June

• Greyhound racing becomes for the first sport to recommence following a ten week lockdown starting with a BAGS race at Perry Barr. Strict procedures remain in place including a half hour gap between each race. Irish racing returns two weeks later.

• The Irish Greyhound Board released its injury data for 2019. It showed 332 injuries and 119 greyhounds being put to sleep from a total of 98,552 performances (a 0.11 percentage)

• Figures from the Gambling Commission (for period Oct 18-Sep 19) show a decline in betting shop turnover of 13.8%, most of which is due to the early effect of restrictions on FOBY machines, plus a loss of 1,005 betting shops (12%). Shop betting on greyhound racing is up by 7% to £155m, and up by 17.2% to £9.7m on-line. Overall, greyhound racing accounts for just 3.1% of internet betting. (Football is 46.7%, horse racing 27.3%).

• Trainer Peter Harnden reports a fantastic response to his new liveried greyhound vans. Ex-Tesco delivery vans, they cost around £4,500 each but contain air conditioning and chiller units which are twice that much on their own

• Outstanding sprinter Droopys Reel (Azza Azza Azza-Droopys Dorothy) is retired having failed to recover from a case of canine haemoraghic pneumonia (CHP). Reel had won 15 of her 18 races.

• The Greyhound Star website breaks its own monthly record for visitors when hitting £45K

• GBGB announce that open racing will return from June 29. The first event will be the Kent Silver Salver, which will be sponsored by Colossus Bets.

• Greyhound racing returns to Towcester for the first time since August 2018 with the first race won by Sparta Master in 29.20 – which remains the fastest time to date.

• June 9 Greyhound racing is suspended at Belle Vue. Within days, Pat Rosney, Diane Cross and Paul Webster join Perry Barr. Sheffield take on Nigel Saunders, Paul Gregson and Peter Moore

• Following weeks of speculation, ARC announce that the 2020 will take place after all with the first round starting on October 2.

• Greyhound journalism loses one of its most distinguished figures with the death of Bob Betts.

• GBGB release their hot weather policy

• As GBGB update their return to racing policy, SIS and ARC revise their schedules. SIS return to their full programme of 640 races per week. ARC reduced theirs to 374 races. 17 meetings are shared by the four ARC tracks with the remain 14 meetings shared between the remaining five contracted tracks. Poole is not given any.

• The Star has a fall-out with respected welfare campaigner Clarissa Baldwin after the criticises the decision to send ex-Belle Vue racer Ballymac Ambrose to the Czech Republic. See also

• Ray Wilkes’ former schooling track at Honeybrook, near Stourbridge is on the market.

• Henlow owners take on the anti greyhound protest with an ‘anti anti’ protest.

• GBGB unveils its annual injury and retirement data