1992 A new expanded BGRB meets for the first time since the announcement that greyhound racing is to receive voluntary payments from off-course bookmakers. The board is chaired by Lord Newall and includes John Sutton, Alan Fearn, Charles Chandler, Billy King, Clarke Osborne, Mark Glennerster, George Reptowski, Paddy Milligan, Pam Heasman and Archie Newhouse.
1937 May 1, Ramsgate, which opened on May 26,1928, switch from a sleigh hare to a new Inside Sumner. In May 1982, they switch to an outside Sumner.
1971 May 25. The Grand Prix at Walthamstow (first run in 1945) is granted Classic status, and is won from trap 5 by Mrs J M Pattison’s Breachs Buzzard. (Maryville Hi-Breachs Blizzard, Jan 69), trained at Perry Barr by Colin McNally. The 4-5 favourite wins the £1,500 prize by three lengths in 40.00 for the 700 yards.
1988 May The £1000 winners prize for the Scottish Grand National final at Powderhall, is like a top grade hurdle race at Wimbledon, for there are five runners from the London track in the line up. Tommy Foster has Parktown Ranger, Cygnet Man, Lemon Logic. Norah McEllistrim has Aulton Henri and Rosden Pilot. But it is ex Maidstone trainer, Jim Keane and owner Ron Hall who triumph when their Kilcuala Prince (Dipmac – Hack Up Hostess) takes the prize in 29.28.
1995 The English Derby gets underway with Heres Seanie, Westmead Chick and Staplers Jo all available at 12-1. Eventual winner Moaning Lad (pictured) has been backed from 40-1 to 33-1. Staplers is dramatically withdrawn lame following his final preparatory trial.
2000 Glastonbury closes less than two months after promoter Barry Wilkinson announced a package that would keep it open.
1994 Owner Terry Waters takes over the running of Mildenhall following the departure of Denis Diffley. The track suffered badly under Diffley’s tenure at one stage being fined £3,000 for racing irregularities, the tote was closed down and the NGRC refused to action any of the track’s registrations due to non-payment of an outstanding fine.
Trainer Dave Geggus with Short Cake (left) and litter sister Puff Pastry (right)
1971 The Oaks final at Harringay has a good line-up, but the race is scrappy with the honours going to R White’s Short Cake (The Grand Silver- She Is Landing, Sep 69). The 5-1 chance, trained at Walthamstow by David Geggus, wins by a neck in 28.98.
2003 After a six month injury lay-off, top pup Louis Saha’s brief return to racing ends with a career ending wrist injury in a trial at Shefffeld.
2005 Alistair Mclean takes over the role of NGRC chief executive from Frank Melville. Within days, senior steward Edward Bentall announces that the Club is to introduce an appeals procedure.
1998 Con Baker takes over as racing manager at Peterborough and announces that he will grade ‘systematically’ – a system that automatically up and downgrades according to their previous race positions, not winning times.
1994 Owner John Munro Smith is warned off following an incident at Hackney. Smith claimed that the hare had been slowed causing his runner Ballyard Giggs to be beaten. He ordered that his other runners, both trained by John McGee be withdrawn from later in the card. He threatened various people with violence, including the vet and general manager Stephen Rea, if the dogs weren’t handed over to him. He then drove to McGee’s kennel where violence broke out and police were called. Munro Smith then loaded his 10 greyhounds, several un-muzzled into his Land Rover which drove off. Before doing so, a fight broke out and one dog was badly bitten. It is a bad week for trainer McGee. A few days later his Mercedes is sprayed with paint stripper.
