1971 March 31 Kings Heath hold their last meeting. Opened in 1927 it was one of the first tracks to provide a BAGS service to the betting shops. The track was grass straights and sanded bends with an outside Sumner hare. The standard distance was 480 yards, over this was run their premier event. The Lincoln, now transferred to Hall Green. The very last race, a Midlands Inter Track over 600 yards, goes to the Leicester trained Zansy Token (Mowealo Santa-Zanzy Bolt). The 7-2 chance wins in 38.72.
1975 GRA announce an increase in compensation to owners whose dogs are seriously injured whilst racing at their tracks. The figure rises from £100 to £150 – which is the equivalent of £1,397 today. Any dog representing a GRA track in an inter-track will also be paid up if injured in an ‘away match’.
1974 Police arrest four men after a Sunday newspaper claims a £1m fraud took place using ringers at Hendon and Catford.
1993 Walthamstow stage their first ever BAGS meeting. Approximately 700 attend.
1987 March 10 At Romford, Glenowen Queen attempts to retain her crown in the Sporting Life Marathon. But Role Of Fame (Sand Man-Cashelmara, Aug 84) trained at Wembley by Adam Jackson is just too good. He takes the final from last year’s winner by a neck in 47.35. The previous year’s runner up Rosewood Girl finishes down the field.
2001 Romford stewards decide to withdraw litter brothers Ballygriffin Kid and Ballygriffin Lad from an open race after being unable to match the pair up with their identity books.
1982 There’s a massive turn up for the form book when Paradise Lost (Paradise Spectre-Gerards Sally) landed the Regency at Brighton. George Curtis’s 20-1 shot was no fluke as proved by the winner’s time, 44.65, a new track record.
2000 Sir John Foley departs as the BGRB chairman just five months after taking over from Sir Willie Rous.
1995 Bolton Racing Manager Peter O’Dowd is seconded to Walthamstow in preparation for the Lancashire track’s switch to permit racing.
1980 The British Small Animal Veterinary Association make a grant of £15,000 towards research into the newly identified virus which has been killing thousands of young dogs – it is parvovirus.
1966 Monalee King (Odd Venture-Sheila At Last) is sold for 2,500 guineas after winning a White City open. The 1965 Wexford Leger winner and Enniscorthy 550 yard record holder also had a spell on the coursing fields but went out of the Waterloo Cup in the second round.
2002 7-2 ante post Derby favourite Top Savings is beaten in an open race at Sittingbourne. Garry Adam’s
Top Savings: pic Steve Nash
dog then pulls up sore in a trial. Within a week he has joined Charlie Lister. Two weeks later and following a trial at Monmore, Lister confirms that the dog is lame and will miss the Derby.
1976 Twenty one years before his namesake achieves fame at Clonmel, a greyhound by the name of Hilltown (Clomoney Jet-March Daffodil) wins the Donnelly Stakes at Cork in 30.60 for the 525 yards.
1993 Leading trainers Geoff De Mulder and John McGee are fined for positive tests in major races. 
De Mulder’s Ballyard Curtis tested positive for Millophylline after his win in the Birmingham Cup. De Mulder admitted giving the dog cough tablets. John McGee was fined £1,500 after Winsor Vic tested positive for the anti-inflammatory drug Flunixin. The dog was tested after winning the Midland Flat Final. McGee was also found to have given Finadine to Winsor Abbey when he ran in the 1993 Grand Prix Final.
