2012 Belle Vue play host to BAGS chairman Tom Kelly and see seven of the first eight races won by trap six – followed home by trap five on six occasions.
1965 The British Greyhound Breeders and Owners announce their award winners for 1964. Greyhound of the Year is the Jimmy Jowett trained Lucky HI There (Hi There-Olives Bonny, Nov 61). He won 27 of his 35 races during the year including a 16-timer and finals of the St Leger, Orient Cup, Spring Cup, Gold Cup and Mackeson Cup. He broke the 700 yard track records at Wembley and Southend plus the 760 and 725 clocks at Clapton and White City respectively. Top bitch was Cranog Bet (Knockhill Chieftain-Don’t Bet, Jun 62). Her 18 wins from 24 opens included the finals of the Oaks, Prince Philip Stakes, Cearns Memorial, Critchley Memorial, Stewards Cup and Anglo-Irish. She broke the 400 yard record at Clapton. Best British Bred Greyhound was Conna Count (Mile Bush Pride-Aghadown Molly, Apr 62). His biggest victory was in the Laurels. Top dam was Stans Daughter, dam of youngster Beaverwood Max who won 14 of his 32 opens. There was also a special award for the Crazy Parachute/ Knockmullagh Lady litter that featured open race stars Boothroyden Flash (12 opens), Boothroyden Larry (18) and Meteoric (12).
1973 GRA announce that they have agreed a deal to bring racing back to Watford after a break of 19 years. No date has been agreed for the re-opening.
1966 The NGRC confirm a £10 fine on trainer Jim Irving following the withdrawal of Derby favourite Prince Of Roses from an open race at Wimbledon, who issued the initial fine. Irving had sent the dog to Plough Lane for an open but after being phoned by a kennelhand to say that the going was heavy, he ordered the dog home without it being kennelled.
2013 Kevin Wilde is appointed as commercial director at Coventry.
1949 GRA announce an increase in kennel charges at its Northaw complex. They will rise from the present £2, 2s per week to £2, 8s per week (equivalent to roughly £99 at 2021 prices).
1967 Wimbledon announce that 466 litters have been entered for the 1968 Produce Stakes, which also qualifies them for the 1969 Champion Stakes for three year olds.
1951 At Stamford Bridge there is a brindle bitch called Dorothys Choice. Meanwhile Catford have Dorotheas Choice while Monmore have just qualified Dorothys Choice II.
1969 Northern Ireland’s owners and breeders determine their 1968 dog and bitch of the year – Russian Gun and Itsamint.
1967 GRA decide to replace Manchester White City’s inside lure with an outside version, the same as Belle Vue. Punters have long complained about backing dogs switched between the two tracks in kennel sweepstakes.
2010 Dazzle Special is the sponsor’s 7-2 ante post favourite for the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket. Eventual winner Group Skater is 8-1, but 10-1 elsewhere.
1998 The Greyhound Writers Association award their Services to Greyhound Racing award to Tom Smith, whose Swaffham hare has almost completely replaced the expensive and high maintenance McKee-Scott and Sumner systems in the previous five years.
1967 Private trainer Ernie Gaskin sends out Come On Dolores to win a 1,041 yard marathon which she wins by 13 lengths. 24 hours later she appears in a 1,030 yard event at Romford and wins by three lengths.
2009 The sole winner of Coventry’s £20,000 jackpot cannot be paid out as he has lost his ticket.
1965 A row breaks out between the NGRS and the Scottish betting industry. It follows an alleged coup at Kings Heath in which a winning treble is said to have cost the Scottish layers many thousands. Tests on all the runners proved negative. A statement from the NGRS reads: “The Society note with interest, the large number of Scottish bookmakers who have associated themselves with approaches to the Society in this matter. That is surprising as out of the total number of 1,579 betting shops in Scotland, only 50 are licenced by the Society to take bets at greyhound totalistator odds. It seems obvious that a certain number of bookmakers are inventing betting coups in order to withhold payment of legitimate bets.”
2012 Sawpit Samurai, the oldest runner in training, is retired after falling in his 114th outing. The Dave Hunt trained dog is just four months short of his eighth birthday.
1959 Bookies were unusually sporting when paying out on the heavily backed 50-1 outsider of a billiards tournament at the Victoria Sporting Club. The winner was the enthusiastic greyhound owner and bookie Joe Coral, founder of the famous bookmaking company.
1994 Wembley announce open race prize money increases. From now on, winners will get 490m-£125, 490mH-£150, 655m-£175, 710m-£200, 850m-£225. Peterborough follow suit. All 420m opens will be worth £120 and 605s will pay £175 (equivalent to £294 at 2014 values).
2002 The GTA announce that they have created a trainer’s contract which will give them greater powers with defaulting owners. It will be introduced “in a month or two.”
1949 White City announce that the 1949 English Derby will be open for 48 runners, rather than the 36 of the previous year.
2009 Scottish Derby sponsors Ibetx announce they will repeat their 2008 offer of a £1m bonus should the winner of the Shawfield race go to land the English and Irish equivalents.
1962 Palms Printer and Clonalvy Pride cannot be separated in the vote for 1961 Greyhound of the Year. Printer won the Derby and Scurry Gold Cup. Clonalvy Pride won the Laurels, St Leger and Olympic. Oaks winner Ballinasloe Blonde was certain to win the Best British Bred Bitch award, but also won the Best British Bred Greyhound award, which had always previously been presented to a male greyhound. The Dam of the Best British bred litter went to Day Break.
1994 Eight runners are withdrawn by owners and trainers from a Canterbury meeting due to an alleged frozen track. The NGRC are to investigate.
1967 Captain Arthur Brice, the six foot six inch former Wembley racing manager and the Waterloo judge for 24 years, dies aged 80.
2013 Owner Stuart Forsdike has a night to forget when former Oaks finalist Aero Scramble and hurdler Aero Lillee are disqualified some 80 minutes apart.
2002 Top Savings is the 4-1 ante post favourite for the English Derby. They then bet 20-1 Bold Mossy and Rutland Budgie, 25-1 Barney The Bold and El Ronan. Eventual winner Allen Gift is 66-1 but would still be a 16-1 chance four months and six qualifying rounds later.- pic Steve Nash ©
