to 18 wins from 21 races.

Former Rye House racing manager Gerry Bailey dies aged 86.

Ricjard Hanikanai becomes the first owner trainer to win an open race when Cappoquin Jack is successful at Henlow. The former Mark Wallis trained runner goes on to win. He goes on to land another seven, and contest the Cat 1 Steel City Cup final.

A match race between Rubys Rascal and Roxhome Magic overshadowed a fine victory by veteran Clondoty Alex in the Golden Sprint at Romford. Alex’s kennelmate Rascal led to the sixth bend but then capitulated as Magic went on to win by 14 lengths.

The first triple dead-heat of the year is recorded in an A4 event at Hall Green.

Madabout Eoghan sets a new Towcester 500m track record of 29.16 in the first race of his career.

The picketing of Shelbourne Park sees Graham Holland target and land the Calne Racing Arc at Swindon with Garryvoe Bobby.

Lord Lipsey is appointed as a mediator to seek ‘off-shore’ payments from the betting industry.

The big story of the month though is the closure of Wimbledon Stadium on Saturday March 25, just short of 89 years of trading. The stadium was mobbed with only 3,000 allowed through the gates and many hundreds locked out. The final race was won by 10-1 chance Glitzy King, trained by Brian Nicholls. Racing manager Gary Matthews said: “”By the end there was a very sobre mood about the place. There was a bunch of flowers tied to a post, like a memorial. There was an enormous cheer, like a Derby Final, for the last race. Overall, it was just very sad.”

Wimbledon crowded terraces on their final night. Wimbledon 25th March 2017. Photo: Steve Nash

HENLOW MAIDEN GOLD CUP Henlow 550m £2,500 March 5
1. GARRYGLASS CHAMP (Kinloch Brae-Pennys Lady) (T4) 2-1f
2. BLACKSTONE ROCK (Sh Avatar-Rising Song) (T3) 6-1
3. VINEGARHILL RUBY (Hondo Black-Minister Hill) (T6) 3-1
4. MUCHAS GRACIAS (Kinloch Brae-Full Of Beans) (T2) 5-2
5. SAWPIT SUNSHINE (Droopys Scolari-Mohane Katie) (T1) 5-1
6. FARRAN SMITH (Blackstone Gene-Farran Stone) (T5) 8-1
33.87 (-45) 4, 6, sh, dis, dis
Owner:Mr T J Coveney Trainer: Mark Wallis
 
CENTRAL PARK SPRINGBOK Central Park 480mH £5,000 March 7
1. YASSOO MARTIN (Blackstone Gene-Droopys Quinta) (T6) 8-1
2. DRANOEL (Wise Thought-Georgies Vac) (T5) 7-1
3. SOBER CALL (Kinloch Brae-Tipp Jewels) (T3) 1-3f
4. MYSTICAL CHARLIE (Hades Rocket-Bluebell Fantasy) (T1) 20-1
5. NANS HUNTER (Scolari Me Daddy-Killure Rd Jodie) (T2) 25-1
6. SCALA MINK (Crash-Scala Fiona) (T4) 66-1
29.88 (-20) ½, 1, ¾, 2½, 5½
Owner:Mr G Andreas, Mr TR Crowther, Mr M DavisTrainer: George Andreas
 
RACING POST JUVENILE Central Park 480m £5,000 March 7
1. MURRYS ACT (Tullymurry Act-Brave Maeve) (T6) 12-1
2. HOLDEM RIO (Crash-Cornamaddy Maid) (T1) 6-1
3. DROOPYS WILBURY (Romeo Recruit-Droopys Keisha) (T2) 4-7f
4. KILDALLON BOLT (Barefoot Bolt-Kildallon Lee) (T5) 4-1
5. KOOGA KLAMMER (Roxholme Bully-Millbrook Gaga) (T4) 8-1
NR. BUBBLYUE BLUEBIRD (T3) O/C
28.99 (-20) ½, 1½, 2¼, 15½,
Owner: Trainer: Kevin Boon
 
LADBROKES PUPPY DERBY Monmore 480m £12,500 March 16
1. FOREST CON (Ballymac Vic-Droopys Danneel) (T6) 5-2jf
2. DOROTAS WOO HOO (Ballymac Vic-Droopys Danneel) (T5) 3-1
3. CROSSFIELD GILES (Sparta Maestro-Crossfield Betty) (T1) 10-1
4. BRIDGEHOUSE BOY (Droopys Jet-Tommys Inluck) (T3) 5-1
5. DROOPYS BONUCCI (Droopys Cain-Droopys Loner) (T4) 5-2jf
6. DOROTAS HOOLIGAN (Ballymac Vic-Droopys Danneel) (T2) 4-1
8.22 (-20) 6¾, ¾, sh, ½, 3
Owner: Seven Cons Trainer: Seamus Cahill
 
GOLDEN MATCH RACE Romford 750m £3,000 March 17
1. ROXHOLME MAGIC (Definate Opinion-Sizzling Sarah) (T6) 2-5f
2. RUBYS RASCAL (Razldazl George-Swift Eva) (T1) 7-4
46.59 (N) 13¾
Owner: Hayley And The Dream Boys Trainer: Hayley Keightley
 
CORAL GOLDEN SPRINT Romford 400m £10,000 March 17
1. CLONDOTY ALEX (Razldazl Jayfkay-Castlehill Alex) (T1) 6-4f
2. HUNTER BEN (Crash-Ballymac Devlin) (T4) 9-2
3. DIABLO (Lenson Bolt-Fortune Lee) (T2) 9-2
4. BARRICANE HAZARD (Central City-Ballyhill Beauty) (T3) 12-1
5. CHOPCHOP MABEL (Shaneboy Lee-Corrin Minnie) (T5) 10-1
6. AJLO LEGALBEAGLE (Romeo Recruit-Droopys Alanna) (T6) 4-1
24.09 (N) 1¼, 2¼, 2, 2¼, nk
Owner:Messrs Carpenter,Mr N J Cheesman, Mr K S Dear Trainer: Mark Wallis
CALNE RACING ARC Swindon 480m £8,000 March 22
1. GARRYVOE BOBBY (Knockglass Billy-Vickis Dream) (T1) 11-10f
2. BLACK ZAK (Melodys Royal-Margarets Mary) (T6) 10-1
3. OSCAR WHISKY (Droopys Oscar-Droopys Danneel) (T3) 2-1
4. BARRICANE TIGER (Razldazl Jayfkay-Dirt Bird) (T5) 5-1
5. DOROTAS DEL MAR (Droopys Oscar-Droopys Danneel) (T4) 8-1
6. SAVANA DONIE (Ballymac Vic-Blackwater Bride) (T2) 12-1
28.35   3¾, 2¼, hd, ¾,
Owner: Mr P Moloney Trainer: Graham Holland
STAR SPORTS RTM STAKES Wimbledon 480m £2,000 March 25
1. FWESHFROMTHESESH (David Bale-Lissivigeen Joy) (T6) 5-4
2. ARROWDALE HANNAH (Tullymurry Act-Noelles Primco) (T5) 12-1
3. CROSSFIELD HUGO (Kinloch Brae-Crossfield Reese) (T1) 11-10f
4. CLOVER BOB (Sparta Maestro-Any Time Again) (T4) 8-1
5. STUN GUN (Droopys Cain-Breathing Fire) (T2) 33-1
6. CROSSFIELD CONOR (Sparta Maestro-Crossfield Betty) (T3) 12-1
28.85 (N) 5¾, 1, ½, hd, 1½,
Owner: Feelingfwesh Syndicate Trainer: Alfie Herbert
 
BITTER BLUES CUP Wimbledon 480mH £2,000 March 25
1. KAKANTU (Ace Hi Rumble-Coolavanny Minor) (T6) 10-1
2. RAZLDAZL RAIDIO (Razldazl Rioga-Razldazl Marilyn) (T5) 1-3f
3. MYSTICAL CHARLIE (Hades Rocket-Bluebell Fantasy) (T1) 14-1
4. BALLYMAC MANIX (Ballymac Vic-Moyar Kite) (T3) 4-1
5. MOONCOIN BOLT (Crash-Allis Pippa) (T2) 25-1
6. DRANOEL (Wise Thought-Georgies Vac) (T4) 12-1
29.41 (N) 1, 1½, ¾, 4¼, 1¾,
Owner & trainer: Barrie O’Sullivan
 
RIO QUATTRO 205 DERBY WINNER Wimbledon 480m £2,000 March 25
1. GINAS BLUE (Droopys Scolari-Dundrum Lemon) (T4) 9-2
2. KENTISH DUKE (Scolari Me Daddy-Foulscourt Echo) (T1) 7-4f
3. LEMON JAMESY (Shaneboy Lee-Lemon Divine) (T5) 4-1
4. ROCASTSEA HOOPS (Romeo Recruit-Borna Gem) (T6) 11-2
5. HOLDEM RIO (Crash-Cornamaddy Maid) (T3) 9-4
6. OFFICE HAZARD (Droopys Vieri-Droopys Alanna) (T2) 14-1
28.84 (N) 1, 2 ½, ¾, 1, 2
Owner: Mrs A Duncan Trainer: Heather Dimmock
 
QUEEN MOTHER CUP Sheffield 660m £3,000 March 26
1. POINTLESS PEARL (Razldazl George-Swift Blitz) (T2) 9-2
2. BARNSIDE CHLOE (Forest Master-Light Foot Molly) (T1) 1-1f
3. SWIFT BURN (Sh Avatar-Swift Palmer) (T4) 5-1
4. TYRAP DRAGGI (Head Bound-Varra Lark) (T6) 3-1
5. FEARSOME KATE (Westmead Hawk-Hesley Hawaii) (T5) 16-1
6. VERA VANG (Vans Escalade-Swift Veronico) (T3) 10-1
39.43 (N) hd, sh, sh, 1¼, 3¾,
Owner: Mr D R Henley Trainer: Laurence Tuffin