1981 Leeds trainer Charlie Lister lands his biggest race to date since joining the NGRC ranks when Swift Band wins the £2,500 East Anglian Derby. The fawn easily beat favourite Sancos Fawn in 28.33 for Yarmouth’s 462 metres.
1973 Selection of dogs at stud in Britain: Bawnogue Tom (£35), Carry On Oregon (£50), Cash For Dan (£30), Dramatic Ace (£30), Faithful Hope (50gns), Forward King (£50), John Silver (£50), Little County (£40), Westmead County (£60), Westmead Lane (£40).
1989 Following a series of complaints, Clonmel announce that they are to scrap their new Bramich hare. However Bristol’s Ted Osbourne says his track is about to install the Bramich as an inside lure.
1948 Derby winner Priceless Border is given a tent all to himself when going on show at the Southport Agricultural Show. It proved a lucrative day as he later covered a locally owned bitch earning a stud fee of £75.
1991 Irish breeders are now able to apply for EEC Alternative Farming grants.
1983 Puppy litter sisters Kerogue Nell and Kerogue Sarah (Sand Man-Kerogue Rita) finished first and second, separated by half a length, in the Irish TV Trophy at Shelbourne.
1963 Catford grader Beauties Emperor is priced up at 100-1 in the cheap ring. One lucky punter weighed in at £500-£5. The dog eventually won at 40-1.
1988 Hackney trainer Stan Kennett is fined £800 after Nodes Rocket finds 45 spots and is backed from 3-1 to 11-10 in a graded race – the dog also tested positive for Phenylbutazone. Romford trainer Linda Mullins is fined £300 after admitting suppressing Tobys Delight but failing to tell the racing office or reporting the treatment.
1953 A Durham man is facing a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm to a punter and former friend by hitting him with a 19 ounce weighted collar. The accused, Joseph Collins of East Rainton had intended to use the collar, which was fitted with lead, to ensure he dog got beat in a race. As it turned out, Collins didn’t use the device as he obtained a sufficiently good price on the dog, who then finished second. Following a row, Thomas Jackson ended up with a broken nose and losing two teeth.
1977 Leeds stage the first round of the Yorkshire Puppy Derby and include several Sep ’75 whelps. They query the decision with the NGRC who allow the dogs to run even though “technically” the dogs were no longer pups!
1983 The World Greyhound Conference in Australia hears of the development of a remote control hare system in the USA. Other topics include research being carried out in the use of special markers and ultra violet light for greyhound identification, and a global standardisation of trap colours.
1991 Two years after scrapping ‘classics’ in favour of ‘group’ races, the NGRC announce that in 1992 the major events will be known as ‘Category 1’ competitions and there are 39 planned for the year. Among those that have since disappeared (for one reason or another) are: the Northumberland Gold Cup and All England Champion Hurdle, All England Marathon (Brough Park), Kent St Lger (Ramsgate), William Hill Guineas (Hackney), Fosters Gold Cup (Wimbledon), Wingspare Stayers (Hove), Tennents Ten Thousand (Sheffield) the Grand Prix and Circuit (Stow) and the Reading Masters.
2010 GRA announce that the St Leger first prize will be down to £8,000 from £11,000. Wimbledon boss Keith Hallinan blames “the current financial situation”
