1972 Wembley’s five resident trainers learn that the track kennels, located behind the stadium, are to be demolished due to a road development scheme on the site. The five resident trainers will be offered contracts though Jack Harvey, who has been employed by Wembley for 40 years hints that he will retire. Wembley will be the first London track to fully adopt contract trainers, an idea that was originally devised at Leicester.
1990 Bill Masters, former head man to George Curtis and a Hove trainer in his own right for three years, decides to relinquish his licence. Masters said: “We are already racing four times a week, and with rumours of an extra BAGS meeting it would be five.The extra racing has taken all the enjoyment out of the sport for me.”
1989 Hay Maker Mack, the holder of the most prestigious track record ever, White City’s 500m, has been put to sleep with cancer. Trained by Derek Knight, Mack’s 28.96, recorded in the 1983 Derby consolation final was the only sub-29.00 run ever recorded at Wood Lane.
1972 Dundalk International worth £1000 to winner – most lucrative one-off ever staged. It is won by Time Up Please in 29.60 from British entry Super Rory.
1946 Former Chief Constable Percy Worth is to head the NGRC’s new 300-strong security service. The Club have taken over the responsibility for the national operation from the individual tracks. The security officers duties extend beyond kennel security to include projects like eliminating tote forgery.
2011 Sheffield grader Shome Thebunny makes her debut for BBC Radio 5 Live’s presenter Colin Murray.
1976 Greyhound tracks are fearing for the worst following the introduction of the Drought Law which will prevent tracks from watering the racing circuit.
1992 Peterborough announce that they are to introduce hurdle racing.
1967 The ICC announce that the recent National Coursing Meeting at Clonmel made a loss of £1,037 (roughly equivalent to £17,000)
1946 A stand-off between trainer Fred Farey and Wimbledon racing manager Con Stevens means the reigning Derby champion Mondays News will not contest the Laurels for which he was ante post favourite. The spat occurred when Farey and his champion arrived at a Wimbledon trials session but were only offered a three-runner event despite requesting a solo.
1991 The NGRC announce the formation of a new open race planning committee. Tracks will be split into seven zones and new categories of event will prevent races of similar type from classing. For the first time, the Club propose that dogs testing positive in races will forfeit any prize money. In addition, all competition consolation finals, including the Derby, will be scrapped.
1972 Oxford decide to offer free admission to the popular side of the track for the month. However there are no bookies on that side of the track – though there are tote machines. To transfer to the main ring costs 40p.
1986 Belle Vue trainer Carol Evans, whose recent five-timer was alleged to have cost bookies many thousands of pounds, has had her contract terminated.
1991 The sensational Live Contender, winner of 13 of his 14 races, including the Irish Produce Stakes and the Bank Of Ireland Stake (TR 525 Cork) is retired following a wrist injury.
1965 The directors of Northumbrian & Crayford Trust limited are hoping for a merger with Totalisator Limited. Northumbrian own Crayford, Gateshead and Gosforth, while Totalisator owner Brough Park, Leeds, Wolverhampton and Willenhall.
1990 Irish coursing is mourning the loss of John Prendeville from Tarbert, famous for the ‘Swanky’ greyhounds.
1972 Currently running at Lifford – a dog by Irish Rain out of All The More. His name is Drenched.
1951 There is no fairytale ending to the career of Wimbledon’s most popular runner Magna Hasty. In his final race, the Stan Martin trained fawn finishes out of the places. It is his third Laurels final having finished runner-up in 1949 and fourth a year later. Favourite Ballylanigan Tanist easily completes the English Derby/Laurels double.
1991 An American trainer is banned for life after three children were discovered sleeping overnight in his kennel.
1959 Mile Bush Pride, the darling of the crowds, finishes third in his Laurels semi final following an unbeaten run of 10 races in top class company.
1986 A report by the Monopolies & Mergers Commission recommends an open kennel system. It states: ”We should like to take the opportunity to express our view that, without change, the decline of greyhound racing is likely to continue. One such change would be the progressive breakdown of the barriers between NGRC and independent sectors. This, if achieved in the way we have suggested, with the wider use of stud book names, and improved availability of form details, would, we believe, undoubtedly enhance the reputation of greyhound racing. We would urge all those concerned with the future prosperity of the sport to balance very carefully the benefits which could flow from the adoption of a scheme such as we have recommended against what we believe would be the comparatively modest concessions what it would require.” Despite the two years in research, and the £300,000 bill (around £750K index linked), the recommendations are ignored by the greyhound industry.
1946 Lilacs Luck makes an amazing appearance in a graded sweepstake at home track Doncaster. The dog, who is owned by the stadium but leased to Mr A Allnatt, recently finished second in the English Derby having already won the 1945 Irish equivalent at Harolds Cross.
