1965 John Turner (37) of Oldchurch Road Romford is praised for his ingenuity by Mr Justice Paull when he is found not guilty of “unlawful conspiracy” for being the mastermind behind the Dagenham Coup. In realising a loophole in the betting industry’s procedure for returning forecast odds based on totalisator returns, the judge describes the coup as “brilliantly successful” and he draws an analogy with city trading when dealers attempt to ‘corner the market’. He also criticises the law for its failure to allow Mr Turner to make a claim against the non-paying bookmakers. The National Sporting League plan to appeal and reveal that their members’ total liabilities would be within the region of £5M. (The 1963 Great Train Robbery netted £2.6m).
* One week later the National Sporting League and the National Association of Bookmakers, reach a decision on settling all bets. They decide “the events are null and void and advise all members to return all stakes
2007 Blue Square’s PR Kate Miller joins William Hill.
1993 GRA Chief Executive Clive Feltham states that a potential management buy-out of the tracks from parent company Wembley (debts of £130m) “is no more than wishful thinking.”
2008 Bob Morton announces that he has bought a half share in Henlow.
1999 A month after Crayford trainers Stan Kennett and Tommy Wade have their contracts suspended following an alleged betting coup, the NGRC reveal that two of their three runners tested positive for Phenylbarbitone. They include the first two over the line in the A8 graded race. Following the race, the St. Helens branch of Done Brothers Bookmakers allege that a coup had taken place at the same track two weeks earlier when a punter had netted £6,000 from one bet when three runners from Kennett and Wade had finished fourth, fifth and sixth. A urine sample taken from the sixth placed runner is lost in the post en route to the testing laboratories in Newmarket. Both trainers deny any wrongdoing.
2009 Dilys Steels announces that she will not renew her training licence which passes on to partner Richard Devenish.
1985 December 21. Ballyregan Bob sets a new British record of 21 consecutive wins at home track Hove. In a six runner field George Curtis’ brindle beats old rival Track Man by nine lengths in 42.62 Glenowen Queen finishes third.
1993 Sheffield introduce a new grade A1- which pays £75 to the winner compared to A1 which pays £100. They blame a glut of top heat runners over different qualities. Wimbledon A1 also pays £100. Index linked that would equal £209 today.
1957 Wimbledon’s tote manager Tommy Thomas reveals an unusual tale to a table lamp in his office. As reported in Greyhound Express ‘Mounted on an oak base is what appears to be a bird of the eagle family, made of silvery metal, with its head drooping onto its breast in an attitude of sleep. I described it thus to Tommy. He laughed “Its not a bird, and its not silver” he said, “in fact it is made of counterfeit material.” Smiling at my bewilderment, he explained that when tote takings are being counted at Wimbledon, counterfeit coins are put aside. In the old days these ‘snide’ coins were dropped into a draw. When Hitler’s Luftwaffe firebombed the stadium, the snide coins were melted by the heat of the incendiary bombs, and it took the shape of the bird I have described above. The wooden base of Tommy’s lamp was turned from the only piece of oak panelling from the old members club to survive the fire.’
1993 The multi million pound development at Hackney sees a brand new racing circuit laid without losing a meeting. Still on a roll, they announce plans for a London Derby in early 1995 with £100,000 to the winner.
1987 Reading owner trainer Peter Carpenter is banned for six months and fined £500 after two sisters Farm Hill Athene and Farm Hill Aria. Athene’s earmark has been altered.
1998 Hills make Toms The Best a 33-1 chance to be voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year, an identical price to golfer Colin Montgomery.
1969 Derby winner Sand Star, who raced only four times in Britain, winning the lot, is the year’s highest prize money winner with £7,402 in the bank (index linked to around £130K). Second on the table with 19 wins from a whopping 51 opens is St Leger runner-up Booked Six (£3,138), followed by hurdler Tonys Friend (£2,948) and leading bitch Cals Pick.
1998 Sarah Dee is a best priced 3-1 ante post to win the English Oaks. She duly goes through the event unbeaten completing a seven-timer. She wins the final from Droopys Maeve in 28.92.
Oaks winner SARAH DEE with Neil Shotton, Nick Savva and Andy Ioannou STEVE NASH PIC+++
