1961 Coventry’s Eclipse Final features three runners who each broke the 525 yard track record in the heats. They keep faith with the ‘slowest’ of the trio Faithful Charlie (Glittering Look-Lady Artie, Aug 58) who duly lands the decider in 29.25, six spots slower than his previous best and 13 spots adrift of SS Leader’s two day old clock.
1952 Twenty four years after its introduction at Wimbledon, the NGRC introduce a mandatory rule forcing tracks to weigh runners before races and trials.
1964 The first round of the British Breeders Produce Stakes at Catford sees Wheatfield’s Scurry and Santa complete a fine double for private trainer Paddy Sweeney.
1959 Paddy McEllistrim looks a pretty good bet to win the second race at Wimbledon, he trains all six runners. In fact, one of them, Barbed Wire is scratched (sorry about that one – Ed). Jerrys Image is made the 11-10f but is beaten four lengths by Mad Ricky (5-2).
2008 The BGRB introduce a new marketing promotion – the ‘1p Meal Deal’
1961 GRA announce that they intend to introduce a British-Bred Two Year Old Produce Stakes. That is an addition to the existing National Breeders Produce Stakes.
1998 Trainer Matt O’Donnell is critical of the IGB’s decision not to scrap its rule which allows eliminated dogs to be re-instated into a competition as reserves. “It is a scandal waiting to happen. Not if, but when” . He recalls an occasion where he had two unfancied dogs reach the Tipperary Cup Final. They were drawn one and six. The Tipperary handler had two better dogs already eliminated, the first wide reserve and the second railing reserve. On final night, he was aware that the first railing reserve had not travelled. He told the Star: “If I had taken two out of the final off-colour and replaced them, I honestly think I could have had first and second in the final. I probably should have done it. Come to think of it, I don’t know why I didn’t!”
1991 Around 500 mourners turn out for Ted Osborne, the founder of BS Group and father of Edwin, Clarke and Jo (Clarke). The former Royal Navy sailor ran successful catering businesses and social clubs, including the first at Bristol Rover Football Club before taking over Bristol Stadium in 1980. Following his funeral, guests were invited back to Bristol stadium for a last toast. They were each given a package containing a miniature bottle of Bells Whiskey, his favourite tipple, along with a card saying “One for the road, good night and God bless, Ted”
1948 The Southend managing director W J Cearns offers a reward of £250 for information leading to the conviction of the person who doped 16 greyhounds in the stadium kennels. Within days, the recently strengthened security staff at the Wandsworth kennels detain a main attempting to escape after breaking in. The injured man is caught after he fractures a kneecap. Too accomplices escape though police expect to make further arrests.
1969 Kells breeder Patsy Browne pups his entire stock up for sale due to ‘staffing problems’. They include a June ’69 litter by Newdown Heather out of Dogstown Fame. The litter are priced up individually with two of the dog pups at £50 and one (“only 16lbs”) available for £30. The ‘runt’ will become Time Up Please, future winner of an Anglo-Irish Internationals and the 1971 & 1972 Irish St Legers.
1951 Currently racing in London: Catford, Charlton, Clapton, Hackney, Harringay, Hendon, New Cross, Park Royal, Stamford Bridge, Walthamstow, Wandsworth, West Ham, White City and Wimbledon- and that excludes ‘outer London’ tracks such as Dagenham, and Romford.
1961 The first two greyhound sales prove so popular at the Beaverwood schooling track that the third attracts 88 entries and is spread over two days.
1989 Thieves use a high tech cutter to break into a safe at Swindon and steal £8,000.
1948 Following several years in the Wembley racing office, Stewart Probert is to return to training following the retirement of Syd Jennings. In his first stint as a trainer Probert won the Derby with Future Cutlet and the St Leger with The Daw.
1991 Richard Iannone, an employee at Lincoln Greyhound Park was sacked after announcing the wrong third placed dog in a race. He had mistaken trap one for trap eight. Following complaints from racegoers, the track paid out on both results, a net loss of around $3,500. It was the second time in six months that Iannone had given an incorrect. Bizarrely, a similar event occurred the following night, some 2,000 miles away at Wembley plc’s other American stadium, Mile High.
