1997 Following his recent disqualification for fighting, El Tenor clocks 29.13 in his first hurdle trial over Walthamstow’s 475 metres.
2013 Trapper Dempsey makes top lot at Sheffield sales when changing hands for 3,900gns. The dogs wins seven of his 30 opens before his career is ended by injury.
1976 Glen Rock (Monalee Champion-Fit Me In) is one of the most impressive Irish Puppy Derby winners in years. The rangey brindle wins the Harolds Cross final by 13 lengths in 29.08. It was his sixth win in eight races – the only two defeats were behind the outstanding young bitch, Lady Referee. The top British based pup is Carhumore Speech (Free Speech-Pats Glory) with ten wins from twelve opens including the Yorkshire and Wimbledon Puppy Derbys and the Midland Classic Potential. However another star seems set to emerge when a debutant is backed to 4-7f in a Crayford open. With a 28.55 six length win, just four lengths outside the track record, the impressive Instant Gambler (Itsachampion- Sabrina) looks set for a huge career.
1994 Following the major renovation of their grandstand, Crayford announce plans to race five times a week from January.
1946 The recent arrival at Catford of Cunning Gambler is taken as ominous by the racing press. Until now, no London tracks have allowed company owned dogs to race at them. Gambler is owned by Catford Stadium Ltd, and the press fear that track owned dogs will drive out private owners from the best races. Wembley immediately announce that no company owned runners will be accepted in opens. Conscious of the bad publicity, Catford choose a loophole that will be followed by others, as they transfer Gambler’s ownership into the name of a company director’s wife.
2014 Dominic Ford is unveiled as the new chairman of BAGS. He will take over from Tom Kelly on January 1. Meanwhile the CEO of the Retired Greyhound Trust Peter Laurie announces he is to become Director of Operations at Battersea Dogs Home.
1985 Over 9,000 people, the biggest attendance in 25 years saw Slaneyside Gold win Walthamstow’s Grand Prix Final. However, most present were not there to see John Sherry’s 5-1 winner, they were there to support Scurlogue Champ in a supporting 820m open. They left disappointed when the big black was unable to reel in another local champ in Glenowen Queen.
2011 The Irish Greyhound Board launches a dedicated new mobile app.
1968 Trials have started at the newest British track to open at Cambridge City’s football ground. Future racing office staff will include GBGB director John Haynes and Star editor Floyd Amphlett
1986 Embarrassment at Greyhound Owner when seven stories from the weekly paper are repeated in the following issue.
2005 The American media claims the country’s dogs are in the grip of a ‘killer flu’. The country’s greyhound tracks are mystified by the claims having noticed nothing more serious than a slight increase in kennel cough cases six months earlier.
2015 Two Tony Taylor trained runners Castlelyons Cofi and Bizarro return a forecast of £1,361 in the Grand National semis. The six qualifiers from the semis returned, 6-1, 6-1, 12-1, 33-1, 50-1, 50-1
1977 Sheffield switch to an all-sand surface.
2008 Nathan Corden announces that he is to return to Nottingham after four years working in horse racing.
1985 Upton Rocket (Nameless Star-Knockrour Girl) fails to win the Sovereign Stakes for the third consecutive year. Ken Linzell’s blue brindle, now four years old, finishes fifth behind the 4-7fav Daleys Gold
1951 British bred Rushton Smutty set a new Walthamstow 525 yard track record in the Grand Prix Final. It was his 16th win in his last 18 starts.
1987 16 month old Curryhills Gara has been sold by trainer/breeder Martin Gleeson after winning the Champion Puppy Stake at Enniscorthy. The son of Linda’s Champion clocked 29.35 in the final after a 29.30 run in the semis.
1963 Following a fire that gutted the racing office destroying all entry forms, Monmore Green decide to cancel the Midland Produce Stakes. They place an advertisement offering to refund all entry fees to anyone returning receipt of payments.
1981 It is a great month for British breeding. There is a 1-2-3 in the Puppy Derby as Special Account beats Gigolo Diomedes and Killacca. At Henlow, Dorothy Ives’ hot favourite Rondor Smiler lands the local Derby. Decoy Silver won the £500 Clifden Rest aurants Hurdle at Wembley. One night later his sister Decoy Boom landed the Scottish Marathon as another East Anglian, Alfa My Son, carried off the GRA Stakes. The month concluded with Thanet Princess landing the Oaks at Harringay and Decoy Boom securing the Stow Marathon.
1998 The 1993 English Derby winner Ringa Hustle is retired from stud duties as a failure and will spend his remaining years as a pet with former trainer Tony Meek.
