1972 Sherrys Prince wins the Grand National for the third time at London White City, as 5-4 favourite from trap 4, beating Lee Park 14-1 from trap 6, Derry Palm 5-1 from trap 5, Adamstown Valley 3-1 in trap 3, Nashville King 20-1 trap 2 and Ragtime 11-2 trap 1. After making a superb leap at the first flight and leading at the first, Prince won comfortably by 6 1/4 lengths in 29.80. The trophy is presented to owner Joyce Matthews by Arthur Aldridge of the GRA. The trainer is Colin West of White City and the kennelmaid, Irene McNally (Hazelwood), later becomes a trainer and then a stipendiary steward.
1981 Following the recent death of husband Pat, Linda Mullins sends out her first runners as an NGRC trainer and is on the mark straight away when Solo Song lands an open at Southend. Within a decade, Mrs Mullins had won the first of her six trainers championships.
1962 The BBC Television Trophy gets under way with heat 1 at Perry Barr, where outsider Strolling Girl trap 1 at 100-7 beats Lindas Flier trap 5 at 100-6. Heat 2 is on April 18 at Hendon. Towerhill Rover, trap 5 at 13-8 joint favourite beats dead-heaters Cherry Lady trap 1 at 100-7 and Tarry No Fear trap 6 at 9-2. After the race, Major Percy Brown of the GRA, together with two trainers, Jimmy Jowett and Johnny Scott, officiates in the toss of a coin to decide who should go forward to the final. Johnny Jowett guesses right and his charge Cherry Lady is in the Wembley final. April 25, 1962 At Powderhall heat 3 sees Avis from trap 5 at 2-1 beat Watch Kern trap 3, the 6-4 favourite. Miss E M Singleton’s Avis, trained by Jimmy Rimmer at Wembley, is immediately installed as favourite as the final is at Wembley, their home track . The British bred Avis duly lands the final and breaks the 880 yard track record.
1992 Murlens Abbey becomes the first dog to break 28.00 at Reading when recording 27.89.
2003 Shawfield are fined £750 for operating a trial session without a vet in attendance.
1978 The NGRC put up the price of owner and professional trainer licences from £32 to £40. In 1977, they registered 319 professional trainers, 183 owner trainers and 1108 permit trainers.
2007 Ladbrokes suspend their Muzzleboro virtual racing game when it is discovered that the computer program was incapable of paying out when a trio bet was successful. It incorrectly viewed the third dog as a loser. What was that unwritten commandment? ‘Thou shall not win’
1985 Debbies Time (Killaclug Jet-Debbies Darkey) Is the bitch of the moment. In the space of a week, Paddy Hancox’s black wins the Midland and Northern Oaks Finals, the latter in an new Belle Vue track record of 27.74.
1956 Wembley stage a race billed as the greatest graded race ever. It features litter brothers Northern King and Northern Champion, Tax Diablo, Fleet Admiral, Coming Champion and Magourna Belle. Derby favourite Northern King (6-1) wins by a short head. Meanwhile Walthamstow stage a similar high class graded event won by Duet Leader. Two months later King finishes fourth in the English Derby Final, Leader is runner-up. The 60 runners quoted in the ante post odds do not include the eventual Derby winner, Irish star Dunmore King.
1978 Mr C Thayer of Bristol sees his 17 month old bitch pup find more than a second to win her racing debut by nine lengths in 30.00 at Harolds Cross. Her name is Sarahs Bunny.
1956 Romford grader Magna Birch completes a quick graded double at Romford. Not bad for a dog two weeks off his eighth birthday.
2003 Sheffield faced an unusual hare problem for a BAGS fixture. Only after putting the dogs in the traps and seeing the hare fail to move did it occur that the hare driver was not at work that day!
