1972 March 25 At London White City the Wood Lane Stakes final seen as an English Derby rehearsal, has a good field of prospective Derby winners in the line up. The £300 and challenge trophy goes to Mr A A Thompson’s After The Show (Dusty Trail-No Mabel, Apr 69) trained at Harringay by Jim Singleton. He beats Puff Pastry by three lengths from Priory Hi in 29.24 for the 525 yards.
2001 Tony Meek becomes the second high profile trainer to leave Monmore following Nicki Chambers’ departure. Meek blames problems in attracting new owners and a failure of the track to improve facilities as he departs for Hall Green.
1993 Meetings at Shelbourne Park are cancelled over a dispute with tote staff who form a picket.
1991 A 58 year old accountant received a three year jail sentence for driving through the main gates at Catford at an estimated 80mph and killing two people. The driver was over the drink drive limit.
1976 March 20. At London White City the final of the Wood Lane Stakes is run over the 500 metre Derby course with a grand line-up of potential Derby stars on show. In trap 1 is Sallys Cobbler, who finished second to Tartan Khan in last year’s English Derby Final, trap 2 Picture Parade, trap 3 Westmead Champ, trap 4 Slender Prince, trap 5 Reddans Walk and in trap 6 Princely Moment. The race is marred by bad crowding at the first bend which involved all bar 13-2 chance Princely Moment (Motor Light-Star Expert, Mar 74) who showed brilliant early pace to miss this and build up a considerable lead down the back straight. Westmead Champ 100-30 set about catching the leader and nearly did so rounding 4th last bend but Princely Moment, owned by Mrs D E Richards and trained at Wembley by Wally Ginzel, held on for a length win in 29.41 with 7-4 favourite Sallys Cobbler a further two lengths back in third.
1999 In less than two weeks, Kilmessan Jet lowers both the Shelbourne 575 (32.72) and 525 (28.43) track records. However, Chart King soon removes the latter with a 28.47 run in the heats of the Easter Cup.
1975 NGRC stewards receive an unenthusiastic response from tracks when suggesting trainers without contracts should be allowed to run dogs in graded races.
1995 A protest against the Peterborough open race policy sees Mount Royal Fox returned at 1-50fav.
2004 The most famous non-payer to the BGRF, ABB Chairman Warwick Bartlett decides that he will contribute following pressure from his peers. Only nine years late!
1997 The Irish Greyhound Board threatens to withdraw Clonmel’s licence to operate after ‘studying reports of the operation of the track’.
1950 One of Ireland’s best stud dogs has died, Mountain Emperor (Talon-Wicklow Heather, Jul 42) had a coursing record of 24 outings, one defeat. He achieved greatness by being the first to win the Puppy Derby and Irish Cup in successive seasons. He only defeat came in the semi final of the 1944 Cork Cup.
1977 Swindon racegoers are taken aback when a young local runner breaks the 509m track record in a minor open race. The dog will go to make a great name for himself, he name is Greenfield Fox (Burgess Heather-Skipping Chick). The night’s other open over 685m is won by Westmead City, later to make her name as the dam of the ‘Manorville’ dogs.
1994 Six North-east independents agree a pact to stop late withdrawals of dogs. Promoters from Stanley, Wheatley Hill, Easington, Hartlepool, Pelaw Grange and Spennymoor agree that a person withdrawing a dog on parade will be banned from all tracks.
1979 NGRC stewards announce an inquiry into the case of former Watford grader Bolero Win. She produced a litter of pups, all of which died within a week of racing at the BAGS track.
1975 Pat Dalton’s Cant Decide (Monalee Champion-Doon Road Fly) wins the $30,000 Hollywood World Classic.
