1970 Irish runner Nijinsky is doing his best to emulate his equine namesake who is currently the most successful thoroughbred in training. The canine version has won twelve in a row for Cork handler John O’Connor. Interestingly, the Cork schoolmaster has a three month old pup in his kennel who will go on to put his kennelmate’s achievements in the shade – his name is Patricia’s Hope.
1935 The Catford management announce that during the coming ‘close season’ they will be laying an “all-rubber racing surface in replacement of the existing turf”.
1955 Ex Wandsworth grader Moyshna Queen is starring alongside comedian Frankie Howerd in a new film called Jumping For Joy. Queen plays the part of Lindy Lou and qualified for the part due to her ability as a hurdler.
1993 Wishaw boss Davy Kirkwood fought off three masked raiders armed with a sawn-off shotgun as they ambushed him outside his home. Kirkwood suffered a fractured skull and broken ribs.
1966 The Government extends its on-course betting tax to all tracks, irrespective of whether they have a tote or not. They will pay “sixpence in the pound” – 2.5%. Until then, most of the smaller tracks did not have totes and were therefore exempt.
1946 Ballyhennessy Seal and Ballynennan Moon, both standing at Burhill Kennels, are Britain’s most expensive stud dogs. They are £100 per service which equates to roughly £4,100 at current prices.
2005 Kim Marlow is sacked by Romford after her kennel’s third positive drugs test. Her place is taken by Jim Reynolds.
1950 Six of the leading fancies for the Cesarewitch contest an open race at host track West Ham. The total prize money for the event is £1,454 or which £500 is the price of the trophy. It was selected by Lord Lonsdale from an exhibition of British sporting trophies. It’s value at current prices would be around £16,800.
2008 Former Wathamstow, Harringay and Portsmouth trainer Mick Puzey announces that he will not re-apply for a licence in 2009. A Stow handler for 23 years, he states that he cannot make ends meet by training at Harlow and Henlow.
2009 Platinumnlancelot is beaten when chasing his 13th consecutive open race win over the hurdles.
1965 Walthamstow become the first track to open their own on-site laboratory for chromatography testing.
2010 The IGB announce that the Pat Buckley trained Tullymurry Act has failed a dope test taken in the Irish Derby Final.
1933 West Ham bookmakers incurred the wrath of punters when taking a considerable time to pay out of a three dog dead heat. It was the first ever recorded at the stadium and the layers weren’t sure how much they were due to pay out.
1994 Short of a few runners to top up his graded strength, Swaffham promoter Tom Smith decided to appeal to the thriftiness of the Norfolk trainers by giving free trials on a Wednesday night. He was overwhelmed with entries and admitted: “It was so long since we had seen one dog that we had filled in his identity book as ‘deceased’.”
1994 A year after seeing their 7-4favourite Farmer Patrick beaten in the Laurels Final at Wimbledon, Pink Floyd legend Roger Waters and wife Pricilla returned to Wimbledon to see their Deenside Dean run away with ’95 decider.
1972 Southend racing manager Terry Evans produces, arguably, the worst graded race ever, in an S1 event. The winner started at 1-3f and won by 11 lengths. The last three home all went to traps at 100-1 and trailed the field; the last home being beaten a total of 27 lengths.
