2006 Greyhound racing is hit by ‘Seaham’ as the Sunday Times exposes the practices of local builder David Smith who shot animals with a captive bolt humane killer. Smith claimed to have killed 10,000 greyhounds, he charged £10 per time, and buried them with a mechanical digger. There is widespread coverage in other newspapers and on the radio. It even made the BBC’s six o’clock news. BGRB chairman Lord Lipsey gives his reaction to the House of Lords. Within a week, photos of Pelaw Grange trainers Sid Fenwick and Gillian Young are published showing them taking two dogs (later identified as ex-Pelaw grader Clash Nitro, and unraced Irish import Rent A Flyyer) to Smith. Fenwick and Young are subsequently warned off and Young’s husband Graeme loses his job as assistant racing manager at Pelaw.
1991 A Home Affairs Committee review of the greyhound industry refuses to accept greyhound racing’s right to a statutory levy. It also sees no reason to prevent the evening opening of betting shops. However, in his report, chairman Sir John Wheeler recommends that bookmakers should not own tracks on the BAGS service and that the BGRB should negotiate on behalf of the industry, rather than on a ‘track by track’ basis. He noted that “the relationship between BAGS and BOLA remain disturbingly close”. He also states that greyhound racing should be given a share of SIS, and that SIS payments should rise from “the pitiful £68 per race.” The report also suggests that on-course bookmakers should bid for pitches.
2011 For the second time in three years, the same owner/trainer combination take the two major stakes at the William Hill Festival. Blonde Fletch (7-4) favourite lands the Grand Prix and kennel mate Blonde Snapper (5-2) comes good in the Classic to give owner Mark Currell and trainer Mark Wallis a £40,000 double. The pair were emulating the Ponder/Collett double of 2008 when Lensons Express and Joker collected £65,000 for a night’s work.
1981 There is a top class conclusion to the final of the Ike Morris Puppy Cup at Crayford. The first three home are all British bred, the winner being Freda Greenacre’s Kingsway Boy (Foreign Exchange-Lindas Choice, Aug 79) who sets a new 462 metre record of 28.21. He is followed home by Kilacca and Duke Of Hazard.
1977 July The Tipperary Cup at Thurles has attracted Ireland’s best 525 yard open racers for the 72 runner event. Bord na gCon has contributed £548 towards the winners prize of £1,100. In the final on the 23rd, Michael Barrett from Crohane, Tipperary, owners of Linda’s Champion (Monalee Champion-Merry Linda, Apr 75) sees his black flying machine easily win the race in 29.44. This is the first part of a big race double for the black dog, who later the following month won the Irish Derby.
2013 Crack Hove sprinter You’re a Champ (Ballymac Maeve-Ballymac Choice, Aug 10) is retired after a short but successful career. At one stage, the Ken Tester trained white and brindle boasted an unbeaten sequence of 11 consecutive races. Her final record was 26 races, 18 wins and four seconds.
1992 John Davies, joint owner of Farloe Melody, reveals that trainer Matt O’Donnell was given £8,000 following the dog’s £40K win in the English Derby. The news is probably dutifully noted by the Irish tax authorities.
1981 Former Harringay trainer Ted Parker refuses to pay a blackmail of £5,000 for the return of three pups. Parker agreed to meet the blackmailers at Wembley stadium (accompanied by a plain clothes policewoman) but they never showed. One of the pups is later founded abandoned covered in oil in a nearby school playground. Police suspect a group of gypsies who had recently moved onto a piece of land near Parker’s kennel but had been unable to find sufficient evidence.
2012 English Derby third Coolavanny Bert breaks a hock when well clear in a heat of the Williamhill.com Classic. He is operated on by vet Daniel Doherty. He returns to racing nine months later.
1973 Local grader Easy Investment sets a new national record for 525 yards in Britain when covering Brighton’s 525 yards in 28.17 – nine spots faster than Super Rory’s previous best set at White City.
1992 Attendances for the first six months of the year were down 4% to 1,938,000 at the NGRC’s 36 tracks.
1960 On Scurry final night, Wimbledon trainer Paddy McEllistrim is honoured by by Clapton Stadium with a silver tray. The inscription reads: “Presented to PJ (Paddy) McEllistrim by the Clapton Stadium directors as a mark of his invaluable support accorded to their open racers. Even now, this totals 32 years and includes Scurry Gold Cup 1928-45, National Open Hurdles 1950-51-59, Millfields Cup 1950, Hackney Cup 1952, Orient Cup 1951, London Cup 1931-35 and innumerable London trophies.”
2015 Mildenhall Stadium is set to close after a High Court ruling decides that promoter Dave Coventry (Moto Land UK Ltd) must pay £496,585 in legal fees in addition to the initial £10,325 fine imposed for a noise issue with a local resident. The promoter was unable to convince the court that the legal costs – brought about by a ‘no foal, no fee’ arrangement with a legal firm, and which escalated to the European courts – was disproportionate.
1951 An article in the Irish Coursing and Racing Calendar suggests that the Irish Coursing Club (Bord na gCon is still seven years from formation) are concerned at the ‘hesitancy’ of stewards to disqualify dogs for fighting. The article suggests that many stewards are uncomfortable about making a public announcement. It suggests that infringements should be noted in stewards reports but should be kept private. Only after a dog had received two disqualification notices, should the owner be informed, along with a warning that a third offence would lead to a suspension.
1984 The NGRC appear to be trying to encourage permit trainers by allowing them to run their dogs in the Produce Stakes at Harringay. Ordinarily, their runners are restricted to races at permit tracks.
2015 Select hopeful Swift Hoffman produced a stunning sub track record trial for Nottingham’s 500m course. The Pat Rosney trained Scottish Derby winner was timed at 28.93. Sawpit Sensation’s track record is 29.16 (In 2019 Skywalker Logan reduced it to 29.05). A clearly stunned Rosney said: “I clock my own times and when I looked at the watch and it said, 28.91, I thought I had made a mistake. But I knew it would be something special because I clocked Eden The Kid to the third bend and he did 17.94. I had Hoffman down as 17.38. I really don’t know what to say, I still can’t believe the time.” Eden The Kid’s official time was 29.54. Hoffman is already the 480 metre record holder in 28.07.
1964 GRA are planning to switch their management offices to newly created units at White City. They will then lease out their main head office in Berkeley Square. The company are still seeking planning permission for Charlton which is closed but remains derelict. Planning permission was also refused for West Ham which continues to trade.
1994 Two Scottish trainers, Hugh Davies and Alex McMillan, had their licences withdrawn indefinitely following positive dope tests for cyclizine and propranolol respectively.
1974 Derby winner Mutts Silver shows his success was no fluke when he breaks the Southend 277m track record while winner the Silver Salver Final.
Jul 19 Mutts then wins the Select Stakes at Wembley in 29.22.
1935 The 1934 Betting Act comes into force. It will limit the number of times that tracks can race and prohibits Sunday racing.
2005 Derby hero Westmead Hawk flies to Ireland for the Dundalk International. However he becomes badly distressed on the journey and is withdrawn by vet Plunkett Devlin. The race goes to Droopys Maldini in 30.02. News that the Hawk can’t fly is compounded when he can’t walk either! The black cuts his foot in the paddock and is scratched from participating in the Select.
2013 BAGS announce that they are in negotiations with SKY to broadcast 22 programmes following SKY’s plan to ditch their own coverage.
1985 A three week break in racing at Wembley is extended when track staff discover that the road crew of performer Bruce Springstein have severely damaged the hare rail. The Wembley management offer to continue to pay kennel bills during the extra delay.
1978 July At Romford with a new outside hare, the 600 metre trip is shortened to 575 metres, an d the final of the Essex Vase on July 11 is won by Ken Usher’s locally trained Bermudas Fun (w bk d Supreme Fun-Avondhu Lass, Aug 75). The 4-1 chance also sets a track record of 35.15, which Ballyregan Bob equals winning the event in 1985.
1957 Wembley are to follow the lead of Walthamstow in replacing their white lure with a brown one. Also, following trials, they black out the top half of the starting traps leaving the bottom 15 inches clear. The aim is to see if dogs remain calmer and trap more consistently.
In Ireland, five tracks hold their first meetings. July 2 1936 Kilkee: July 29 1931 Bundoran: July 30 1948 Youghal: July 1 1932 Galway and July 29 1932 Derry.
2005 Former NGRC secretary Fred Underhill (1962-1988) dies after suffering a heart attack.
1960 There is widespread interest from greyhound punters in a huge horse racing doping scandal. Five men are charged. They include three two stable lads, (one from Newmarket, one from Newbury), a Newbury head lad, and a chemist’s dispenser. Soon afterwards, several leading bookmakers deny any connection with a string of current doping incidents.
1986 Oxford officially open their £1.7m new grandstand
2002 GRA do not share racing manager Tony Killingbeck’s sense of humour after he gives unusual titles to a series of forthcoming minor opens the ‘Memo Man Maiden’, ‘Send A Memo Bob Stakes, the ‘Unpenalised Winner’ stake and the ‘We Upgrade Them Hurdle’. Taxi for Mr Killingbeck.
1976 Wembley trainer John Coleman is furious with the Balle Vue management when his Nurses Son finishes third in the Cesarewitch Final, the hightlight of the track’s 50th Anniversary meeting. Coleman complains that the track management were “too idle” to replace the eight-runner traps for the correct six-runner traps. The final is won by the locally trained 16-1 outsider Moy Summer.
1944 July 8th Wembley’s Coronation Stakes final over the 525 yard course for bitches only, with a £100 winner’s prize (roughly £5,400 today), has brought together a talented field with Erins Fury (Wireless Rally-Elvins Green, Apr’41) being made 8/15 favourite after a smart heat win in 29.40. After being baulked at the first she recovered to put in a storming run to lead rounding 4th bend, trainer Bullock West Ham, runner won by 2 lengths in 29.63.
1995 Derby winning trainer Theo Mentzis reports that Moaning Lad has left his kennel. The Aston Clinton based trainer reveals that the disagreements between the five owners started within 12 hours of the dog crossing the winning line. After deciding to sell the dog, the trainer refused to let the owners onto his premises. He met them at the gate. The dog was bound for stud in Limerick to stand alongside his sire Kyle Jack.
2001 Tina Marina becomes only the second bitch (Peaceful Lady was the first) to defend her Irish Oaks title. The Seamus Graham trained bitch clocked 28.60 a time bettered in the consolation by Tinys Bud (28.43).
1955 Criminality was afoot. At Leeds West Riding Assizes, Sydney Wainwright, a 69 year old electrical engineer, receives a 14 year sentence for forgery. Described by the judge as ‘an artist to his fingertips’, the convicted man had attempted to launder ‘remarkable’ banknotes at Leeds greyhound track but had struggled to distinguish between originals and forgeries among his winnings. Among the less heinous crimes, local man Ernest Armstrong is fined 10 shillings with £3.10s costs for damaging the hare at Mansfield track. Armstrong had been unable to get a bet on his dog and had kicked the hare to void a race.
2013 The first ever dead heat occurs in the Select Stakes at Nottingham where Daddy Knowsbest (8-1) and Holdem Spy (3-1jf) cross the line in 29.67.
1963 Mrs D Field of Stevenage scooped the Scurry Gold Cup jackpot after just two legs. In the first leg she had a 100-8 chance to beat the favourite. In the Scurry decider, she picked Lucky Joan II (3-1) to beat Orange Grove (25-1). With nobody still in the pool, the 50 year old grandmother collected £866/9/3 for her two bob ticket (8,663-1). Two nights later, a Hampsted postman becomes the first single winner of the Harringay quinella and collects £2,427 – roughly £61,700 in today’s money.
2001 The 12 directors of the BGRB agree to offer two temporary additional seats to racecourse promoters with an agreement that the tracks will sign over their intellectual rights (form and pictures) to the Board. “We can now start proper commercial deals” promises Chief Executive Geoffrey Thomas.
1986 Mick Smith is to be the new racing manager at Catford. The former Romford and Catford assistant takes over from Colin Betteridge who will join the NGRC registrations department.
1996 The NGRC decide to scrap pre-race chromatography testing having defended its use for many years. However, the random sampling scheme operated by the new ‘Flying Squad’ revealed positive results from dogs who had previously passed the chromo. BAGS , however, have other ideas and stipulate that tracks must continue to test pre-race.
