1954 There are virtually no greyhounds being directly exported from Eire to Britain following a change in transportation rules introduced by Irish Minister of Agriculture Jim Dillon. All greyhounds sent on the Dublin-Hollyhead ferry must have accommodation in portable kennels. Despite a warning of three months, no kennels have yet been built. In the meantime, many dogs are being re-routed via Northern Ireland.
1975 Tartan Khan becomes the highest prize money winner in a single year when adding the St Leger to his English Derby victory three months earlier. His haul is just over £20,000 (index linked to £146K). The highest prize money winner ever, spread over two years remains Patricia’s Hope with a little over £29,000.
2015 Locally trained Drumkeen Oyster (Hondo Black-Eyepad) wins a Perry Barr 480m Maiden Open in a new track record of 27.93 (+10).
1954 The NGRC warn off three men some 18 months after a greyhound was doped at Coventry. The incident came to light after a kennel lad admitted giving Fog Nozl a cortisone tablet, only to later panic and vomit the dog. The Coventry Quarter Session Court heard evidence that the delay in vomiting had seen enough of the drug enter the dog’s system with the result that he improved almost a full second on his previous performance. The Police were satisfied that the trainer had no knowledge of the action.
2008 Gymcrack winner Farloe Hurricane is retired after breaking a hock in a race at Perry Barr.
2016 AFC Wimbledon have announced that they intend to move onto the greyhound stadium site by the start of the 2018/19 season. Their move follows the decision of Government minister Said Javid not to call in the plan passed by Merton Council to allow the building of 602 homes and a football stadium on the site. It was largely expected.
1963 Hi There, the leading open race sire in Britain in 1962, is currently in fourth place behind Pigalle Wonder, Crazy Parachute and West End.
1954 The ICC alter their rules (they still control greyhound racing. Bord na gCon is yet to be created) to insist that no track records will be ratified for races with less than four runners.
2008 The BAGS fixtures for 2009 are unveiled with the same 17 tracks contracted to supply 2,118 fixtures.
2015 Acknowledging the decline in breeding, the Irish Puppy Derby becomes the Juvenile Derby. Of the 72 entries, 35 would be adults by the time of the final.
1973 Natalie Savva’s future TV Trophy winner Stage Box (The Grand Silver-Crubs Up) is the sixth highest selling lot at Shelbourne sales at 390 guineas.
2016 Paul White makes the switch from Colwick Park to Monmore. Nottingham respond by appointing three new trainers, Dean Boulton (ex Sheffield), Kelly Tobin and Chris Jones (both ex Towcester).
2004 The Racing Post announces its ‘improved’, ‘streamlined’ BAGS coverage – a move that effectively removes full form from the regular paper and puts it into the ‘betting shop’ version, which can only be purchased in addition to the regular paper. There is uproar from punters and the original service is practically resumed within months.
1967 Loughnore Guest becomes one of the smallest dogs ever to win a significant stake. The Bucks Cup winner goes to traps at 56lbs (25.4kg). Meanwhile the Golden Crest goes to Mystic Prairie, a comparative heavyweight male of 58lbs.
2015 The Retired Greyhound Trust has announced the appointment of Professor Steven Dean MRCVS as Chairman of the Board of Trustees in succession to Dr Andrew Higgins, who is stepping down after seven years in the post.
2012 Crayford trainer Ian Stevens’ kennel is placed into a five day quarantine following the unexpected death of grader Fitz Peggy. An autopsy reveals the bitch died of Canine Haemorrhagic Pneumonia.
2016 Popular former trainer Tom Pickett dies following a lengthy illness. A former West Ham kennel boy who handled top hurdler Blue Sands for trainer ‘Appy’ Appleton, Tom later took out a license in his own name and trained at Canterbury, Rye House, Henlow and Milton Keynes. He produced a number of open racers, the best remembered would possibly be Fergus Bramley, Nippy One and Snugborough Rose. Tom later handed on the licence to daughter Donna who enjoyed big races successes with Lyons Double and Silverhill Sue.
1954 An 11 month old puppy breaks the 382 yard track record at Coundon (Bishop Auckland) flapping track when landing an open race. The pup cannot be registered to race on NGRC tracks because his sire is the notorious Red Wind/Waggles, subject of the most famous ‘ringer’ case in racing history. The Greyhound Stud Book refuse to register any pups by the one-time English Derby favourite.
2016 The biggest crowd seen at Yarmouth in several years witness the Mark Wallis trained Clondoty Alex land the East Anglian Derby. The track sold out the 1,400 racecards with at least another one hundred people admitted without raceacards. The 9-2 winner, who had gone out of the event in the first round the previous year, beat favourite Bubbly Turbo by four lengths in 27.79. In his third season he would go on to win the Silver Salver and Golden Sprint.
