1976 Brighton’s Regency Final has all the appearance of a three-runner match, discarded in the betting are Westmead Melody (20-1), Moody Spot (40-1) and Mitcham Mug (66-1). The bookies make local champ Glin Bridge the 10-11f though he has to give second best to the track record breaking Westmead Champ (13-8) who clocks 39.78 for the 670 metres. Litter brother Drynham Star (6-1) comes third.
1947 Jackie, the most exciting dog in Ireland, and favourite to win the Easter Cup, despite the present of Quare Times, is purchased by Fred Trevellion for £2,000 (equivalent today of £79,800). Much to the angst of Irish racegoers, the renamed Trevs Jackie is removed from the stake and taken to Trevellion’s kennel in Dartford.
1977 Nine of Ireland’s tracks are closed due to industrial action by staff over pay. The tracks remain closed for five weeks.
1981 Perry Barr stage an interesting match race between two East Anglian bred marathon stars. Two months earlier Decoy Boom and Linkside Liquor had won the TV Trophy final and consolation over the track’s 830 metre course. On the night, Liquor’s consolation win of 53.89 was 38 spots quicker than Boom’s clock in the main event. However punters plumped for Joe Cobbold’s Decoy (4-6f) in the £500-a-side, £1,000 added buckle, and she duly prevails by three lengths in 53.52.
1962 Indy Ann, the winner of the most races, dies at her kennels in California. Between 1954-57, she won 137 times, a record that stood for nearly 20 years before being overtaken by JR’s Ripper (143).
1978 Former White City trainer Gordon Hodson returns to Britain to train at Brighton. He had spent the previous four years training in Australia.
1994 Top vets Jim Gannon, Morrie Craig and Linda Blythe launch the NGA backed Care of the Racing Greyhound.
1968 Trainer Charlie Smoothey had been a bit slow to clear the debris after some building work at his kennel in the Old Kent Road. Shortly afterwards, one of his graders Chamois Rascal arrived at the paddock gate with a house brick in his month. As Charlie leaned forward to grab it, Rascal dropped his prize directly on his dad’s foot. The lesson was missed and the following day, an unsuspecting kennelgirl nearly lost a toe following Rascal’s latest find. All remaining building debris had gone the same day.
1947 There is mixed demand at auction for the sporting relics of the late Duke Of Lonsdale. They include a ‘mixed collection of stuffed animals including a greyhound.”
1984 Owner Liz Body has her NGRC disqualification rescinded after the stewards accepted her apology. The row erupted following a disputed photo finish decision at Wimbledon the previous year.
1969 Yellow Printer is the 10-1 ante post favourite for an incredibly open English Derby. Next best at 25-1 are Handsome Sun, Jackpot Painter, March Flash, and Piper Play. Eventual winner Sand Star started out as a 33-1 shot. In the final he will lead home Kilbelin Style (66-1), Ploverfield Dan (200-1). Petrovitch (100), Hard Held (150-1) and Barrack Street (40-1).
1974 GRA’s Arthur Aldridge joins Ladbrokes as racing director and steward for the company’s six tracks: Crayford, Brough Park, Gosforth, Leeds, Wolverhampton and Willenhall.
2011 Trainer Mark Barlow is suspended for six months by the GBGB following a vomiting incident with local grader Wiggies Boy. Barlow subsequently hands in his licence.
2001 BAGS are investigating a ‘knock-out’ of Stow runner Optimistic Sarah. Mick Puzey’s bitch, who ran to form, opened at 6-1 and closed at 12-1 despite attracting interest when her price reached 10-1. The betting industry reports unusual activity in the race from shops in the Romford area.
1993 The Sporting Life’s breeding correspondent Floyd Amphlett predicts a massive influx of Australian dogs “when not if” the EU forces Britain to scrap its rabies quarantine regulations and replace them with blood tests.
1965 Shelbourne stage a particularly memorable sale when Kilbeg Kuda makes top lot at 825gns. Sold to England he goes on to win Midland Flat, where he sets a new Hall Green 500 yard track record, the All England Cup, as well as contesting the English and Irish Derby finals. He eventually go to stud. Some way down the sales catalogue, Giggler is sold for a bargain 350gns. A Produce Stakes finalist just a week earlier, within a month he has reversed form with Produce winner Kileden General to win the £1,000 Cambridgeshire Final at Shelbourne Park.
1965 The ITV crime drama No Hiding Place takes place at a mythical independent track Brentwich. A head man of a top NGRC track had taken the kennel’s star bitch flapping when she had won but broken a hock and had to be destroyed. He had replaced her with a ringer, but had been foiled by the trainer who spotted the deception. The head lad took the only option still open to him to cover up his crime – MURDER!
1970 The Bedfordshire Derby at Luton almost doesn’t go ahead due to the appearance of NGRC stipendiary steward Ken Guy at the flapping track. Several trainers were seen to climb over the track fence before Guy agreed to leave.
1975 Bargain of the year is Young Hostess, who is sold to the Norfolk Greyhound Racing Company on one of Yarmouth promoter Len Franklin’s regular visits to Cork sales for 270gns. The brindle daughter of Own Pride contests the East Anglian Derby and TV Trophys finals as well as winning the Pepsi Cola Marathon and setting the 843 metre track record at her home course.
