1964 The Irish Federation of Owners Associations are lobbying Bord na gCon over the over-production of greyhounds. 3,840 litters were registered in 1963/4. 15 years later, that figure was over 5,000.
2006 Following the recent dismissal of IGB Chief Executive Aidan Tynan, Board chairman Paschal Taggart defies the wishes of Minister of Tourism, John O’Donoghue to explain his position at a ‘press briefing’ at Shelbourne Park. Taggart also introduced, a drugs expert who had worked for the Irish Olympic council, Dr. Joe Cumminskey, to defend the board’s actions over the failure to report the results of failed drugs tests carried out on Barefoot Jenny and Westmead Rumble.
1999 Crayford announce that they are to cease staging handicap racing with the possible exception of 874m events.
2011 Bush Paddy wins the most lucrative stake of Kelly Findlay’s training career to date, the £15,000 Ladbrokes Golden Jacket. A 9-2 chance on the day, he had been available at 12-1 with the sponsors from the start of the competition until after the semi finals. The original ante post favourite Lorrys Options (7-1) finishes fifth.
1949 Taunton racecourse in Massachusetts are inviting English runners for the American Derby which will be staged in March. The total prize money is £25,000 (roughly £6,000) with a winner’s prize of $15,000. The English Derby is worth £1,500 to the winner.
2004 Actor David Jason handed over a cheque for £250 to the local homefinders scheme after Yorkshire TV cameras shot scenes from an episode of ‘A Touch of Frost’ at the stadium. In the programme, the detective goes undercover as a tictac man.
1993 Bord na gCon announces that its previous year’s on-course greyhound betting turnover was down a whopping 12.5%.
2006 A week after setting a new Sheffield 720m track record, and close to her fourth birthday, Barrie Draper announces the retirement of Droopys Sporty. She had won 26 of her 64 races including the previous year’s Cock O’The North. But it will not be her last appearance on a racecard. She returns as the mum of Ravvin Giovanni, Droopys Greg . . .
1965 The first successful use of pre-race chromatography is hailed when three dogs in the same race fail tests at Stamford Bridge.
2005 Fireheight Dan goes to traps for the first round of the Arc at Walthamstow as the 5-2 ante post favourite with sponsors Ladbrokes. When he wins the final a fortnight later he is returned at 5-2.
1961 First race win prize money at Romford is £6 with £2 for seconds and £1 for the rest. Top heat stayers races pay £14 to the winner and £3 for the runner-up. Index linked, a pound in 1961 would be worth roughly £24.60 today.
2003 The Hove commentator thought he had got away with a slight indiscretion when a lit cigarette butt slipped onto his chair a burnt a small hole. It was quickly extinguished. Nobody would ever know. A few weeks later, he was required to announce the runners for an impending open, the Who Burnt The Chair Sprint.
1976 The Chingford Marathon at Walthamstow is a Norfolk carve-up. The 4-6f Butchers Trac, bred by Yarmouth trainer Robin White, is beaten a short head by Young Hostess, trained in the Yarmouth Stadium kennels by Dick Keable and owned by the promoter’s wife Ida Franklin.
2013 Peterborough decide not to stage their Puppy Derby when they cannot find a suitable sponsor.
1949 A bill to ban blood sports is defeated by 214 votes to 101.
2013 Trainer Stuart Mason has his licence removed for two years and is fined £1,500 after three of his greyhounds test positive for amphetamine. GTA chairman Ricky Holloway announces that the Association will support Mason “in any appeal against the severity of the decision.”
1952 A dual booking for Dixie Minstrel saw him contest the Harlesdon Trophy Final at Park Royal during the afternoon and the Calcutta Cup at Hendon the same evening. He finished fourth and second respectively.
2000 Local trainer Ron Tillett collapses and dies in the judge’s box during a trial session at Henlow.
2004 The final of the Coursing Derby at Clonmel saw victory for O’Flahertys Man when Bar None was scratched from the decider.
1999 Night Breeze (Staplers Jo-Suir Orla), a half sister to Derby runner-up Night Trooper, sets a new Henlow sprint track record of 15.10 (250m) in the first race of her career.
2013 Alan Shearer is a member of a syndicate that buys Shearers Diamond. The dog goes on to win A1s at Newcastle.
1949 Walthamstow take possession of 15 new greyhounds, none of whom have ever seen an artificial lure before having come from the coursing fields.
2004 Pat Branagh is to retire from Belle Vue. Mrs Branagh took over from deceased husband Leo some eleven years earlier but was said to be surprised when the retirement plan was suggested by track boss John Gilburn.
1999 The NGRC order surveys to be taken of all racing circuits after Belle Vue reveal their official race distance of 460m was actually 465m.
2003 A 15 month old unraced Irish puppy goes to traps for his first ever trial in Britain. He clocks a flying 18.20 for Nottingham’s 300m (TR 17.81). His name is Droopys Shearer.
1964 NGRC registrars refuse to accept the name of Irish import White Label because it is a brand name of the White Label distillery. Breeder Brian Hickey offers to pay the £50 ‘advertisement fee’ to keep the name. This is also rejected by the registrars because Hickey has no association with the distillery. Hickey then opts to change the dog’s name – to Wrong Label.
2000 Swindon announce they have purchased a new set of hurdles and intend to introduce jumps racing within a month.
1964 West Ham announce that they are to suspend the use of reserves with immediate effect. The move follows criticism after the last three races on the same card are won by reserves, returning prices of 9-2, 5-1 and 33-1.
1951 Colonel General Critchley reveals that the majority of greyhounds entering the GRA’s nine tracks are now bred by the company themselves. The project, which began as an experiment in 1934, now produces 320 greyhounds per year at the company’s rearing establishments in England and Ireland. Of those, 272 are expected to make it to the track “a surprisingly high number in relation to the number whelped” suggests writer King Cob. Colonel Critchley, who personally supervises the breeding program stated that it was “never an attempt to cut out the small man” but he noted the “partial eclipse of the small breeder owing to the economic difficulties.” All the greyhounds are schooled at the GRA kennels at Horley in Surrey and are advertised for sale once graded. Critchley conceded there have been “comparatively few champions among the huge aggregate of racers produced”. The exceptions are Derby winners Greta Renee and ‘wartime substitute’ Derby winner GR Archduke. For this he blamed limited access, via the small Naas kennel, or financial burden of using the top Irish stud dogs. His figures reveal that the leading British based dog Rimmells Black was responsible for £5,200 in major event prize money. That compared unfavourably with the leading Irish sires, notably Mad Tanist (£19,000), Bellas Prince (£8,300) and the British bred Bahs Choice (£7,800).
2006 Coogee Assassin was determined to make his mark despite being knocked over in an early race at Brough Park. An hour later he escaped from the trainer’s van and joined the field in the sixth race just as they reached the last bend. Red light!
