September History: A look back at what happened in greyhound racing
Floyd Amphlett takes a look back at some of what has happened in the sport of greyhound racing in the month of September down the years in Remember When.
Ice bucket challenge: from left, Rab McNair, Tony Collett and John Mullins get the cold water treatment respectively from Paul Anderson, Teresa and Seamus Cahill.
Romford 10th September 2014. Photo: Steve Nash
September History: A look back at what happened in greyhound racing
2015 Acknowledging the decline in breeding, the Irish Puppy Derby becomes the Juvenile Derby. Of the 72 entries, 35 would be adults by the time of the final.
1988 The biggest racing shock of the year occurs in the Grand Prix Final at Walthamstow. Hall Green A4 runner Digby Bridge who reached the decider without winning a heat (5-1, 25-1, 25-1) was returned at 50-1 for the decider where he led home Bad Intentions (25-1) with favourite Waltham Abbey KO’d. In the history of Classic finals, only 1966 Cesarewitch winner Rostown Genius (66-1) has started at a bigger price. An original £5,000 purchase for owner Alan Birch, Bridge was beaten in his first 18 graded races.
1976 Irish greyhound racing attracted more than a million customers for the first time in 1975 in figures released by Bord na g Con. This was a 7.9% increase on the previous year with average attendances per meeting also rising to 545.
2018 City Of London Police announce that they have discontinued with their 21-month investigation of GBGB and that no further action will be taken.
1990 Racing ceases at Dungannon when the grandstand is burnt down. Initial suggestions of an electrical fault are put into doubt when the Animal Liberation Front claim responsibility.
2019 The funerals of two great greyhound men, trainers John Gammon and Peter Billingham will take place exactly one week apart.
1986 Promising young Irish sire Debbycot Lad (Liberty Lad-Knockshe Hopeful) dies of cancer. He was six years and one month old and his offspring included Shelbourne 575 record breaker Noisy Party. During a successful track career. Cyril Morris's dog won the 1982 Cesarewitch and Champion Stakes. The following year he won the Guinness 600 at Shelbourne Park and ran third to I'm Slippy in the English Derby.
1993 Rye House promoter Eddie Lesley announce that he has signed a 125-year lease with landlords Lea Valley.
1976 September Arthur Hancock, who has been a trainer at Brighton for 18 years, is to retire at the end of the month. He was head lad to Dai Hawkesley and Fred Trevillion, and held his own training positions at Carntyne, Boundary Park and the old Reading track before moving to Brighton. Now in his 70th year, his retirement is due to ill health.
1984 Creamery Cross (Knockrour Slave-Creamery Alice) becomes only the third Edinburgh Cup winner to defend his title. The Alan Briggs-trained dog emulates Rushton Mac and Pigalle Wonder in the £7,000 final.
2009 Among the Parade of Star’s at the 40th British Breeders Festival at Harlow were Fireheight Dan, Lenson Joker, Sonic Flight and Mega Delight.
1993 Catford trainer Peter Rich, previously 20 years at Ramsgate, is to join the training strength at Romford.
2018 City Of London Police announce that they have discontinued with their 21-month investigation of GBGB and that no further action will be taken.
1987 Norton Canes changes hands when local businessman John Preece takes over the stadium from Stephen Rea.
2016 Paul White makes the switch from Colwick Park to Monmore. Nottingham respond by appointing three new trainers, Dean Boulton (ex Sheffield), Kelly Tobin and Chris Jones (both ex Towcester).
1990 Labour MP and ‘Corrie’ actress Lynne Perrie open a new £1.5m grandstand extension at Belle Vue. The huge crowd set a tote record for a Tuesday night of £48,772.
1985 Veteran Rathkenny Lassie makes a third attempt to win the Gold Collar having finished fourth in the previous two deciders. Marjorie Coleman’s brindle duly makes her third final – and finishes fourth.
2010 Charles Lenox-Conyngham retires after 14 years in charge of the BGRF. Sadly, the event is overshadowed by the news that receipts for the year could be as low as £6m.
1979 Knockrour Brandy (Bright Lad-Knockrour Last) is the king of the sprinters. Early in the month, he beat Pat Mullins’ odds-on shot Sampsons Pal in the National Sprint Championship at Harringay. Just over a week later he set a new Yarmouth 277m record, 16.72, in the heats of the Pepsi Cola Sprint. Charlie Greenacre’s blue brindle then won the final in another new record, 16.64.
1996 Police are called to quell a crowd disturbance following the announcement of the Gold Collar result. Stewards call Homeside Knight the short head winner in a three-runner photo finish with Away Duke a short head second and El Tenor a similar distance back in third. Unfortunately, the Macfinish failed, and the trouble started. . .
2019 Romford announce that due to a proliferation of A1 runners, it will be split into three different grades with the grading ladder, which currently runs to A8, being extended to A10.
1995 Peterborough Racing Manager Mike Middle removes his team from Supertrack after failing to reach agreement on the date of a tie with Nottingham.
2010 GRA announce that the St Leger first prize will be down to £8,000 from £11,000. Wimbledon boss Keith Hallinan blames “the current financial situation”
2009 Christine Kershaw is dimissed by the GRB following the aftermath of the new drug testing experiment. It is believed that Ms Kershaw was highly critical of the Board’s decision making.
1978 Reading’s 465m track record is broken three times in the space of an hour during the heats of the Berkshire Cup. Shiloh Jenny sets a new best of 28.77 which lasts only one race before Kilmagoura Mist lops off three spots. Two races later Saucy Buck slices off another 11 spots.
1986 Greyhound Star buys out Greyhound Magazine.
2009 14 months after the closure of Walthamstow there are just 17 dogs still to be rehomed.
1995 Harlow decide to scrap their ‘twice monthly’ £1,000 open events for new competitions worth £500 to the winner. The ‘monkey’ is born,
1988 A van driven by Oxford trainer Tony Meek crashes on the way home killing two greyhounds Yankee Queen and Deenside Captain.
2019 Ballymac Ambrose equals Barnfield On Air’s 12 year old track record for Belle Vue’s 470 metres when clocking 27.20 in an A1 event. Bev Heaton’s Ambrose (Ballymac Best-Coolavanny Angie) is a litter brother to Ballymac Anton who went out of the Irish Derby on the same night and the 27.70/29.12 Shelbourne Park 525/550yd winner Ballymac Araminta.
2014 Trainers John Mullins, and Tony Collett and Assistant Trainer Rab McNair agree to participate in the current social media trend, the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ with all fundraising going to retired greyhounds.
Rab McNair recalls: “Paul Hennessy thought it was great fun and said he would donate £200 if I did the challenge in a mankini. I went to get changed and Liz said, ‘You are not going out looking like that. Your balls are hanging out’, so I still wore the mankini but put some shorts on.”
