2010 Arsonists wipe out the derelict VIP Bar at Portsmouth which closed earlier in the year.
1992 Popular Scottish agent Bobby Jack dies of a heart attack at Cork Sales aged 56.
2018 Sheffield boss John Gilburn supports Pat Rosney when he complains about the absence of pain relief when The Other Reg breaks a hock in a trial at the track. Gilburn reports the on duty vet to the Royal Society and to the GBGB.
2018 Droopys Trapper removed Derby winner Blonde Snapper’s name from the record books when setting the fastest ever time for Sunderland’s 450m – 26.49.
2012 Former Brough Park trainer Norman Oliver has passed away aged 84.
1988 Clonmel announce that they will only race once a week during July and August due to a bookmaker shortage. The layers would rather stand at the horserace meetings at Powerstown Park – which is operated by the Irish Coursing Club. The track is downgraded to ‘B’ status for its prize money.
2018 The GBGB have announced that they have appointed Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) as consultants for track preparation and maintenance in support of the 22 licensed Greyhound tracks.
1964 A ground breaking rule change is about to be passed by the NGRC. It will allow racing managers to choose the traps for all runners in graded races. At present, they are allowed to choose the traps for wide seeds, but must draw the remainder. The plan receives a mixed response with many owners writing to the press with concerns over the additional powers being given to racing managers.
2010 William Hill’s high profile PR executive David Hood leaves the company, stating that he is seeking new challenges.
2018 Media broadcaster ARC unveil their European Racing Channel which will be broadcast 15 hours per day from Greece.
1988 Bristol trainer Mary Babe has her licence withdrawn indefinitely after stewards visited her Cardiff kennel and found neither the trainer or any of her BAGS runners present.
1946 Fifteen people, including four policemen, are injured at Harringay Stadium following a small riot. It followed the decision of the local stewards not to declare a no-race when a dog fought. Police reported extensive fire damage though it did not damage the hare mechanism and no racing is lost.
2009 The GBGB lift the ban on trainer John McGee that was imposed by the NGRC in 2002.
1958 The great Irish champion Spanish Battleship loses his Thurles 525 yard track record when Footless (The Grand Champion-Fast Worker) goes one tenth of a second faster in 29.75. In the same week, the Harolds Cross equivalent goes to Ard Eaireann Prince (Champion Prince-Imperial Blackie) who records 29.40.
1989 Nans Brute becomes the first female Scurry winner since Lucky Joan II (1963) when leads home Angelo Carlotti in 23.59 for Catford’s 385 metres. The first two home are by the exported sire Curryhills Brute.
2013 BAGS announce that they are in negotiations with SKY to broadcast 22 programmes following SKY’s plan to ditch their own coverage.
1957 Report in Greyhound Express: “Bus-less and bewildered travellers at Brighton Station the other evening, waiting for cabs to whisk them home because of the road transport strike, gaped in astonishment. Off the 6pm Victoria-Brighton non-stop and out of the gates trotted a sleek blue greyhound. Solicitous station officials hailed one of the much-sought-after yellow and black Brighton taxis and installed the longtail on the cushions in the back. Away slid the cab en route to Brighton and Hove stadium amid the muttered comments of disgruntled would-be home goers. The greyhound? Customers Image, whom owner Mr Norman Dupont, NGRC steward, had asked his Wembley kennels to rail down to the seaside stadium.”
1993 The National Intertrack competiton, which was scrapped in the late 1970s is to be resurrected with a budget of £55,000.
2013 GRA announce that the Oaks will be switched from Wimbledon to Belle Vue.
2018 Trainers rep Peter Harnden is critical of the GWA when no wide reserve is allocated for the RPGTV Select Stakes which is then reduced to five runners following the withdrawal of Whoops Jack. But the problems don’t end there. Red jacketed Shaneboy Freddie checks out at the first bend and collides with The Other Reg and Innocent Times with all three failing to finish. The race goes to Brinkleys Poet from Sporting Dave. It is the end of Shaneboy Freddie’s 108 race career with a wrist injury. But far worse is to follow for trainer Kevin Boon when just nine days later, kennel star Murrys Act is put to sleep after fracturing a hock in the semi finals of the Grand Prix at Sunderland. Kevin Hutton’s Golden Sprint winner Forest Chunk also broke a hock at the same meeting. Despite some raw emotions on the night, trainer Rab McNair states that he and Pat Rosney walked the Sunderland circuit before racing and found it to be in good order.
1985 Monmore take the new ‘freedom of racedays’ opportunity to a new level when staging a record 16 meetings in July. The change in legislation comes into effect on July 9. However, it is Ramsgate who become the first British track to race four times in the same week when they introduce Saturday morning racing.
2011 Hills announce that the 2012 English Derby will be worth a record £125,000 to the winner.
