1954 Among the purchasers at Aldridge Sales is retired Colonel Pierre Volmerange. Based in Morocco, Volmerange who pays a maximum of £20 per dog (approx. £600 today), runs a farm but also rears greyhounds for his track in Algiers. North Africa. Inspired by the success of the track in Casablanca, the dogs race on a track originally built for athletics ‘but is perfectly suited for dog racing’. In fact, the track claim that due to the climate, there is less sickness than in (distemper ravaged) Britain.
2016 Veteran Ascot Woodie who had been sent to John Mullins to end his career running in graded races at Yarmouth is an 8-1 chance when landing the Coral Champion Stakes at Romford.
1985 Smokey Pete (Smokey Flame-Smokey Cotton, Jan 83) adds the £10,000 to winner Edinburgh Cup at Powderhall to his £5,000 Scottish Derby victory at Shawfield – and settles an old score at the same time. Opposed in the betting (7-4) by kennelmate Ballintubber One (1-1f), Pete just held off the favourite by a short head in 28.34 for the 465 metres. The pair had previously finished 1-2 in the finals of the Circuit and Select Stakes, but it had been Ballintubber who had come out in front on both occasions.
2015 Laughil Duke takes 19 spots off the Sparta Maestro’s track record in the Mulvaney 600 at Shelbourne Park. In a fabulous buckle with Ballydoyle Honey, the Derby Plate winner (6-4) prevailed by just a head from Ballydoyle Honey in 31.91.
1962 James Bond himself, actor Sean Connery, presents the trophy to What Cheer, winner of the Dr. No Stakes at Wembley.
1954 Two of the greats of Irish greyhound racing meet in an open race at Harolds Cross. Spanish Battleship (20 races 18 wins), soon to win the second of his Irish Derbys shoots to a five length lead but it reeled in by Hi There who wins by two and a half lengths in 29.48, just half a length outside the 525 yard track record. It was his 11th win in 13 races. The winner had just landed the Irish National Sprint for Kildare based Paddy Kelly and Northern Irish owner/breeder Jack McAllister. The son of Slaney Record is the fifth National Sprint winner for McAllister following the victories of Mad Tanist, Cushera Shaggy, Count Lally and Mad Companion.
2012 Sheffield announce a significant prize money increase across the grades from A8 winners (up £5 to £70) to A1 (up £8 to £160).
1974 Bord na gCon report a 17% increase in betting in 1973. The total figure was more than £12m – index linked to roughly £155m.
2015 Crayford paddock steward Angie Fotheringham gives a demonstration of greyhound micropchipping to Irish control stewards. Crayford was used for the first trial of the procedure which was made mandatory in Britain in 2008.
1968 Yellow Printer returns to Britain after landing the Irish Derby Final. He is to join Paddy Milligan after owners Pauline Wallis and Sir Robert Adeane opted not to send the dog back to Paddy Keane following GRA’s decision to move Keane and his fellow Clapton and West Ham trainers to their Northaw Kennel.
1954 The management at Carntyne have announced a doubling of prize money for the Scottish Derby, alongside its new slot in the Calendar in October. It is worth £500 to the winner (£14,570 today) providing there are at least 12 entries. (The event is being advertised for 3 x 5 runner heats)
2012 With Farloe Tango, Silverview Perky, Bucks Blade and Mottos Blue all lame, Charlie Lister believes it is the worst spate of injuries that he has known in 40 years.”
1970 GRA introduce eight dog racing at Belle Vue.
2015 A struggling Wimbledon is only able to field 32 runners for its Friday night card spread across six races. The track hope to see matters ease following the arrival from Poole of June Harvey. The situation at Harlow is very similar. Their Friday night card is for 34 runners spread across six races.
2016 Greyhound racing lost one of its great characters with the death of Terry Meynell aged 75 following an on-going battle with serious illness. During a lengthy career, the no-nonsense Geordie had operated as racing manager at Sheffield, Nottingham, Newcastle and Sunderland.
1982 Desert Pilot has been the most popular sire with British breeders when the 81/82 Stud Book shows he has 42 litters. He is followed by 35-Instant Gambler, 32-Paradise Spectre, 31- Tough Decision, 30-Glin Bridge.
2006 Mark Wallis sends out five finalists in the Grand Prix Final at Walthamstow. They are 1st-January Tiger, 2nd-Fear Robben, 3rd Blackmagic Guy, 4th Daisydfield Seani and 6th Go Commando. Nick Savva’s Westmead Swift is fifth.
1948 Trevs Jackie, who had featured in the 1946 Derby Final won by kennelmate Trevs Perfection, is sold at Aldridges Sale for 22 guineas.
1954 A double for litter brothers Ruddy Climax and Ruddy Caution seems to stir Greyhound Owner into the subject of confusing racing names. Apart from taking issue with the wrongly (!) spelt Heath Appolo, Red Brittania and Gracefull Abbey, they are unhappy about half brothers Palm Prince and Palmy Prince, plus More In and More At. But that really seems to stir them up is name reversal. Currently racing are Surely Peace and Peace Surely plus half brothers Rock Real and Real Rock.
2016 Pat Rosney uses his column in Greyhound Star to slate the GBGB stewards for their handling of a case relating to fellow trainer Seamus Cahill.
