1965 Wembley punters began booing odds on favourite Strong Arm when he trapped last and trailed the field around the first two bends of a graded race. However, the booing died down as the dog raced through the field to win a by a neck. The racing press described dozens of “shame faced punters collecting their winnings.”
1997 The BGRF refuses a request from Brough Park owners to pay the £11,000 outstanding prize money owed following the track’s recent decline into administration. However, the Fund announce that the total prize money grant for 1998 will pas the £1m mark for the first time.
1982 Frank Doonan, who family ran the recently closed track at Blantyre has started work on building a track in Ayr.
2011 The Greyhound Regulatory Board introduce a ban on the use of electrolytes in racing paddocks.
1946 Wembley announce that George Beesley is to be in charge of its isolation kennel. The Empire Stadium operate a strict code whereby all new arrivals from Ireland must serve two weeks quarantine, in addition to any dogs considered off-colour who are immediately transferred into the care of Beesley and his staff. Staff in the isolation and racing kennels wear different coloured coats and are not allowed into each other’s kennels. Every dog in the isolation kennel has his temperature taken and monitored on a daily basis.
1976 The National Greyhound Owners Federation decline the NGRC offer to join the National Greyhound Owners Federation as they see the new organisation as “not truly representative”.
1946 Wembley ban the stadium trainers from handling any dogs owned by bookmakers.
1986 The BGRB announce plans to obtain a 10% share in the newly formed broadcaster SIS. It fails
1968 Third highest lot at Shelbourne Sales is Finolas Yarn (Sallys Yarn-Finola) who is sold for 420 guineas. In 1969, the black and white dog will win the Callan Cup, and Shelbourne Leger, finish second in the Pigalle Wonder Stakes and fourth in the Irish Derby.
1946 Quare Times – rated the fastest, if not the most reliable dog in training, returns to Ireland. No reason is given for his departure though the press report owner Mr Quinn “did once express his concern with the feeding of greyhounds in this country.” Ireland is not, of course, subject to food rationing.
1977 Locally trained Montreen (Moordyke Spot-Avondale) added the Cesarewitch Final to victories in the TV Trophy and GRA Stakes. The Herbert ‘Bammy’ Bamford trained blue just held off Langford Dacoit in 51.64 for Belle Vue’s 815m. Her winnings for the year are now £6,462 (equiv. to £46,850 today).
1998 Despite sending a high quality team for the first leg of Red Mills Supertrack final at Henlow. Walthamstow are turned over by Sheffield who take a points lead.
1927 Four days after the opening of the Leeds Fullerton Park track, GRA’s Greenfield Greyhound Track (Bradford) becomes Britain’s eighth greyhound track. Among the winners on the seven race card is Charlie Cranston, winner of the first ever race at London White City four months earlier.
2005 Belle Vue stage a £3,000-to-winner graded track championship final. It is won by June McCombe’s open race star Zigzag Stewart in 27.92.
1985 Wimbledon hurdler Lilabeth set a new track record for the 460m jumps course when recording 28.33 in a graded race. Two nights later she was beaten in a Harringay open, before just 24 hours later, she returned to Wimbledon and reduced her own clock by a further 18 spots.
1972 The eight Spanish Derby final is won by Garnies Friend (Shanes Legacy-Rosies Friend), bred in Ireland but representing the host country.
2012 Towcester racecourse sign a five year deal with SIS to provide greyhound racing “across all platforms”.
1996 Belle Vue switch the dates of their Northern Flat competition because of a clash with the Eclipse because they “don’t want to see it hit the standard of our entries” The Manchester race is worth £3,000 to the winner and the Eclipse is worth £8,000.
1982 Wonderful Jennie, sold at the recent Cork sales for 40 guineas, and with a last line of form of 30.95 for 525 yards, goes within two lengths of the Youghal clock when recording 29.10.
2009 Five months after the release of balloons at the Derby lunch, Blue Square PR Alan Alger received a call from Holland asking how the finder could claim his prize.
