1956 January 21 Brinton Arrow (Jubilee Time-Decameron Nights, Jun 47) owned by Captain John Moffat, Managing Director at Crayford Stadium, wins his 100th graded race at Crayford at the age of 8 years 8 months. Trained by Henry Parsons, he wins at the very short price of 2-7. Beating two year old Monacherra (6-1) by 12 lengths in the 285 yard race, leading all the way. After the race he is present with a gold braided jacket bearing his name and his record of 100 wins from 376 races, all at Crayford. He is now retired to spend the rest of his days at the stadium’s kennels. He cost only 25 guineas, had trials at Walthamstow, Romford and New Cross when he was still a puppy, but never raced there. For his entire racing career he was at Crayford, although in his latter years he found the 490 yards there a bit too far, with the younger greyhounds able to catch him on the run in.
1947 January Wimbledon racing manager Con Stevens suggests a new method could be instigated for judging close finishes. He believes a camera could be developed which would photograph greyhounds as they crossed the winning line.
1978 George Curtis’ Wired To Moon (Monalee Champion-April Atomic) returned from a narrow defeat in the William Hill Lead to win the William Hill Sixer over 484m at Hackney. The 10-11f beats Shiloh Jenny by a length and a half in 29.51. They are followed home by Loyal Katie, Westmead Manor, Stormy Spirit and Egmont Spider.
1994 Ger McKenna receives a string of death threats following a BBC On The Line TV documentary which shows footage of kills taking place at Donaskeagh schooling track. Former trainer David Haywood, whose licence had been suspended by the NGRC three yeares ealier alleges widespread corruption within the greyhound industry. In the weekend following broadcast, many tracks announce a significant increase in attendances.
1928 January 11 Wolverhampton, now more commonly known as Monmore, hold their first meeting before a crowd of 10,000 spectators, together with several members of the Town Council and the Chief Constable. The first race – the Shirley Stakes over 500 yards – is won by Arrow Traney by three lengths in 32.08.
1989 Track moves. Wishaw is on the market, Norton Canes is not according to owner John Preece and Corals take over Powerhall only days after it is sold by GRA to Norrie Rowan.
2001 Due to a problem attracting dogs for the 645 metres, Oxford announce a new distance of 595 metres.
1992 Brough Park stage the first ever category one competition. The NGRC scrapped its ‘classic’ categorisation the previous year.
1977 January Bristol Stadium have announced that speedway racing will be starting in May on the existing greyhound track surface. Owners and trainers had not been consulted about sharing the same surface, granite chippings, which they believe could cause injury to the greyhounds.
1994 Former owner trainer Jock McNaughton signs a 12 year lease at Henlow. He vows to keep the inside lure, build a restaurant and raise the ‘grandstand’ by four feet to improve viewing.
1967 January 7 Mr Don Price’s Monalee Champion (bk d Crazy Parachute-Sheila At Last, Sep 64) wins his heat of the Longcross Cup over 550 yards at London White City by 16 lengths. He is then moved from his private trainer Frank Conlon to Mrs Vicki Holloway’s kennels for the final. Monalee Champion is the 1-4 favourite and wins easily, beating Tric Trac by 31⁄4 lengths and breaking Fearless Mac’s eight year old track record of 29.93 with new figures of 29.82.
2000 Sunderland promoter Kevin Wilde appears before BAGS to plead for the return of the track’s BAGS contract following alleged track fixing two months earlier. He is successful.
1936 January 4 More than 23,000 people are at Harringay for the final of the first Pall Mall, won by Cyril Kenne’s Shrove Halfpenny (Town Treasure-Princess Karl, Jul 33). The 7-4 favourite wins the race in 30.97, trained by Charlie Ashley at Stamford Bridge. For the record, this is the 1935 final, as the 1st round, 2nd round and semi-finals were run on December 14, 21 and 23 respectively. It was not until 1937 that the entire race was run off in one year, when it was staged in November.
1990 The Government announces that it has decided to allow betting shops to remain open in the evening beyond 6.30pm
1999 The NGRC creates history when appointing its first female steward. She is barrister Christine Kershaw.
1994 Ladbrokes reveal that the new Crayford general manager will be Barry Stanton, a greyhound owner who spent the previous 22 years in financial services.
1998 Tom and Gavin Smith (GT Hare Systems ) land a contract with the Irish Greyhound Board to standardise hares and traps in Ireland. Meanwhile they install the new system at Crayford. Tom (left) and Gavin Smith (centre) with Barry Stanton
