1983 The National Coursing Club are so concerned about the increasing number of sabotage by ‘antis’ that they will only issue the details of future coursing meetings by post.
1956 The British Greyhound Breeders & Owners Association annual awards were held at the Dorchester Hotel where the NGRC announced the highest number of greyhounds and new owners had been registered since 1950. British bred English Derby winner Rushton Mac received the top British award (dogs). The bitches award went to Court Princess. However the Greyhound of the Year award went to Duet Leader. Following the presentations, there was a parade of champions which included Rushton Mac, Crufts Supreme Champion Treetops Golden Falcon, Waterloo Cup winner Magical Lore and Brinton Arrow, a winner of 100 graded races at Crayford.
2011 Owner Daren Johnson completes his Give A Bit Back Challenge running and cycling from John O’Groats to Lands End. He raised approximately £20,000 to be split between Help For Heroes and the RGT.
1946 Among the regulars on the open race scene, the unusually named- C.S.
1990 Yarmouth stadium celebrated their 5000th meeting with a special open race card. A crowd of 2,500 were in attendance.
1974 Waterford stages its first meeting since being bought by Bord na gCon.
1928 Perry Barr opens and 15,000 racegoers turn up to see Allies Again win the first race over 500 yards in 31.50. Owned by the Birmingham Greyhound Club, his starting price is 6-1. In 1976 the track is bought by Ladbrokes and on April 14, 1984, they close it saying that the buildings are unsafe, and that the cost of rebuilding cannot be justified. The stadium becomes a shopping complex despite a “Save Perry Barr Campaign” with a petition of more than 10,000 signatures.
2002 Nottingham announce that they will shorten the circuit by making in the inside rail on the backstraight, the new outside rail. It will enable them to reduce the standard distance from 500m to 480m.
1962 Romford stage arguably the ‘longest’ eight-race card ever. It includes four races over 650 yards, one over the 650 yard hurdle course, two over 840 yards and one over the 1,030 yard course. There are four odds-on chances, of which two are successful.
1947 A 14 month fawn dog fetches the top price at Aldridges sapling auctions at 140 guineas (roughly £7,500 at current prices). Bred by Surrey farmer Mr J E Hawkins, the unnamed pup is from a litter of seven pups by Tarmion out of Glasha Beauty who make a combined 632gns (roughly £33K).
2011 Trainer Chris Allsopp has a night to forget. At Monmore, his Ballymac Rumble wins a 480 metre open only to be disqualified for fighting on the run-in. Exactly 60 minutes later, at Shawfield, Westmead Grant finishes second in his Scottish Derby semi but has his card marked for deliberate interference.
1955 Wembley cause a storm of protest by raising the kennel bills from 28 shillings (£1.40) to 35 shillings £57 today) an increase of 20%. Among the irate owners are George Flintham, one of the richest owners around at the time. He asks the Wembley management to increase prize money accordingly.
1980 Midlands owner Roy Brookes is considering taking the NGRC to court after they allowed Hall Green to stage a meeting without a vet in attendance. Brookes’ open race bitch Corelish Jane broke her neck during the meeting and it was 25 minutes before a vet arrived to put the bitch to sleep.
1974 Ken Guy becomes the new NGRC senior stipendiary steward. He replaces the retiring Tom Forsdike.
2011 Farloe Force, third in the Scottish Derby Final , dies from a suspected heart attack at Owen McKenna’s kennel.
1937 The Wood Lane Stakes final at London White City boasts a good line-up, including Lone Keel and Top Of The Carlow Road, but they finish second and third to Lewis Of Waterhall, trained at Wimbledon by Paddy Fortune.
1990 There is a controversial end to the Silver Collar at Walthamstow when winner Fionntra Forge is disqualified for fighting. After running his clearing trials, John Faints’ dog returns to win the Rye Gold Cup.
1952 April 14, Wentworth Park in New South Wales, Australia, celebrate their Silver Jubilee meeting. A crowd of more than 12,000 turn out for the 10-race card, which includes a parade of ex-track champions. On is Chief Havoc (wfd Trion-Thelmas Mate, Sep 44) who in his racing career of 35 races, won 26 times and in one spell of 13 races broke 12 track records. All the winning owners on the night received a canteen of cutlery. The two big races – both worth £125 to the winner, £52 to second and £31 to third – are the Silver Jubilee Stakes over 580 yards and won by R J Hastings’ Edecliffe (bkb, Kingsclere- Five To Eight, Aug 49), and the Easter Gift Stakes over 790 yards, won by J S Lockstone’s Nevcee (bkb Bronze-Moa Rocca Gee, Jul 48).
1974 Young Irish star Two PM is sold at auction for 2,050 guineas. The dog goes on to run third in the Scottish Derby, win the Welsh Derby consolation and finish runner-up in the Golden Jacket.
1927 April 16 Manchester (they weren’t widely known as ‘Belle Vue’ at the time) and still Britain’s only greyhound track, hold their first meeting of the new year, just 24 hours after Celtic Park’s first meeting in Ireland. The six races all carry a winner’s prize of £10 (index linked to roughly £726).
1961 The stewards of the NGRC decide to create a new award – Greyhound Trainer of the Year. Significantly, it will not go necessarily to the highest prize money winner, but to the trainer “who contributes most to the sport during the previous year.” The award is supplemented by a cash prize.
2001 Wimbledon receive 149 entries for the Derby. Restrictions on Irish runners potentially not being able to return home due to the foot and mouth epidemic, means only one Irish runner is entered, Macash Kind. The market is headed by reigning Derby champ, Rapid Ranger who is a best priced, 6-1. Only 148 went into the draw with El Mito being “withdrawn off colour” earlier in the day. He ran in A1 at Walthamstow the same night. The issue occurred with the dog was due to leave the Mullins kennel and join John McGee.
1957 Northern King leads the ante post betting for the Greyhound Derby at 8-1. Second favourite at 12-1 is Puppy Derby winner Ford Spartan. The Sussex bred black meets his litter sister, Puppy Oaks winner Ford Spectre, in his second comeback race of the year, a Wimbledon A1. Spartan duly lands the £20 graded event, but then goes on to take the White City classic two months later.
2001 Two well known greyhound ‘institutions’ pass away within days of each other. First former champion trainer and BGRB director Paddy Milligan dies aged 85. During a distinguished career, Paddy had trained the likes of Yellow Printer, Dusty Trail, Tory Mor, Handy High and Portrun Flier. Within a week, the sport had lost one of its best known journalists, Harry Lloyd, aged 68. The former Rayleigh racing manager worked for the Greyhound Express, Daily Mail and Sporting Life.
1947 Slaney Record (Rare Record-Honey Gale, Oct 44) recouped some of his £1,000 purchase fee by winning the Spring Stakes, worth £200 at West Ham. Trained by Jim Toseland at Perry Barr. Record was later to sire the great Hi There.
1965 Cambridgeshire bred puppy Chittering Clapton completes a graded five-timer (one inter-track) for Clapton trainer Adam Jackson. Within two months he will also have landed the English Derby.
1991 The Grand National goes to a dead heat for the first time in its history though the Hall Green decider was a mockery. The early lead was disputed by Ideal Man and Ballycarney Dell, but the pair seemed content to run together until Run On King went past the pair. John McGee’s Ideal Man rallied first and re-took the lead on the run-on, only for Tony Gifkins’ Ballycarney Dell to waken up his ideas and make his challenge on the line. Dell, previously disqualified, then fought the McGee runner after the line. Third placed was beaten a head with fourth placed Kildare Slippy three quarters of a length away.
