1998 Kevin Wilde announces that he had a deal in place to take over Romford and Hove had the Tote been successful in their bid to buy Coral. The bookmaking chain had apparently been bought by Ladbrokes until Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Mandelson vetoed the deal and forced Ladbrokes into a re-sale.
2000 Seamus Cahill is to switch his training operation from Catford to Wimbledon. Graham Holland leave’s Oxford for Hove.
1980 White City stage a £200 match between the country’s top two marathon hounds, Salina and Keem Princess. The latter had inflicted one of only three defeats on Salina in her previous 20 races and George Lang’s bitch would gain her revenge over the 962m course. George Lang’s 4-6f Salina (Glin Bridge-Go Ahead Girl, Aug 78) got home by just under two lengths in 60.64.
1997 Following three ‘maximum’ pay-outs, Ladbrokes will no longer accept greyhound bets from Hull.
1966 Tracks throughout Britain promise to reduce admission charges following a change in the law which will allow them to increase tote retention for 6% to 121/2%. Several tracks without totalisator facilities are planning to install them.
1983 Bord na gCon suspend prize money grants to Navan after discovering that the track owes more than £5,000 in unpaid prize money.
1948 Wimbledon announce that 16 of the 18 entries for the Puppy Oaks are British bred.
1957 Arthur Lewis, the Labour MP for West Ham North, asks Enoch Powell (financial secretary to the Treasury) “Are you aware that if you or the Chancellor has a bet on the totalisator at a racecourse, you do not pay tax at all? But if an underpaid hospital worker goes to a greyhound track and puts a bet on the same totalisator, he loses 10 per cent in tax. Why should the poor be taxed on their bets and not the rich?” Powell replied: “The answer to the first part is not without evidence, and the second part appears to be loaded.”
1968 Anglo-Irish export Ltd, the main greyhound sales organisation announce an expansion beyond Hackney with sales planned at Brough Park and Monmore Green.
1993 Tony Meek leaves Oxford to join Hall Green. His Oxford slot is taken by Geoff Goodwin.
1974 The 1st December Stakes over 880 yards at Walthamstow sees a high quality line-up and the youngster of the field, Lizzies Girl (bk b Newdown Heather-Knockrose Lady, Jun’72) runs a crack of a race to beat Silver Sceptre by 1 1/2 lengths in 52.66. Chain Gang is third and Streaky Sheila fourth.
2003 Romford racing manager Peter O’Dowd has acquired a personalised number plate for a special birthday – P50POD.
1980 With tax inspectors debating whether VAT should be charged on entry fees for open races, Wembley take the lead by scrapping them.
1965 The NGRC writes a letter of protest to the BBC Secretary General over the storyline in a recent episode of Z-Cars. Spokesman Fred Underhill states: “We are appalled that the BBC continually depict the sport in an unfavourable light and are staggered at the ignorance as to how greyhound racing is actually controlled.” The NGRC had been aware of the unfavourable script prior to broadcast but their requests for changes in the script were ignored.
1993 Linda Mullins are battling out for the trainers’ championship and pass the ‘200 open winners’ mark within 24 hours of each other.
1946 Owner R H Dent withdraws Irish Derby winner Steve unsold from Aldridges Sales. Although bids topped £1,000 (indexed linked to £43,500), Mr Dent objected to the dog being sold to “flappers”. He determines that the dog will be sent to a private trainer and possibly entered in the International. However, following Steve’s previous disqualification for fighting at Wembley, he must run 13 ‘clean’ races in Britain before he will be considered.
