1971 Sheffield have called in police after eight greyhounds from three different kennels were found to have been doped.
2017 GBGB reveal the identity of its new CEO. He is Mark Bird who has been the Director or Regulation for the previous two years. Bird will officially succeed Barry Faulkner on September 18. However, within a week of the announcement, LadbrokesCoral (before they became Entain), announce that they will make voluntary payments into the BGBF from their off-shore (Gibraltar) trading.
1967 Greyhound racing staged around the outside of the football bitch at Clacton FC has saved the club from going into administration. The venue attracts regular crowds of 700 and plans are in place to build a permanent stadium in the town.
1994 A winding up order is issued against John Copplestone’s Walstone Construction company which had liabilities in excess of £1m caused by losses in the re-building of Hackney.
1965 Hack Up Chieftain, who had won the previous year’s English Derby at 20-1 started favourite to be the first hound to land both classics. However the John Lacy-trained unbeaten qualifier was never seen with a chance. The race went to Gay McKenna’s 5-1 shot Ballyowen Chief who beat the pacemaker Tanyard Chief by three lengths in 29.42 for Harolds Cross’s 525 yard.
1939 August 19th The All England Cup Final ran over 520 yards at Brough Park produced a shock result when Ballycurren Soldier owned by Scottish Greyhound Racing Co Ltd and trained by P McKinney at Carntyne, floored the 2-7 favourite, Mrs J P Cearns Wimbledon trained Ballydancer. The winner started at odds of 66-1, winning his connections £800 and trophy value £50 for his one length victory in 29.94.
1974 The Paddy McEvoy trained Daemonic Gambol (Don’t Gambol-Dusk Gambol) wins the last Produce Stakes to be held at Wimbledon. He then heads to Bristol and wins the Two Year Old Produce Stakes by 11 lengths at 1-5f.
1974 Leading prize money winners: Jimsun (£15,355), Myrtown (£5,280), Over Protected (£4030), Blackwater Champ (£3,255), Westpark Mustard (£3,075).
Pic: Ruth De Mulder with Jimsun
1959 White City are claiming the first four-coloured dog in training. King Puck is registered as being ‘four coloured’. He is described as “predominantly white, with some fawn on his back with red and brindle on his head” thus he is recorded as ‘w r, f bd’
2009 Rob Morton, son of the stadium’s joint owner Bob, becomes the new assistant general manager at Henlow.
1988 There are angry scenes at Nottingham following the final of the Eclipse. The lure fell off the hare trolley at the third bend causing the, then second placed, Fearless Ace, to check. The local stewards missed the incident and duly announced Super Supreme as the winner.
1966 Horse racing finally follows the lead of the dogs by granting a trainer’s licence to a *woman. Greyhound racing had never had a gender ban. (*Although not greyhound related, the lady in question Rosemart Lomax was an interesting character being married to Engand cricketer Ian Lomax, and was future mother-in-law of motor racing world champion James Hunt).
1988 Mike Middle the Peterborough racing manager is under attack. Windows in his home have been smashed and his car has had the paintwork vandalised and tyres slashed.
2014 Top heat winners: Belle Vue A2-£76, Crayford A1-£157, Monmore A1-£170, Newcastle A1-£133, Nottingham A1-£134, Perry Barr A2-£67, Poole A1-£101, Romford A1-£135, Sheffield A1-£160, Sittingbourne A1-£125, Sunderland A2-£127
1982 Rita’s Choice finally loses his 600 yard track record at Navan when Debbycot Lad breaks it by two spots with a run of 33.02 in the first round of the Cesarewitch. Later in the same round, the record goes again, this time to Choice Model – a daughter or Rita’s Choice.
1959 A severe dry spell has decimated the graded strength at Catford by two thirds. Faced with only 61 available dogs, racing manager Bob Hammond is staging five-runner fields. Meanwhile Walthamamstow introduce a new watering system by attaching fitments to the standards holding the track lighting.
2012 Following the recent retirement of John Gammon, Hove appoint Dean Childs and Paul Garland. The latter’s place at Wimbledon is taken by Ricky Holloway.
1947 A press report in Greyhound Owner states that the sale of greyhound saplings sold at auction is now 52 guineas (equiv £2,490). The report was written by one of the paper’s youngest reporters, H.L.Carpenter. (Yes, that Harry Carpenter ‘you known what I mean Harry?’)
1959 Recent Irish Derby fourth and Harolds Cross 750 record holder Skipit Laddie makes 390 guineas at Aldridge Sales.
2003 Droopys Shearer wins his 10th consecutive race, the William Hill Puppy Classic Final (2-9f- 29.47 Nottingham 500m) and is installed as a 12-1 chance for the 2004 English Derby. Within a month, the Ted Soppitt trained dog has picked up a wrist injury that will see him miss the remainder of the racing year.
1975 Track promoters are given the go-aherad to increase their tote deductions by 21⁄2% to 19%, though 4% of that is betting tax. Many tracks elect not to take the extra, others like the GRA, take only 11⁄2%.
1951 British bred Rushton Smutty produces arguably the performance of the year when breaking Hall Green’s 14 year old 500 yard track record. Mr and Mrs Johnson’s dog took 26 spots off the previous best when clocking 28.04.
2004 Walthamstow racing manager Chris Page plans to optimise the quality of the track’s competitions by reducing the fields. First up is the Grand Prix which will be cut to 36 runners from 48.
1988 Ian Hillis is the new racing manager at Bolton.
1983 Scottish independent Irvine decided on a novel solution when one of their six Derby qualifying (winners only to the final) resulted in a dead heat. By making use of their handicap traps, they formed a seven runner level break final.
2018 In Ireland, Droopys Steel breaks the prestigious Dundalk 400 clock with a 20.81 run while Galway pup Magical Tess wins a four round unraced stake by a total of 33 lengths.
1968 Breeder/trainer Jim Morgan landed the 1-2-3 in the Bristol Produce Stakes with three members of a Crazy Society/Hiver Swanky litter.
2010 Droopys Kara (Droopys Woods-Droopys Cheryl), who will prove to be the dam of the 2010 Greyhound of the Year dies of heart failure aged seven. Owned by Keith Roberts, she had thrown Go Big Hitter in her first litter and the outstanding sprinter Jimmy Lollie in her second.
1988 Pusher Bird (Tico-Killaloe Bird) was removed from the Cradley Heath sales catalogue following her final race at Derry where she broke the 600 yard record. She was instantly snapped up by Midlands owner trainer Stan Sharman.
1958 Colonel Perry, a heat winner in the first and second round of the Irish Derby is sold to Oliver Tasker for £1,400. He duly goes on to land the decider for trainer Jack Nallen – best known as the owner of the famous Hotel Minella in Clonmel. Perry is immediately transferred to the kennels of John Bassett.
1973 It was a good month for track records, headed by Houghton Herald (520yds Swindon), Frisky Black (525H Brighton), Ahaveen Hunter (292 Brighton), Trawlerman (510 Raleigh), Mels Pupil (300 Hall Green) and Moulton Prince (525 at Rochester).However the most highly acclaimed was the 525 yard ‘world record’ set by Easy Investment who clocked 28.17 at Brighton.
1948 Greyhound Owner’s Bywayman is hugely critical of the track bookmakers. Following the recent introduction of on-course betting tax of 2.5%, many track bookies have chosen to tack-on a separate tax imposed on them – the size of which varies depending on the cost of their pitch. The journalist argues that there are already signs of punters preferring to place their bets away from the tracks – with illegal bookies – and avoid paying any tax at all.
2002 GRA spokesman Mike Raper is confident that the company will be able to buy the carpark – and access – to Catford Stadium. The land is owned by Railtrack. He said “We have had talks with Railtrack and the indications are that they are up for a bid for the site.”
1995 Wembley re-opens for racing following a break for pop concerts – and staff discover someone has stolen the winning post.
1997 Local hero He Knows (Slaneyside Hare-I Know You) beats a very select field to win the Dransfield Novelty Invitation at Sheffield. The 6-4f collects the £3,000 first prize with two lengths to spare over Toms The Best who is followed home by Blue Murlen and Bulawayo Power in a winning time of 29.16 for the 500 metres
2004 The Irish Derby, for so long a restricted entry event, received a record 162 entries. Eventual winner Like A Shot is widely available at 50-1 ante post.
2005 Belle Vue introduce a new standard distance of 470m after surveyors reveal that the old 465 was incorrect. The sprint (260m-from 237m) and six bend (670m from 647m) are changed due to re-locating the starting traps and a new 590m trip is introduced.
1988 Dundalk offered the opportunity for beaten Derby favourite Curryhills Gara to gain his revenge over his vanquisher Hit The Lid (Soda Fountain-Cailin Dubh). But the John McGee trained white and brindle had other ideas as he set a new track record for the 525 distance of 29.28. Three and a half lengths back in second was Odell King. Two nights earlier, and without a trial, the English Derby winner had won a £10,000 invitation at Shelbourne Park beating the cream of Irish racing including Randy, Manorville Major, Odell King, Yellow Bud and Yale Princess. However McGee is highly critical of the going at the Shelbourne circuit and rules out Hit The Lid’s participation in the Irish Derby.
Trainer John McGee snr, owner Fred Smith and head man John McGee jnr following Hit The Lid’s 1988 Derby win.
