1994 Lord Kimball reveals the split of grants due to offered by the BGRF for the year. 41.4% is to go to ‘integrity’. This includes £294K towards pre-race chromatography and £180K to testing laboratories. The prize money grant for six months is £250K and is 29.8% of the yearly total. Track grants account for 17.8%, promotion 5.1% and 4.9% for welfare.
1971 The NGRC suspend publication of the Calendar during the on-going national postal strike.
1966 For the first time in living memory, Aldridges have to cancel a greyhound sale due to lack of entries.
2013 Monmore racing manager Jim Woods retires after 40 years in the industry.
1949 Leading private trainer Fred Farey is found not guilty of swindling an owner when she bought a greyhound for £1,000 which she claims was worth a mere £200. Lord Goddard decided that Farey had not attempted to act as an agent but that the dog had been purchased thought a Mr Solomon Lautman. The case reads: “Lord Goddard said that at the time the dog was bought, Mrs Bean was a bus conductress who had won £1,300 on dog racing in 18 months. When she had the desire to own her own dog, she sought the advice of Mr Lautman, who described himself as ‘a journeyman hairdresser’, but had won thousands of pounds as a punter at dog racing. Lord Goddard commented that it was not for him to investigate Mr Lautman’s activities. That might interest people occupying other positions in the law of this country. He was satisfied that it was Mr Lautman who was buying the dog and it in the name of Mrs Bean. What she got out of it he did not know.”
1974 Paddy McEllistrim and Stan Martin both retire as Wimbledon trainers. Paddy (82) arrived, with greyhounds to sell before the track even opened in 1928. His biggest winner was Spotted Rory in the St Leger. Martin was a former head lead to Joe Harmon who died in 1941. Martin won two English Derbys with Ballymac Ball and Ballyhennessy Seal. Ball also won two Laurels.
1949 Walthamstow are experimenting with a new device that will allow the starting traps to open automatically when the hare passes over an electronic trigger buried in the ground.
1994 February 16 – a brave venture by stud keeper Michael Dunne gets underway when expensive purchase Frightful Flash leaves his quarantine kennel in Somerset. Many of Dunne’s fellow stud keepers are sceptical at whether Australian breeding is suitable for Irish bloodlines. They are about to find out . . .
1966 Hare manufacturers Sumner announce they have landed the contract to supply the lure at the new Las Palmas track in the Canary Islands. Meanwhile a Japanese entrepreneur has exported the first 30 dogs from an intended batch of 300 for a new stadium in Tokyo.
2002 Charlie Lister emerges from an 11-day stay in hospital following a severe health scare.
1994 The BGRF state their plan that all tracks will be operating the Formbank computerised form system from the autumn. Cradley Heath racing manager Paul Griffiths is one of the first to express concern – he has never used a computer is his life.
1966 Romford are experimenting with a mechanical canopy which can replace the tarpaulins as a protection for the track in bad weather. The parent company are looking to invest £100,000 in stadium improvements following their recent sale of sister track Dagenham.
2008 Former champion trainer Linda Mullins is recovering from a mild stroke and heart attack.
1971 GRA’s Deputy Head of Racing, Arthur Aldridge, loses his job as White City racing manager to Charlie Birch. Aldridge is then tasked with introducing eight-dog racing to Belle Vue and Catford – the smallest of all the GRA circuits. But Aldridge’s abilities do not go unrecognised. Five years later, with GRA struggling to avoid liquidation over debts sustained in property development, Aldridge jumps ship to become Racing Director for greyhound racing’s newest promoter – Ladbrokes.
1966 There are 67 private trainers registered with the NGRC. Some familiar names: Pam Heasman, Tony Denis, Molly Redpath, Paddy Milligan, Ted Dickson, Geoff De Mulder, Pen Andrews, Bryce Wilson. . .
2009 Bad weather is wreaking havoc with a string of BAGS meetings cancelled. The most high profile problem though concern the Arc at Swindon when the second round in cancelled through snow, and then flooding. The final, delayed by 48 hours, goes to the Mark Wallis trained Corrig Vieri.
1994 Catford are in trouble with the NGRC after it is revealed that A4 Brandy Legs accidentally ran in place of kennel mate Nanos Girl in an A6 race – and finished second.
1966 The eccentric owner Rupert Cobb has passed away. From the Kent brewing family, Cobb was prolific sponsor, but always of staying races and the Cobb Marathon was a popular event at Catford. Cobb’s other love was astrology and he claimed to have tipped many winners by following star signs. The heavens would also dictate whether or not to attend greyhound sales.
