1997 Derby winners Moral Standards and Ballinderry Ash are exported to Australia to pursue their stud careers.
1981 The independent ranks are due to be expanded with the introduction of racing at Skegness and Chasewater. ‘Skegg’ closes within six months due to a lack of runners.
1961 Ante post bookies were on form for the 1961 English Derby. The top two in the betting Oregon Prince (8-1) and Spider Hill (10) both made the final, which was won by one of the joint second favourites, Palms Printer (12-1). Making up the sextet were Winter Bell (150-1), Luxury Liner (40) and Clopook (100-1). The winner had been entered in Shelbourne Sales the previous November but had failed to make his £400 reserve and was eventually bought by Plaistow greengrocer Ale Heale.
1982 American superstar Unruly becomes the highest prize money winner of all time when landing the Hollywooodian. Incredibly, he won over $190,000 despite being a beaten favourite in a string of top finals.
1974 Former independent Rye House becomes the third track to sign up to the NGRC permit scheme. They are followed a week later by Halifax. The first two tracks to join the scheme were Cambridge and Ipswich.
1964 Sidney H Dalton, the Keeper of the Greyhound Stud Book and chairman of the National Coursing Club, retires after 44 years in office.
1956 White City racing manager Percy Brown will have a slightly easier task for selecting the 48 first round runners this year. Of the 103 greyhounds ‘nominated’ at the £5 stage, no less than 40 were withdrawn, most either lame or sick. There was one additional entry at the £50 stage.
1980 Two years after the Rochester coup, the incident is highlighted on the BBC’s Out Of Court programme. One of the organisers, London builder Jack Wilks, claims to have received only £3,000 of the £60,000 he is owed by bookmakers. (The total liabilities were estimated at £300,000) Wilks reveals details of the incident, including a scheme to have “a coloured man with a tea cosy on his head” place the bets in the betting shops. That idea was abandoned though the gang did incorporate a bus inspector in uniform for the same purpose.
1962 Powerstown Prospect and Beaverwood Ben both qualify for the second round of the English Derby on June 16th but meet again two nights later in the final of the 700 yard Gold Cup at Wembley. They finish second and third behind Watch Kern (Prospect went on to finish runner-up in the Derby Final). On the same card, punters think they have almost perfect betting opportunity when the first four home in a rare 700 yard hurdle open a week earlier, meet again over the same course. In a five-runner field, they duly make the original winner Barrel Kisane the 11-10 favourite followed by the original runner-up at 7-4 and the other pair at 100-8 and 66-1 respectively. The quartet duly finish in identical order. Unfortunately, they are all beaten by the newcomer to the field, Sabenas Prince (5-1).
1964 Romford’s management write a letter of complaint to the BBC following an episode of Dixon of Dock Green where a character is seen to be slashed with a razor while attending the track.
1976 June 8 Over 80% of GRA shareholders vote to approve a scheme of arrangement that will save the company going into liquidation. Following the collapse of the property market, the company owes £22m, of which the ICI Pension Fund is owed half. GRA will sell its 23% holding in (Joe) Coral, its 40% share in Brighton (to Coral), as well as its shares in Walthamstow and Southend. It will be allowed to continue to trade with its 12 tracks, including the ‘jewel in the crown’ London White City. A plan for ICI to seize the stadium and sell it for building the following year, is suspended for ‘at least three years’.
1964 Following strong lobbying from the NGRS, the Home Office confirm that betting shops will not be allowed to remain open beyond 6.30pm.
