1947 A ban on greyhound racing, which lasted nearly five weeks because of a fuel shortage, is lifted and 16 London tracks all race together, some holding double meetings.
2000 Romford’s betting market produces a rarity in returns in an A3 graded event– a 4-1 favourite.
1971 March 10 Probably the best four hurdlers since greyhound racing began are assembled in the Supreme Hurdles Champion Stakes over 525 yards at London White City. The line up is trap 1 Adamstown Valley, 3 Sherry’s Prince, 4 Afore Ye Go, 6 Derry Palm. Derry Palm (O’Leary-Fannie Ceasar, Mar 67) was fast away on the outside, but was soon joined by Sherry’s Prince (Mad Era-Nevasca, Apr 67) who went into the lead at the second bend chased by Derry Palm. The latter gradually began to claw back the deficit. They jumped the last hurdle together and raced to the line with Derry Palm 2-1 just getting the verdict by a short head form Sherry’s Prince (9-4) with 7-4 favourite Afore Ye Go back in third in a time of 29.64. Our picture shows Mr & Mrs Perkins, the owners of Derry Palm, collecting the Perpetual Challenge Trophy from David Reeden. Also in picture are trainer Phil Rees and the young kennel girl Ann Mahon
1960 With three months until the start of the English Derby, bookmaker Tom Stenning has Mile Bush Pride a mere 6-1 ante post to complete his English Derby double. History shows that the Jack Harvey trained dog went on to finish third in the final. Duleek Dandy, who would win the final at 25-1 was a mere 16-1 shot ante post.
2005 The NGRC appoint Luke Taylor as its Retired Greyhound Co-ordinator.
1979 Cormacruiser is sold at Shelbourne Park Sales for a bargain 800gns. The Peter Payne trained runner goes on to win a string of major stayers races including the Greater London Challenge Cup. He also breaks the Crayford 650m track record.
1998 Former fighter ace Laddie Lucas died aged 82. Unfortunately, his record as managing director and subsequent chairman of GRA coincided with the company’s near collapse following an £18m loss in property investments.
1993 Lord Kimball is appointed chairman of the British Greyhound Racing Trust.
2001 The 1994 Pall Mall winner Lassa Java dies from cancer aged nine. The fawn threw a number of fast offspring including Navigation Lad, Countrywide Tams, El Zita, Goodbye Sonny, Jurassic Jack and the 2002 Pall Mall winner Windgap Java. Meanwhile Right Move is put to sleep after developing cancer.
1998 Irish Derby winner Toms The Best, shows he is well on line for a tilt at the ’98 Engish Derby when he clocks a sub track record (by 13 spots) 26.34 for Milton Keynes’ 440 metres.
2002 GRA announce a 24 per cent increase in profits for the previous year from £3.6m to £4.5m (equivalent of £6.8m today).
1982 March 13 At London White City, Chimney Sweep (bk d Violet Hall-Salubrious Lady, Jun 80) goes clean through three rounds to take the £750 final of the Wood Lane Stakes. Trained by Ray Andrews at Belle Vue, he goes on to win the Gorton Cup Final at his home track later in the month.
1994 RUC officer Jackie Haggan is shot dead at Dunmore track by IRA gunmen. A keen dog owner whose hounds included track record breaker Perfect Whisper, Haggan was enjoying a night out with pregnant wife Kim when the attack took place. Within a week, 25 year old Gavin Hawkins is charged with the crime
2000 Hazel Dickson hands in her notice at Wimbledon. Her Windsor kennel is to be converted to a stable for polo ponies.
1996 Jack Harvey, one of the most successful trainers in the history of the sport, dies aged 88. After learning his trade on the coursing fields, Harvey became an assistant trainer to Jack Chadwick at the opening of White City in 1927. He later trained at White City, Harringay and Wembley and even had a spell training at a track near Paris. Harvey won two English Derbys with Davesland and Mile Bush Pride, plus five Oaks, five St Legers, four Laurels, a Grand National and a Gold Collar.
1937 Prince, a Welsh mountain sheepdog, who for the past eight years has been a watchdog at Wimbledon stadium, dies of enteritis. He was given to the stadium in 1929 by trainer Mrs M L Barnes. He would stand at the main gate vigorously wagging his tail to welcome the arriving racegoers, who would greet him with a pat on the head or treat him to a tit bit. Prince was such a clever dog that he use to alert the staff that the vans bringing the greyhounds from Burhill Kennels was coming by barking before it was in sight. He also used to accompany staff on the nightly security rounds.
1999 Portsmouth stewards call an inquiry after local grader Seans Sarah ran in a graded race whilst wearing a kennel coat. He finished third. The Pompey stewards are then left red faced for a second time, a few days later, when the wrong dog runs and wins an A4 graded race. Black Chaser, who was due to contest an A3 ran in place of Aussie Doris and returned at 12-1. Three days earlier sister track Hall Green are also in the mire when three dogs run from the wrong handicap mark – two metres more than they were allowed. One of them, Double Fuel, wins by nine lengths. Neither error is discovered before bookmakers had paid out. Both tracks are fined £750 for their errors.
1993 Greyhound Star celebrates its tenth birthday.
