1962 Actor Ivan Beavis, who plays Harry Hewitt in Coronation Street, and actress Doreen Keogh, who plays his wife Concepta, become owners at Belle Vue, six months after they owned by a fictional runner in the TV series.
2006 William Hill announce that their nightly Channel 854 (formerly ‘425’) will cease at the end of the month. Though popular with owners and punters alike, the Hill hierarchy were unhappy that while they incurred the cost of the evening racing, many other bookmakers and betting exchanges were getting a ‘free feed’ Hills also announce that they are dropping their role as GRA’s main sponsors. Instead they announce a festival of racing at Brough Park and Sunderland.
1993 Three Stainforth trainers were fined and lost their licences for 15 months after their dogs tested positive the beta-blockers.
1999 Brough Park runner Shock Absorber was forced to make his NGRC debut in an open race. Although he had easily achieved grading time, he hadn’t won a trial and so, under the rules, couldn’t be graded.
2002 Owner Barrie Silkman (above) is so incensed when Swindon exclude Texan Fox from an 18 runner competition that he issues a £25,000 a side challenge to the eventual winner of the event. It isn’t accepted which might be just as well given that within a month the dog has landed the Eclipse at Nottingham.
1962 Bord nagCon announce their team for an international race at Biscayne Kennel Club. The three selections, Dai And Duck, Lios Mire and Grand Prize winner Toast The Prince, will be handled by Pat Dalton. Unfortuntely, Scottish entry King Of Congo was found dead on his arrival in the USA.
1974 October 21 The meeting at Watford is cancelled because the undersoil heating is being installed. It was hoped the work would be completed in time but heavy rain the previous Thursday and Friday delays installation.
2003 On October 6, Charlie Lister sets a new record for points scored in the trainers championship when hitting the 1,263 mark.
1997 Rye House reopens after seven months without racing. It has been refitted and has a new restuarant.
1991 Bord na gCon announces it is to suspend all greyhound sales to Spain following a damning independent report of the condition of greyhounds. However agents continue to send dogs.
2006 The NGRC comes in for criticism from the House of Lord when Lord Rooker, the DEFRA minister, says :”We at DEFRA believe that the NGRC has an image problem.” In a lengthy speech he also stated (of the Club), “the public does not trust it.”
1968 October 10 At Dunmore Park a Gala Benefit Meeting in aid of the National Playing Fields Association is held. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Camira Flash (Prairie Flash-Duet Fire, Jan’66), who won the English Derby earlier in the year, lines up for a cracking 435 yard sprint against the track record holder Irish Rain, plus Itsamint. Drawn trap 6, Camira Flash is made favourite and leads from Itsamint after the first bend. Accelerating down the homestraight, he holds on to win by a neck in 23.93 from Itsamint with Irish Rain third.
1956 Former Brighton and Wandsworth grader Orange Express was retired from racing when he reached five and a half years old and was given to an acquaintance of the owner Mr E J Hooker. However, Express was soon bored, and escaped. He was eventually found by his original owner in a police pound on the day he was due to be put to sleep. He was taken home by Mr Hooker but was so lively that his desperate owner took him to Catford for a trial. He instantly re-graded and then romped home in his first race back.
