'Dad just loved Scurlogue Champ and Wembley' remembers Mick Smith's son

Hackney held fond memories for longstanding RM

“DAD loved Scurlogue Champ and loved working at Wembley in particular,” said Mark Smith, son of former racing manager Mick, who died early on Tuesday. He had turned 74 just last week.

A former RM at Wembley among a host of tracks, including Hackney, Romford, two spells at Catford, Nottingham, Coventry, Hull and Belle Vue, east London-born Mick had in recent years being caring for his wife Viviane.

“Mum is registered disabled now so the last few years he’d been, with myself, looking after mum,” said Mark.

“He’d learnt how to cook, to clean and do all the things we all take for granted when mum was able to do everything around the house.

“But dad got on with it, did the shopping, and was there for mum. He lived and breathed mum in recent years and to her, especially, this is a massive loss and a real shock.

“He’d had one or two breathing issues. A few years back he had a pacemaker fitted but generally had been in pretty good health it seemed.

“Dad’s last time working at a track had been in the closing days of Belle Vue. He was just working part-time, but loved the sport and enjoyed working with trainers who, I know, knew dad to be a straight-as-a-die racing manager.

“Dad did things by the book and trainers liked him for that.

“He also had a lot of time for Bob Rowe (former GRA chief racing manager). Bob was there right from the start of dad’s career in racing offices, showed him the ropes like a mentor, and that carried dad through his time in greyhound racing.”

Born in Bow, the young Mick Smith (pictured on holiday in September) would have enjoyed greyhound racing for the first time at tracks such as Clapton and West Ham.

“His mate Fred Clemenson’s dad had greyhounds who raced and that’s how he got into as a young man,” added Mark Smith. “He then got a job on the form desk at the Greyhound Express - this would be the late 1960s - and that’s when I’d say his knowledge of form and races was born. He became great friends with Adrian Hunt there.

“When the Greyhound Express closed, his first job was at Hackney and he always had a soft spot for that track given where he was born, but he loved working at Wembley in particular.

“He used to say it had a real aura and was definitely a special place for greyhound racing during the 1970s and 80s - and he loved Scurlogue Champ who raced there many times. He followed his career really closely.

“But Wembley, as it still does, would also stage pop concerts and other big sporting events so he’d see major stars in and around the place when he was going about his work, which must have been fun. Wembley was very much in his heart.”

Funeral details will follow.