2013 Leading horse race trainer Mark Johnson has his first winner of a greyhound race when Idolize lands a handicap graded race at Pelaw Grange.

1969 Brighton have lifted the ban on new arrivals being taken into the track kennels. The Hove venue only race once a week throughout the winter but have relented in time for the two meting schedule which starts in February.

1952 Blossom of Annagura, the leading hurdler of his era is given an ovation by the Clapton crowd after completing his last race. The Jack Sherry trained six year old is in a select group to have won both English and Irish Grand Nationals.

2013 The GBGB announce that following a late surge in registrations, 2012 saw just eight fewer dogs registered than the previous year. The 2012 figure was 7,964. The number of trainers fell by nearly 10% to 812.

1997 Shelbourne sign a deal for Intertrack which will allow Shelbourne punters to bet into the tote pools of English racing.

1957 Wandsworth make two finals from their annual competition, the Wandle Cup. The first three from the two qualifers go into the first final and the last three go into the second final.

1969 Plans to put a greyhound track around the outside of the football pitch at Cheshunt FC, just north of London, are scuppered by an objection from the park committee on the local council.

1972 Crazy Top, a litter brother of Derby runner-up Supreme Fun, is disqualified for fighting when winning a semi final of White City’s Longcross Cup.

1967 The landlords of St. Clonleith Gaelic Football Ground in Newbridge serve notice on the greyhound stadium who vow to find another site.

1957 GRA announce that the 1956 tote turnover on their four London tracks – White City, Harringay, Stamford Bridge and New Cross – was up around £112,000 to £10,511,612 – index linked, that would be worth around £269m.

1969 NGRC figures reveal that in the previous year roughly seven open races a week were cancelled after failing to attract a full field of runners.

2013 GRA announce that the unclaimed final jackpot from Oxford, which closed in December, will be added to the biggest pool at one of the four sister tracks. The tote retention from the increased pool will go to the RGT.

1949 A top class sale at Aldridges sees a number of future stars sold including young bitch Winsome Complexion. She will later throw Oaks winner Ashcott Winsome and Derby finalist Ashcott Boy.

1981 Wimbledon Stadium run a benefit meeting in aid of their neighbours, Wimbledon Football Club.

1974 The cost of the Irish Stud Book will increase from £4 to £7 (index linked £61.80).

1987 Attached trainers: Crayford: John Gibbons, George Lang, Dink Luckhurst, Peter Isaac, Linda Mullins, Mick Mew.

1950 The NGRS track at March Barton in Cornwall opts to hand in its license and race independently.

1987 Monmore stage their first ever eight-dog race on BAGS.

1947 Romford and Dagenham introduce the ‘first past the post’ rule. Until now, any dog seen to fight would cause a race to be made void.

1986 Irish 525yd track records: Clonmel-29.10 Top Rate, Cork-29.10 The Stranger, Dundlalk-29.30 Chief Ironside, Dungannon-28.80 Chief Ironside, Dunmore-29.35 Peaceful Tiger, Enniscorthy-29.15 Milebush Swiftie, Galway-29.46 New Line Bridge, Harolds Cross-28.78 Wheres Carmel/Pulse Tube, Kilkenny-28.98 Lax Law, Lifford-29.09 Moss Chimes/ Slaney Star, Limerick-291.2 Squire Jones, Longford-29.28 Sampson Flash, Mullingar-29.55 Rex Again, Navan-29.12 Ders Again, Newbridge-29.02 Some Skinomage, Shelbourne-28.73 Tanallons Gift, Thurles-29.20 Sailing Weather, Tralee-28.90 Court Rain, Waterford-29.24 The Other Duke, Youghal-28.95 Aglish Poacher

1984 Six littermates go to traps to contest an A1 event at Bristol. The sextet are from a mating between local runners Black Beetle and Hillside Bonny and were bred by Henry Kibble.

1987 Attached trainers: Walthamstow: Dick Hawkes, Ken Linzell, Mick Puzey, Graham Sharp, John Sherry, Louis Solomon.