1949 New track record holder Ballymac Ball (28.04) becomes the first greyhound to break 28.00 for Wimbledon’s 500 yards when winning a Laurels semi final by 12 lengths in 27.99. He duly wins the final.
2007 A major shake-up at GRA sees former GM John Gilburn, now head of marketing, and current GM Carl Hopkins, both leave the company in the space of 24 hours. Gilburn had been a major factor in the growth of GRA leading to racing manager Bob Rowe stating: “I must have known 200 general managers, good bad and indifferent. John was out of the top draw in that role.” Within a week, Oxford boss Stephen Rawle is also on his way.
1997 Nicki Chambers’ Uncle Festa wins his 15th consecutive open race at Harlow.
2013 Coventry announce they are to cease Sunday racing after September 8 and switch to a Tuesday-Wednesday-Saturday format. Promoter Harry Findlay concedes that the change was brought about by the track being dropped from Racing Post Greyhound TV. He said: “I couldn’t justify keeping it going without the TV revenue. We will only run Sundays when Saturday has to be cancelled for speedway. The plan is to run a few opens on Tuesday and Wednesday.”
1971 Paddy Sweeney, founder of the Greyhound Council of Great Britain, hands in his trainer’s licence.
1966 Walthamstow trainers: Durkin, Geggus, Marsh, O’Neill, Barney, Reilly
2007 Walthamstow trainers: Gary Baggs, Seamus Cahill, John Coleman, Paul Garland, Dickie Hawkes, Kelly Mullins, Mick Puzey, Peter Rich, John Sherry, Graham Sharp, Mark Wallis
1997 Shawfield have boosted their ailing hurdling strength by buying three Wimbledon jumpers.
2012 It takes several hours of phone calls to a string of trainers before Wimbledon were able to fill the seven £500 opens supporting the televised Puppy Derby Final card.
1955 August 12 Spanish Battleship wins his third Irish Derby. Owned by Tim O’Connor and trained by Tom Lynch, this fawn and brindle dog by Spanish Chestnut-Ballyseedy Memory was whelped in August 1951.
1997 Veteran promoter and NGRC steward Dan McCormick retires from the industry when he steps down from a consultancy role at Oxford.
2007 Jim Reynolds takes over as the new chairman of the Greyhound Trainers Association.
1998 Larkhill Jo is a best priced 7-1 for the Ireland On Sunday Irish Derby after winning a qualifying round in 30.00. Eventual winner Eyeman is available at 10-1.
2012 Derby finalist Westmead Adonis shatters a front leg in the final of the Kent Derby and has to be put to sleep.
