Greyhound racing lost one of its most popular figures with the death of kennelman Peter Vernon following a prolonged illness.- Angela Harrison lands the Gain Greyhound Nutrition GTA Trainers Championship at Sheffield. Going into the final race of the night, five of the kennels can still win it. Angela is reliant on Droopys Expert running from trap three
- A study on this website suggested that maiden opens now account for around 19% of all open races staged. This was up from 15% over a five year comparison. Harlow stage the most of any GBGB track, 36%.
- The maiden trend is confirmed when Henlow receive 74 entries for the 36-runner Maiden Derby. The most interesting of the lot is Man Twenty One – winner of the 2017 Texacloth Puppy Cup and beaten favourite in the same year’s Irish Puppy Derby Final. His career had been decimated by heat problems and injury. After a seven month lay-off, he won his opening Henlow heat in a fastest-of-round, 27.55. He was eliminated in the semis and broke down again next time out.
- GBGB launches a new welfare hotline where reports of issues relating to greyhound cruelty or neglect can be reported, anonymously if necessary The number is 020 7822 0917
- King Elvis marks the end of a marvelous career by landing the RPGTV Golden Crest at Poole – in front of his number one fan. Although a career ending injury – a rupture of the main tendon behind the wrist – was still to be confirmed, the 2017 Greyhound of the Year will break down on his next handslip and will then go to stud.
- A positive test provided by Geelo Monty when winning the BGBF five months previously results in the race and prize money being awarded to runner-up Viking Jerry.
- Bob Gilling celebrated 50 years of dedicated service to British breeding. Here was our tribute.
- Former Romford RM Peter O’Down agrees to join Nottingham’s Peter Robinson and Jason Smith on the seeding panel for the forthcoming Greyhound Derby.
- As a precautionary measure Henlow suspend racing and order a deep-clean of the stadium kennels following the death of two greyhounds in what are later discovered to be unrelated incident. The first case is tested positive for haemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE), ‘Severe Kennel Sickness’, while the other is found to have died of a heart issue.
- Toolmaker Josie, whose brief Scottish career ended with him winning off a 10 metre handicap start, land the €80,000 Kirby Memorial Final at Limerick.
- Seamus Cahill, whose home track Hove do not stage hurdle races, landed his fourth Grand National title with Caislean Fifi.
- Two years after being KO’d in the Coral Regency Final and 21 months after breaking a hock, Aayamza Breeze produced one of the great modern fairytale stories by landing a star studded 2019 final. She ran from trap one with great rival Goldies Hotspur in three.
- The Star run a feature of Harlow trainer Jim Daly senior who has no less than 15 greyhounds currently in action, each with more than 100 races on their card.
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