1960 The NGRC and NGRS announce that six items are to standardised between all tracks: 1) All races must start on time 2) Greyhounds must not be kept waiting behind traps with a 30 second maximum delay, 3) All starting traps are to be of similar design 4) All hurdles are to be of similar design 5) The hare is to at the same distance in front of traps at all tracks at the start of a race. 6) All timing systems are to be made uniform, particularly in relation to the timer and its relationship to angle of trap opening. The changes were made following a request from owner Mrs Frances Chandler (pictured) during her Gimcrack speech. It was the first running of the Gimcrack, following an idea from horse racing. It was a race for which the press would nominate six owners who, in their opinion, had put the most into the greyhound industry. Each nominator could choose a dog, their own, or somebody else’s, to contest the Gimcrack Stakes. The winner of the race allowed its nominator to present a speech to a dinner attended by the sport’s leading dignitaries. Mrs Chandler had nominated Miss Cheerful who was owned by the former Arsenal and Scotland wing half Alex Forbes.
1996 Locally bred and trained Blue Murlen wins the 50th East Anglian Derby at Yarmouth. The Gary Harding trained blue, who had won the £3,000 Tom Fines Memorial and Stylefield Law Puppy Stake earlier in the year clocked his fastest ever run over the trip with a 28.10 run in the decider.
50th East Anglian Derby Yarmouth 462m £10,000 September 19 1996
- BLUE MURLEN (Murlens Abbey-Lovely Lovely) (T6) 11-10f
- EIGHT FOR DINNER (Druids Lodge-Slaneyside Glory) (T5) 12-1
- AGLISH LESTER (Slaneyside Hare-Drumod Lia) (T2) 4-1
- CLEAN PAWS (Arrow House-Mustnt Grumble) (T4) 2-1
- NEW BEAUTY (New Level-Benro Beauty) (T1) 16-1
- RAVENS BURGER (Phantom Flash-Dans Daughter) (T3) 12-1
28.10 5 1/2, nk, nk, 1 1/4 4 (Gary Harding)
2004 The BGRB announce they are to sponsor a new greyhound programme, The Dogs, which will be broadcast on Tuesdays not covered by a major SKY meeting.
1980 NGRC stewards change the rules to allow young NCC registered dogs to be schooled on NGRC tracks by non-license holders.
1988 20 greyhounds died in a fire after a generator exploded at the kennels of Shawfield trainer Willie Weir.
1974 Westbrook Quinn (Myross Again-Abbey Holly) trained by John Coulter overturned litter mates Chain Gang and Pitmans Brief to win the Cesarewitch at Belle Vue.
1998 Two former stars are retired within days of each other. Lenson Billy goes to the breeding paddocks after suffering a tendon injury in a trial. Redwood Sara breaks a hock in the Regency. During his career Billy won the Peterborough Puppy Derby, the Gold Collar, Greenwich Cup and Essex Vase. He was twice runner-up in the Champion Stakes. Redwood Sara won 35 opens including the Pepsi Cola and UK Packaging Marathons and broke track records at Walthamstow and Milton Keynes.
1967 An inovative move of offering a new car to the owner a single winning ticket on the White City quinella brings immediate rewards. The pool rises by nearly 50% to around £4,500 per meeting. It is an interesting scheme because although the winning dividends rocket, the increased business (particularly on outsiders) invariably results in a string of winners sharing the dividend. Thus nobody gets to claim the car.