1948 Mr M O’Hara, the racing manager at Charlton amazed doctors by overcoming a life threatening illness. In the first race of his first meeting back as a grader the field crossed the line, sh, sh, sh, sh sh.
1996 Fortress (I’m Slippy-Exception) is currently the USA’s busiest sire. In an interview with the Star, his breeder Pat Dalton talks about the dam’s family – Exception was by Sail On II out of Miss Hilary from a litter that included Derby finalist In Flight, stud dog Sand Black and broods Bleak Weather, Stranger Legend (Irish Oaks winner) and Kasco Lady. He say: “In my life I never bred a better litter. Kasco Lady would be behind Miss Hilary yet every pup she threw was double A”. Another sister, Slight Chill, who Dalton sold for £100 went on to become the ‘Murlens’ dam responsible for Slippy, Hawk, Abbey etc.
1952 The NGRC announce plans for a six month trial for introducing a two pound weight variation limit – rule 21a. The idea has been in constant operation at Wimbledon since 1928.
2002 Some 18 months after being homed, Mildenhall trainer Leon Steed was asked to take back six and a half year old Mustbee Molly following a divorce. After seeing the pensioner flying around the paddocks, the trainer cautiously took her for a trial. She went so well that she qualified straight back into A2 and finished second in her first race back.
2008 The senior appointments for the new Greyhound Board of Great Britain are revealed. Maurice Watkins is to be the chairman of the chairman. Best known as ‘Manchester United’s solicitor’ he is also a non exec director of the Rugby Football League. The new chief exec is Ian Taylor who held a similar position at London Irish Rugby Club and Sportscotland. The chairman of the regulatory board is vet Ian Reynolds who is non-exec chairman of the Meat Hygiene Service and deputy chairman of the Food Standards Agency.
1988 Mike Middle the Peterborough racing manager is under attack. Windows in his home have been smashed and his car has had the paintwork vandalised and tyres slashed.
1969 Catford Stadium is widely featured in a new film, ‘Mrs Brown you’ve got a lovely daughter’. The film features the group Hermans Hermits who obtain a young bitch ‘who is so fast that she catches the Catford hare’ and their plans to run her in the Derby.
1948 50 greyhounds are drowned in the GRA’s Powderall kennel complex after the River Leith bursts its banks.
1984 John Honeysett’s stayer Living Trail might have been considered somewhat fortunate to be invited to the Select Stakes. His sole four bend win was three months earlier, when as a 50-1 chance he had won the Blue Riband. However the dog who only got a run as the fourth reserve created one of the shocks of the year when covering the 490 metre Wembley course in 29.32 at odds of 66-1.
1959 In a letter to the Greyhound Express, trainer Lesley Reynolds suggests extending the English Derby to become a produce stakes open to British and Irish breeders. He calculates that the winner could expect to pocket £15,000 (approx £258K at today’s values)
1989 Trainer Jane Glass becomes the second trainer to leave Powderhall due to the track’s perseverance with the Bramich Hare.
1948 Six greyhounds, from a total consignment of nine, are found dead in a windowless railway carriage at Crewe station. It had taken nine hours to reach the destination from Hollyhead. The dogs had been destined for London.
1963 Hall Green trainer Sid Masters has his licence withdrawn by the NGRC following the improved form of grader Jamaican Resort. The inquiry reports “it was decided to accept the recommendation of the local stewards that trainer S Masters licence be withdrawn”
1985 The NGRC has two new stipendiary stewards. Ex-White City trainer Frank Melville will take over the south east. Former general manager and promoter Dan McCormick will cover East Anglia.
1956 New Irish 525 National record holder Prince Of Bermuda (4-7f) is surprisingly beaten in the Irish Derby Final. Led up by Keep Moving, he challenges throughout before going down by a length. Owned by Mrs K McBride in Belfast, Keep Moving’s 29.18 is the second fastest time ever recorded at Shelbourne; the quickest was Prince Of Bermuda’s 28.98.
1973 Bashful Man, trained by Ger McKenna, won the Dundalk International, a fortnight after becoming the only dog ever to break 29.00 in the Irish Derby final. The son of Myross Again and Ballyflake clocked 28.82 at Shelbourne and 29.70 at Dundalk. Behind him in the invitation race were Dark Mercury, Black Banjo, Silly Rocket, Dashalong Chief and Itsawitch.
1963 At “a lively” AGM, GRA Trust’s chairman Sir Miles Graham faces a string of calls demanding four resignations from the board, including his own. At a subsequent meeting four members of Jessel Securities submit resolution to seek positions on the board. Miles Graham warns shareholders that the rebel group are intent on closing tracks for subsequent sale for property development. The matter is finally resolved by a postal vote with the existing board retaining their seats.
1984 Sales agent Bobby Jack has £4,000 in cash confiscated by custom officers at Dublin Airport. It was the unspent remains of Jack’s ‘kitty’ following a day at Shelbourne Park sales. Jack was informed that it was illegal to take more than £600 out of the country.
1974 Norton Canes becomes the fifth former independent track to join the NGRC’s permit scheme. Promoter Charlie Southall agreed to go with the wishes of the local trainers who voted overwhelmingly to race under rules.
1951 Midway through the Laurels, the Wimbledon management announce plans to increase prize money in the event by £402, 10 shillings. The winner will receive £875 and the runner-up £180 – equivalent to £22,075 and £4,537 in today’s money.
1983 I’m Slippy is retired from racing after landing the Irish National Sprint by four lengths in a new Dunmore (sand) record of 23.50. A winner of 19 of his last 24 races (with 4 seconds), including the English Derby, he is also the holder of the Celtic Park sprint clock.
2002 Following a serious health scare Charlie Lister announce he will halve his current racing strength of 40.
1959 George Flintham, the most successful owner of the era finally wins one of the few major races to elude him, the Laurels. In fact, he bags the forecast Mighty Hassan leads home Tailors Cheerful. Both dogs are returned at 5-1.
1969 Pat Dalton, who has taken many teams of greyhounds to the USA is taking over a team of 35 greyhounds to race permanently in New England and Florida. The 33 year old sets off on the £25,000 venture with former Shawfield racing manager Don Cuddy. He plans to keep his kennel at Golden in Tipperary as a breeding base.
2002 Stan Gudgin announces his retirement from the sport. The former Harringay trainer went on to become racing manager at Harlow. After retiring from full time employment he continued to act as steward and holiday cover. He said: “I am getting too old and this is the end of my involvement. I’ve been involved in various capacities since 1952 – I think I’ve done my stint.”
1996 The National Association of Dog Wardens are threatening to blacklist greyhound racing. They are angry over the refusal of greyhound authorities to identify greyhounds. The warden’s spokesman describes the greyhound authorities as “hiding behind the Data Protection Act.” The BGRB’s Geoffrey Thomas responds: “We are obviously very cautious about who we give information to, though we always try to work with recognised bodies such as the National Canine Defence League and RSPCA. If the dog wardens will contact us, I am sure we can work something out.”
1963 Somerton Park in Newport closes. It has been trading since 1935. Promoter John Hegarty blames Government taxes for the closure. He reports that the stadium had lost £880 in the first six months of the year, during which time it had paid over £11,450 in betting tax.
1980 Coral are awaiting a valuation from the local council on part of a 50 acre site in Leckwith Road Cardiff with the intention of building a new sports stadium that will include speedway, greyhound racing, squash and badmington.
1971 In a move that would have current promoters Ladbrokes diving for cover, Crayford grader Hurst Joe completes his 25th race in two months. During that period he went just three meetings without a race. Of the 25, he won five and finished second six times.
1994 Jackies Phantom, a former grader at Walthamstow, landed the Irish National Sprint in 23.31 for Dunmore’s 435 yards. The dog was switched to Matt O’Donnell after Ernie Gaskin advised that the dog would benefit from Ireland’s shorter pre-race kennelling times.
1954 August 5 Despite poor weather, more than 1,500 attend the opening of the new stadium in Weymouth. Built outside the speedway circuit and with an inside Sumner hare, race distances are from 300 to 990 yards, with 525 as the standard. The first race, an Inter-Track with Exeter over 525 yards, is won by Tip Top.
1988 Jim McDonald snr, one of the great post war independent promoters retires after 32 years in charge of Scotland’s number one independent track, Ashfield. A bookmaker, like his father Sandy before him, Jim would eventually sell his 12 shops to William Hill. He bought the bankrupt Ashfield speedway circuit in 1955 and opened it as a greyhound track the following year. He later became a successful owner, his most noted dog being the 1958 Scottish Derby winner Just Fame.
