1980 Cambridge stage a 222 metre race for stud dogs and see the track record broken. The winner is the four and a half year old Glenroe Hiker who beats Blissful Hero by a had in 14.71.
1995 MP Willie McKelvie tells the House of Commons that the bookmakers contributory arrangement with the BGRF is not working with only 57% of payments being made. However Fund chairman Lord Kimball claims that figure will rise to 80% during the current year.
2001 Crayford trainer Roy Towner has his Crayford contract terminated. The track refuse to provide a reason for the dismissal. Rumours suggest the handler had challenged racing manager Harry Bull over the grading of his dogs. Within a fortnight, the Chatham based handler announces that he has been offered a contract at Hove.
1949 Frank Davis’ Red Wind is withdrawn and then re-instated into the Critchley Memorial. Britain’s top puppy was withdrawn following the arrival at the track of officers from New Scotland Yard. The dog was examined by several Irish greyhound men including the former owner of a top Irish puppy “that this year disappeared from the ken of the sport’s authorities”. The NGRC’s Colonel Forsdyke orders an immediate enquiry into the case. The solicitor acting on behalf of Davis threaten “I have already started investigations and it is expected that proceedings will be taken against the people responsible for making false accusations.”
1994 Track record holder and favourite Coolmona Road is withdrawn off colour from the St.Leger Final after Derek Knight’s kennel is hit by a virus.
1962 Mrs CH Chandler’s Cloudbank w bd b (Knockhill Chieftain-Direct Lead, Mar 61) looks a certainty to add the Puppy Derby to her recent Puppy Oaks success. However,she is badly baulked at the first and third bends and is beaten a short head by Bill Westcott’s 66-1 chance Fresh Paddles. The pair meet again a week later in the Juvenile of the Year Stake at Wembley. Cloudbank (4-11f) wins with ease with Fresh Paddles beaten six lengths into fourth.
1950 Catford bemoan the fact that only 115 entries were received for this year’s 22nd Spring British Breeders Produce Stakes – roughly half of what were entered the previous year.
1991 In the latest piece of NGRC control freakery, they remove three trainer’s licences due to the fact that there kennels at situated on the same site as the Nestedown schooling track which has recently started staging flapping meetings.
On threat that they will be taken to court for prejudice against the trainers, purely because of where there kennels are located, the Club eventually relent.
2012 Hall Green trainer Chris Kyme decides quit training with immediate effect. Racing manager Rob Coulthard says: “. . .he wants to win every race when I have 12 other trainers at Hall Green who also deserve their fair share”.
2009 Dr Anndrew Higgins leads a review of GBGB drugs testing policy.His panel is completed by Dr Ed Houghton, Gordon Bissett and Peter Laurie.
1972 November 24. It was a night of nostalgia at Wimbledon, when Noreen Collin and owner, Victor Chandler, won the Puppy Oaks over 500 yards at Wimbledon with Toye Star (Kilbelin Style-Justsonice). Not since 1964 had the two been on the winner’s rostrum at Plough Lane with Hi Joe. Toye Star, the 5-1 chance led all the way from trap 3, winning by 2 1/4 lengths in 28.23.
2000 Arthur Hitch announces plans to leave Wimbledon at the end of the year. He is replaced by Catford’s Seamus Cahill.
1994 Belle Vue’s Jimmy Gibson lands a 5-1 touch when his Coalbrook Star lands the Sean Graham 700 final at Dunmore.
1962 Mark Lane (Turf Accountants) became the first bookmaker shares to be offered on the London Stock Exchange. They went on sale on the first morning at two shilling and sixpence each (12 ½ pence). By lunchtime they had risen by two shillings and by close of business they were trading at five shillings, seven pence halfpenny (28p).
1936 November 21: The most valuable one-off race is staged at London White City, the Two Thousand Guineas, worth exactly 2,000 guineas or £2,100 to the winner. (It would be the equivalent of £177K today). It has a great line-up of classic winners including dual Derby Gold Collar winner Fine Jubilee, Cesarewitch winner Ataxy and last year’s Pall Mall winner Shove Halfpenny. But the current Pall Mall champion Safe Rock takes the big prize over the 550 yard course after a scrappy second bend, which puts out joint 9-4 favourites Fine Jubilee and Shove Halfpenny. Safe Rock at 115-2 draws clear on the inside and wins the valuable race by five lengths in 31.21. The winner is trained at Rochester by P Wilson.
1983 Wimbledon’s Puppy Derby is attracting plenty of attention with the 460 metre track record going in the first two rounds. Gill Holt’s Quiet Rahin (Glen Rock-Quite So) sets a new best of 27.60, only to have four spots shaved off by the Dolly Gwynne trained Rhincrew Moth (Ballarat Prince-Skipping Fun).
2012 Norwich players Steve Morison and Grant Holt launch their new syndicate at Yarmouth.
1973 30 year old Bob Rowe is appointed the new racing manager at White City. A son of a former Bristol trainer, Rowe had racing office experience at Wandsworth, Leicester and West Ham, prior to his appointment as grader at Hall Green. He will take over from Charlie Birch who is to run the GRA’s kennel complex at Northaw. The Hall Green position goes to ‘Jeff’ Jeffcoate.
1991 Home Secretary Kenneth Baker becomes the most unpopular figure in greyhound racing when overturning all the recommendations made by the Home Affairs Committee earlier in the year: specifically, the Government refuses to give greyhound racing a levy, or bar bookmaker owned tracks from staging BAGS meetings.
2004 Armed me take two bitches from breeder Ian Greaves and demand a ransom for their return. The bitches were eventually found roaming in Dublin.
1957 A man walked into the Stamford Bridge racing office after an evening meeting and asked if he could send along a dog for a trial. When asked for the name of the greyhound, he replied: “I don’t know, I have only just got it.” ‘Well tell us something about the dog’ he was requested. ‘Where has it been racing?’ “Well” replied the owner, “I can’t tell you anything much. You see I only just got it from Battersea Dogs Home.”
1946 Leading owner Mrs R H Dent is to leave greyhound racing after growing disenchanted with prize money levels. The owner of former English Derby winner Wattle Bark, also owned Irish Derby winner Steve and leading stars Shannon Shore, Jubilee Time and Tonycus. “When they do win a graded race” said Mrs Dent, “what chance have they of picking up a prize of much more than £10? (£513 index linked).
2012 A profile in the Guardian of cycling superstar Bradley Wiggins reveals that as a youngster, he would regularly accompany his grandfather to Wimbledon dogs.
1981 After being beaten in the first leg at White City, the Irish team, led by Limerick record holder Oran Jack, were strongly fancied to turn the tables back in Dublin. In front of a stunned Shelbourne Park, the three British bred dogs landed the tricast. First home was Gigolo Diomedes (Linacre-Ramblers Meteor) followed by Special Account and Duke Of Hazard.
1966 Ernie Gaskin’s Come On Dolores is entered in two super marathons just three days apart. After winning a White City 1,025 yard event by four and three quarter lengths, she completes the double over 1,030 yards at Romford with nine lengths to spare.
2001 The BGRF announce that the Retired Greyhound Trust funding for 2002 will increase from £225,000 to £500,000. Labour peer Lord Lipsey is given credit for highlighting the low original amount when heavily critical of the greyhound industry during a debate in the House of Lords. Lipsey has also agreed to become a trustee of the RGT.
1972 The Pall Mall Final at Harringay has probably its best ever line-up. It features triple Derby winner Patricias Hope (6), plus St Leger winner Ramdeen Stuart (2), Laurels finalist Skyhawk (3), Puppy Derby winnera Seamans Pride (4) and Priory Hi (5). But it is the red jacketed outside Forest Noble who collects the £600 first prize for owner H A Moore. The 16-1 chance hits the front off the last bend for a 28.85 win.
1938 Seven year old Rynox bd d (Hertford Lad-Miss Dash, Jul 31) is retired after a long and distinguished career lasting 250 races. The dog won from sprints to 700 yards at half a dozen venues between Southend and Cardiff.
1966 The NGRS protest to the Minister of Agriculture when they issue a new order that all meat unfit for human consumption, which is currently being stained, will, in future, be sterilised. It is the second time in six years that they have tried to force through the change. Some trainers insist of adding raw meat to biscuit. The cost is around two shillings (10p) per pound.
1945 November 10: The first Grand Prix final is held at Walthamstow, and has an outstanding line-up of post war stars for the £500 first prize over 525 yards. Victory goes to Mrs M Appleyard and Mrs Burton’s black and white dog Magic Bohemian (Jesmond Cutlet-Magic Pool, Jun 43). The 10-11 favourite trained by Leslie Reynolds at Wembley, scores easily in 30.05.
2016 Sprinter Walshes Hill is leading the open race table with 19 victories to date. He is pursued by Evanta Fantasy and Razldal Raidio both on 16.
1951 Rushton Smutty fails to win his 12th consecutive open race when beaten in the final of the Pall Mall by Westbourne.
1949 Britain’s most successful trainer Stan Biss is to relinquish his position as a Clapton trainer and take out a private trainers licence. He has been suffering from ill-health and plans to reduce his work load. In 1948, Biss set a prize money winning record of £26,637 (Equiv. £1.15m today). The successful businessman intends to train six runners but will keep his brood bitches and four stud dogs, Fish Hill, Rimmels Black, Humming Bee and Celtic Chief.
