2006 Irish stud dog Smooth Rumble is put to sleep following a long illness. His progeny included Centaur Corker, Maxie Rumble, Keltie Sparkler, Lethal Rumble, Ericas Equity, Dog Almighty, Serene Rumble, Maryville Rumble, Mustang Hero, Mountleader Rolf, Blue Boomer, Kincraig Brindle, Heart Rumble and brilliant broods Mega Delight and Killeacle Phoebe.
2006 Carly Philpott leaves her based in Bedfordshire to join Nottingham based Hayley Keightley.
1993 Yarmouth favourite Big City returned to racing aged six years and six months old and won a 659m open in 41.44.
1928 January 11 Wolverhampton, now more commonly known as Monmore, hold their first meeting before a crowd of 10,000 spectators, together with several members of the Town Council and the Chief Constable. The first race – the Shirley Stakes over 500 yards – is won by Arrow Traney by three lengths in 32.08.
1992 Former independent star Springwood Mickey is retired to stud at Pam Heasman’s kennel. During his career, Fair Boot, to give him his official name, broke an estimated 25 track records and earned around £30,000.
1949 An outbreak of enteritis is ravaging the racing strength at Walthamstow. Three dogs have already died, many others are on the danger list.
1985 The Poole Stadium Company goes into liquidation with debts in excess of £200,000.
1950 Wimbledon issue details of their kennel strength over the course of a year. It varied between 196 and 217 though that figure included dogs required to re-trial, newcomers, lame, sick, in-season, dogs awaiting registration and open racers. On average there were seldom more than 100 greyhounds available for graded racing in any one week. Fortunately, most weeks only required enough dogs for two meetings, eight races apiece.
1960 The first ante-post list for the 1960 Greyhound Derby sees Mile Bush Pride as the 6-1 ante-pos favourite, followed by 8-1 Long Story, 12-1, Clonalvy Pride, Gorey Airways and Violets Duke. The favourite will go all the way to final where he starts at 4-5f but finishes third. The winner on the night was 25-1 chance Duleek Dandy, best priced five months earlier at 16-1.
1975 A complete no-hoper turns over three of the best bitches in training to win a Wembley open at 50-1. But while the form of Lady Devine (11-8), Coin Case (3-1) and High Priestess (3-1) was well known, the winning rag Mystery Careless was about to enjoy a prolific open race career that would see her also win the Greenwich Cup
2013 Lord Hesketh, chairman of Towcester Racecourse states that he expects to introduce greyhound racing to the site in the summer.
1981 Figures reveal that there were 3,013 NGRC opens in 1980, an all time record. (By 1991 the figure was nearly 5,000)
1932 Racing folklore readly recalls the re-run 1931 English Derby Final, where Mick The Miller was ‘robbed’ of a third Derby success. (After crossing the line in front, and following a disqualification for fighting of another runner, he was made to contest a re-run and was beaten). However, the 1932 Greyhound Racing Year Book has an interesting insight into the two Finals that he won (1929, 1930). It states: “It has been unfortunate that the races for the Greyhound Derby during the last three years, have not been so satisfactory as one would wish. In 1929 the consensus of opinion was that Palatinus should have been awarded the verdict over Mick The Miller. In 1930, Deemster was undoubtedly the fastest dog in the race, and had he not suffered a serious mishap, when appearing to have the race well in hand, there would have been, it is generally thought, a very different result. “ Indeed the article, written by A G Smart, appears to elevate another greyhound above Mick in terms of ‘greatest ever’ status. It goes on. . .”Perhaps the greatest greyhound that has yet appeared on any track is Bradshaw Fold, who, although very hard worked, and run at times when palpably amiss, has consistently shown such brilliant running powers as to stamp her the biggest wonder in greyhound racing. Taking into consideration the vicissitudes she has undergone, she must be a phenomenon.”
2008 Coral begin beaming live races from their tracks Romford and Hove to the company’s 1,564 betting shops.
1979 John Honeysett’s British bred marathon star Welsh Cobbler (Sallys Cobbler-Tough Jackie) goes to traps six times during the month of January and wins five times including heats and final of the Keep Moving Marathon. Total distance covered, 5,213 metres.
1965 Southern Ireland is to gain a new track at the seaside resort of Ballybunion in Kerry. Bord na gCon refused to sanction the track, just 20 miles from Tralee but Matt Sullivan, owner of the Central Hotel in the town, took them to court and won. Sullivan, who is on the ICC’s standing committee, has 50 greyhounds of his own but does not intend to run them as ‘company owned’ dogs. The track will race on different days to Tralee between April and the final meeting at nearby Listowel races.
1979 Slough trainer Ted Dickson has graded runners with the names Cougar Prince and Kuga Prinz.
1959 Romford announce plans to bring back an event not staged since 1949 – the Essex Vase.
1948 The brilliant bitch Sheevaun (Bellas Prince-Honey Gale) dominated the first major event of the year, the Longcross Cup. She won her 550 yard qualifier by 12 lengths in 31.19, a full second quicker than the other heat winner. She went to traps at 4-7f for the final which she won by eight lengths in 31.29. Though she was lightly raced during the year, she reached the Scottish and English Derby finals. Paddy Fortune’s fawn was beaten in both (odds on at Carntyne) but recorded the fastest time ever by a bitch when winning his White City Derby semi final in 28.74.
1938 The Greyhound Stud Book announce that from September ‘more detailed marking to be furnished. . .following several malpractices that have come to the notice of the National Coursing Club”.
2014 Perry Barr are to eight race cards on Friday and Saturday meetings due to a runner shortage.
1993 Patsy Byrne opens a new state-of-the-art kennel complex at Hooley in Surrey. Set in eight acres, the kennel has a 400 metre firbresand gallop and kennels for 36 dogs.
1981 A Wembley hurdle open is decimated by withdrawals. Three runners eventually go to traps and the race is won by 1-6f Macky Tan trained by Irene McNally.
1952 Harry Pickersgill (24) of Wheldon Road Castleford is fined a total of £80 for four charges of obtaining money by false pretences from bookmakers at Castleford track. The local trainer had arranged with another trainer to switch runners in a handicap race.
1962 Greyhound Express editor Charlie Hawkins appears on BBC’s Sportsview programme to explain the paper’s ‘Axe The Tax’ campaign. They are protesting against the Government’s 11% tax of all greyhound totalisators – there is no tax on horse racing totes.
