1997 Hackney, still racing on a short term lease following bankruptcy, announce free admission to all meetings. Within a week the track is closed.
Toms The Best – pic Steve Nash
1999 The Greyhound Writers unanimously voted for Toms The Best as the 1998 Greyhound of the Year. Gordon Bissett gets the Services to the Greyhound Industry award for his work on the re-vamped Monmore. I’m Frankie gets the best British bred award while the dam’s title goes to Linda Mullins, Clear Issue. The awards take place at the Heybridge Hotel in Ingatestone.
1965 Trainer Vic Mores is banned by the GRA for withdrawing his bitch due to a flooded track. Mores’ bitch Devastating had been due to run in the second race at Belle Vue but after torrential rain which caused the first race to be void. Mores removed his bitch from the paddock. He is banned from all GRA tracks prior to his NGRC enquiry.
2002 Charlie Lister is rushed into hospital in the early hours of the morning after complaining of pains in his arms and legs. Tests later reveal that Charlie has suffered a stroke. He is partially paralysed in one arm and one leg. He commits to reducing his kennel strength and taking life easier . . .
1999 Nigel Sears, the sole director of Anderson Churchill is charged with three offence under the Financial Services Act. His company spent around £900,000 on greyhounds but had only £20,000 worth of assets when the police stepped in. Around 600 investors were believed to have lost money.
1976 Pier Hero (Tender Hero-Helenas Girl) wins the Cobh Vase over 555 metre hurdles at Catford. Trained by Frank Melville the 1975 Grand National winner beat Long Midnight and great rival and kennel mate Try It Blackie in 36.36.
1991 Owner Fred Smith’s prolific open race winner, Rapid Mover (Sand Man-Rapid Lady, Apr 85) who in 1987 had won the Scurry Gold Cup at Catford and the International at Dundalk, has been badly injured in a kennel fight with Atlantic Way, Tsetse Homer and 1988 Derby winner, Hit The Lid. Mover’s injuries are treated but he dies 14 hours later.
2012 Paschal Taggart unveils his ambition to buy Wimbledon Stadium. At this stage, he believes he is dealing with venture capitalists, Risk Capital. However, he soon uncovers a silent partner in the ownership of parent company GRA, the giant construction corporation, Galliard Homes.
1995 Murlens Abbey, the 1992 Greyhound of the Year, dies of cancer aged five. He was a huge loss to British breeding having thrown a string of open race stars during his short stud career including Blue Murlen, Telford Tornado and Batsford Blade.
1995 Ernie Gaskin’s Smart Decision confirms herself as the best marathoner in training by winning the Embassy Gold Cup at Hackney. Senlac Rose is second and Long Island Boy, third.
2002 The BGRB threaten to remove NGRC senior steward John Nicholson from the board when the NGRC refuse to hand over its copyright to registrations. The board need the copyright in its attempts to force the off-course bookmakers pay for the sport’s intellectual property rights. In retaliation for the NGRC’s apparent ‘treachery’ the board refuse to rubber stamp the appointment of new NGRC steward Christine Kershaw. Nicholson would later, secretly, change the NGRC’s constitution and thus enable it to appoint stewards without BGRB approval. The move would ultimately cost Nicholson his job.
1993 Bord na gCon announce plans to sand its first five tracks. They will include Shelbourne Park.
1966 Crayford announce they are to cease their policy of all greyhounds being owned by the track and trained by resident handler Henry Parsons. The decision is taken following a recent amalgamation with Totalisators Ltd whose own tracks already employ contract trainers. A decision is still to be made about Crayford’s existing sister tracks Gosforth and Gateshead. Meanwhile the track’s racing manager Roy Vickery switches to the post of general manager and Jeff Jefcoate switches to Crayford from New Cross
