1967 Carry On Oregon (Oregon Prince-Gormanstown Wonder) sets a new track record for the 415 yards trip at Charlton with 23.36.
1998 Tom and Gavin Smith launch the next generation of starting traps which operate using hydraulics.
2005 The NGRC seize all the dogs trained by Sittingbourne’s Mick White when he and one of his kennelhands are charged with murder. They are later acquitted
1960 Southend stewards have a night to forget when four runners, two lame, two sick are withdrawn from the eight race card. (More than one scratching is rare). Then, the first race is made void when the traps open too late. The second race faces a similar fate when the traps open too early. The traps operate correctly for the third race, only for a dog to be knocked over and run back along the straight causing the third consecutive no-race.
1990 Yarmouth stadium celebrated their 5000th meeting with a special open race card. A crowd of 2,500 were in attendance.
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.
1998 The BGRB adopt a new plan to force non-paying bookmakers to contribute to the BGRF when they object to the renewal of betting licences by Vickers Racing.
1976 Stay In Business (Valiant Ray – Sheilas Prize) is sold at Shelbourne Park Sales for 600 guineas and ends up on the British independent circuit. She later returns to Ireland and throws Produce Stakes winner Game Ball
2006 After 19 consecutive defeats in open races, and despite reaching the semi finals of the Derby and St Leger, Hot Rocks finally won his first open race at his 20th attempt. Sadly Seamus Cahill’s fawn went lame in his 21st outing and never raced again.
1973 Romford announce that kennel fees at the stadium kennels are to rise to 55p per day or £4.20 including 10% VAT per week. The GRA fees are to rise to 75p per day or £5.77 per week.
2001 The NGRC made no order against either Wisbech or trainers Jim Paterson and Frances Dowden following the unauthorised withdrawal of their runners on December 21. The track had opted to race despite advice from the track’s veterinary surgeon.
1996 GRA and BS Group launch Britain’s first ever inter-track service. Punters at Belle Vue, Bristol, Hall Green, Catford and Portsmouth will be able to bet into the Wimbledon tote pools.
1986 After breaking the 490 metre track record at Wembley with 28.89 on the 11th, A Honeyfield’s Fearless Champ (Special Account-Sarahs Bunny, Mar 83), trained at Oxford by Geoff de Mulder, is a warm order to win outright the Blue Riband, which starts a week later. Going into the final on the 28th, he is unbeaten after three rounds, and is 8-11 to take the £8,000 first prize. This he does, but not before he gives his backers the jitters by starting moderately in fifth place. He soon makes up the ground with his brillliant early speed to catch the leader before half way, and then surges clear to win by 3 3/4 lengths in 29.04
1999 Some Picture is found dead in his kennel at Sean and Michael Dunphy’s Portlaw range. No post mortem was carried out though it was assumed that death was by heart attack. Picture’s victories included the English and Scottish Derbys, the Eclipse and Select Stakes. Picture was two months short of his fifth birthday when he died. Described by trainer Charlie Lister as “the best greyhound that I ever put a lead on” had been at stud for 19 months and despite siring a total of only 128 litters, he reached no.5 on the open race sires table. Among his progeny were Reactabond Rebel, Ballyhaden Lad, Fat Boy Slim, Frisby Fassan, Sexy Delight, Ryefield Snowy, Barefoot Ridge, Longvalley Tina and Kit Kat Kid.
