1965 Hackney announce a major breakthrough in that from January they will follow the ‘Irish model’ and all dogs will be trialled before going on the bench at greyhound sales.
1971 Plans to build a greyhound track at Jarmans Field on the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead are rejected by the local council.
1998 Paul Young (pictured) and John McGee become the latest trainers attached to Reading.
1946 At least six tracks are considering purchasing the recently invented new phenomenon, the photo finish for the 1947 racing season. However, many appear more interested in using the equipment to help identify which dog should be disqualified when fighting takes place on the winning line. The racing press believe that track officials side toward blaming the less famous runner. The problem recently came to a head when Ocean Dasher was disqualified for fighting – contrary to the opinions of hundreds of Catford racegoers – when the aggressor was actually the £2,000 purchase (roughly £85K at today’s rates) -Winsome Seal.
1970 Noel Purvis, one of the most successful owners of all time dies aged 73. The shipping magnate’s most successful greyhound was Derby winner Mile Bush Pride.
1961 Irish breeder Pat Dalton sells stud dog Knockhill Cleo and Irish Oaks semi finalist Carry On Jean for $6,500 to American owner L Kirkpatrick.
1957 Northern King, ante post favourite for the 1956 and 1957 English Derbys – he was the beaten favourite in the ’56 final – is retired to stud. The Noel Purvis owned son of Champion Prince won 30 opens including the Edinburgh and Chelsea Cups, plus the Wood Lane Stakes. He won just over £3,000 in prize money. At stud his leading progeny were double Oaks winner Ballinasloe Blondie and Waterloo Cup winner Himalayan Climber.
1970 Following the latest stand-off and threat of strikes the militant IGOBA agree to a new procedure for trap draws. They had been demanding the traps should be drawn in the paddock before racing. This conflicted with the tote conscious Bord na gCon who wanted to be able print racecards in trap order. The compromise sees all trap draws being made in public, though they can be made at a race or trial meeting prior to race night.
1946 Film star William Hartnell presents a trophy to the winner of the Appointment With Crime Stakes – named after his most recent release.
1976 GRA announce that trainer Derek Knight, formerly head lad to Gordon Hodson and Frank Melville, is to join Brighton following a spell at Shawfield.
1988 Wimbledon becomes the first GRA track to race four nights per week.
1972 Forest Noble – who only got into the Pall Mall as a reserve – held off Ramdeen Stuart to win the £600 final by a neck in 28.85. The 16-1 chance is trained by Paddy McEvoy at Wimbledon. British bred Noble (Prince Of Roses-Forest Brown, Jul 70) is a litter brother to Crayford 500 yard record holder Fragrant Flyer.
1964 Three littermates contest the final of the Cock O’The North at Manchester White City. The £200 first prize goes to favourite Boothroyden Larry with comrades Boothroyden Flash and Airbourne General finishing down the field. A fourth member of the litter, Meteoric, is sidelined with a broken toe. She goes on to be the dam of the great brood Cricket Dance.
1958 The newly formed Bord nag Con announce that from January 1, all track bookmakers will have to be licensed and a new betting tax of sixpence in the pound on all winning bets. They also plan to introduce totalisator facilities at Shelbourne Park, Harolds Cross, Limerick and Cork.
1988 30 greyhounds, three stud dogs and 27 broods have been flown to Zimbabwe to provide runners for a new track that will open in Harare in 1990.
1946 A breeding survey reveals that the average stud fee is around £15 (around £500 in modern terms). However the most expensive sire by far is wartime champ Ballynennan Moon at £100 (roughly £3,500). Mrs Cearns’ champ would also prove to be one of the worst dogs at stud, never even throwing a Derby finalist.
1965 A new book – The Greyhound – by celebrated author H Edwards-Clarke attempts to identify the greatest track bitch of all time. Having contemplated the exploits of Narrogar Ann, Greta Renee and Lizette, he finally plumps for Queen of the Suir. The sister of the brilliant sire Mutton Cutlet was a brilliant tracker in her own right who won the 1932 Irish Oaks, followed by the ’32 and ’33 English Oaks, as well as two Coronation Stakes.
