1946 Owner Mr R H Dent announces that due to a boycott by English racing managers, he would prefer to sell his open racer Steve. The English owner bought Steve as a young Irish racer but the dog had his card marked for fighting in a trial at Wembley. After a spell back in Ireland, the dog returned to England for the Derby but would not settle and was returned to Ireland where he won nine of his next ten Irish races including the Derby Final. However, English racing managers repeatedly refuse to accept the dog for their opens, leading to Dent’s decision. The exception is Wimbledon who agree to consider the dog for their International “provided he has run 13 clean races under NGRC rules. His 10 Irish races do not count.”
1970 An 18 month old unraced Surrey born pup is 12-1 when beaten on her open race debut at Brighton. She is also well beaten in subsequent races at Wolverhampton and Wimbledon before finally breaking her duck when winning a bitch puppy open in 28.15 for Wimbledon’s 500 yards. Few punters would have suspected that in the next 11 months, the 9-2 chance would win the Sporting Life Juvenile, English Derby, St Leger, Essex Vase and both the Wimbledon and Wembley Spring Cups. Her name is Dolores Rocket.
1994 Derby winner Moral Standards is sold to Nottingham promoter Terry Corden for a reputed £50,000.
1986 Kevin Wilde becomes the new owner of Brough Park. He takes over from his former bosses Bernard and Joan Neesham. He states: “I now have a golden opportunity to build on the goodwill I have created over the past two years.”
2011 Lifford drop their Sunday fixtures with immediate effect. Meanwhile Drumbo Park announce that they will introduce Sunday nights from November.
1989 Shawfield announce that they are to introduce permit racing. Jim Donald, boss of Glasgow independent neighbours Ashfield admits that he has also been in discussion with the NGRC and is considering joining up.
1961 GRA invite 22 members of the ‘Cumberland and Westmorland Walkers’ to a meeting at Wimbledon. The staff are from farms who rear litters for the company. One race is restricted to pups reared by the farmers.
1952 A Nethil miner who threw a kitten at a greyhound and then watched him savage it is fined £5 by the Kirkaldy Sheriff court.
1990 Ian Steer, a kennelhand with John McGee is warned off all racecourses after assaulting Ladbrokes odds compiler Alan Isherwood.
1964 The outstanding litter of marathoners in training are by Crazy Parachute out of Knockmullagh Lady. At a charity meeting at West Ham, brothers Boothroyden Larry and Boothroyden Flash won the two 880 yard marathons. Sister Meteoric won the 1,112 yard open. Eight days later the trio are in the 880 yard Capston Marathon Final at Powderhall. Larry beat Flash with Meteoric in third.
2011 Shelbourne puppy Phoenix Banty is wiped from the bookies’ boards with no SP returned before winning a puppy race at Shelbourne Park. The 30.65 qualifier romps up by six lengths in 28.70. The April puppy is bought for £20,000 by the Bubbly Club and renamed Bubbly Phoenix. He then wins again in 28.34 over the same c & d.
1965 Des Hanrahan takes over from Dr Paddy Maguire as Chairman of Born na gCon.
1972 Over 2,000 visitors turn out for the Breeders Festival at Northaw. Among the class winners are marathon star Todos Lisa and Nick Savva’s top brood Hacksaw.
1991 NAGO chief Roy Gibbons is fined £300 by the NGRC for withdrawing his runner Trixies Wish from a BAGS meeting at Oxford. Gibbon took the action in a protest against the use of dogs by BAGS.
1957 Duke Of Alva is rated one of the greatest St Leger winners ever when he goes unbeaten through the £1,000 classic at Wembley. In doing so, the son of Ballymac Ball becomes the first dog ever to break 40.00 on four consecutive occasions over the 700 yard course. The final is televised live by the BBC.
