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Old betting memories of Londons dog tracks
Old betting memories of Londons dog tracks
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WHITE CITY was always my favourite London dog track, so many great nights there, fantastic atmosphere on Derby final nights. One of the best was when PATRICIA'S HOPE winning his second Greyhound Derby in '73 (previous dog to do that was MICK THE MILLER over 40 years before). And in 1972 PATRICIA'S HOPE had also won the Welsh and Scots Derby.
A brilliant fast trapper from the outside boxes, plenty of early pace which saw him clear or well placed at the bend. And when he returned to win his second Derby he'd been at stud for almost a year - and had about 400 puppies running around the Irish countryside ! Sadly he had some cruel owners, and if I remember the facts right, they brought him back one year for a parade of champions and just left him at the airport. I think it was a vet who had him in the end and looked after him for the rest of his life. |
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GLASGOWCALLING
SQUEEZE, did you ever go to the dogs on the south coast.?? brighton or portsmouth. ?? your " mugshot" looked familiar thats all. maybe ive seen you around the london tracks..good luck and a good thread...glasgow..ex southampton.... Where's my mugshot ?  Was going to Brighton once, many years ago, but got there in the afternoon with a mate. We met two birds and dog racing took second priority. Only been to Soton once, not dog racing. That was to look at a pub about 20 years ago. |
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I think he thinks it's you what poured your beer down your front in that pic Squeeze
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FFS
If I was that daft I'd shoot my facking self. |
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I spent one summer in the mid 90's going to either Wimbledon Walthamstow Wembley or Catford most days of the week refining my money making system. Needless to say it was a dud but the weather was good and I enjoyed myself and it was better than working.
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Deptford...great story;brave to bet £400 aged 17
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YES, sorry SQUEEZE, i thought you were implying it was you with your drink down your front !! i deffo know his face from somewhere though.
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have not seen mr memory on here lately hope he is well
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Greyhound racing is about as relevant now as taking a pinch of snuff or beating your carpet on the washing line.
In its death throes now and will soon be a distant memory. An OAP obsession. |
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mdm, I was talking about Mr.Memory and whitmarsh on the horse racing forum well before Christmas. I haven't seen either of them post for about 6 months or so. Mr.Memory is around 87 now at least I would say and was posting great stories about Ike Morris, Tony's Dad from the 40's, I don't think we will be seeing him again somehow
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cahillisgod 09 Jan 13 18:38
Greyhound racing is about as relevant now as taking a pinch of snuff or beating your carpet on the washing line. In its death throes now and will soon be a distant memory. An OAP obsession. You post once about every five months & that is the best you can come up with  |
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^^^ Probably, he's a troll.
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A troll who posts twice a year
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slippy blue hope they just gone on holiday for the winter
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Had a few dogs at Catford late 90's.
One in particular was a flying machine. First time up the dog was obviously stuffed, waiting for the day we would have it on. He fell out of the traps was last halfway, then took off and only got beat in a photo. Wow we thought, what a run from a dog not ready. So we takes him for a solo trial at a famous trainers private circuit, to get the dog right. The dog clocked a very fast time there, and the trainer said he is Open race class. Thats handy we thinks as the dog was entered A5 at Catford. Day of the gamble, we are all on at 5/2. Traps open, last early on. Down the back straight, dog goes from last to first. Around final bend he's 5 Lengths clear and stops. Waits for the others and gets beat in a photo. Not so happy days.  |
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I went to the stow 3 times a week for over 20 years. I made some great friends there. I used to own an average of two Greyhounds each year with a few different mates involved.
A few betting highlights. Bonnys Tomboy. A mate of mine went out with a young lady whose dad was on very good terms with trainer John Coleman. The word was that John was backing this one off course with a view to get a load of money together to buy some Greyhounds in an upcoming sale. My brother and I went over and had plenty on at around 8-1. Nobody else at the track seemed to be backing it. Smashed out and made all. Green Warrior A good mate of mine had his dogs with trainer Graham Sharp and I put a few with him. One week, he turned to my mate and said "make sure you are here next week" He'd always tell us about the chances of his Greyhounds, but had never said something like this before. We scoured the card the following week, nothing of his stood out. He said have a good bet on Green Warrior. Form figures were 5666, well beaten on all starts at big prices. Was in a grade A8. They had two rows of bookies back them, so I went down the far end to see the early show. 1st show 14/1. I put around £40 on. I went down the other end and he was 16/1, 20/1 in a place. I topped up and my mate (who has bundles) had a few hundred on at 20/1. He used to bet up to a grand or two, so this bet was not out of the ordinary. Traps opened, ping - made all. The Savva system Nick Savva trained at the stow at one point and he had some superb you Greyhounds. I sussed out that one of the kennel hands came in our bar and bet on the t0te. I was on good terms with the t0te ladies and arranged to bung them a few quid if they told me what he'd bet on. I'd be propped up at the bar and they'd tap a coin on the t0te window to alert me when he'd come in and bet. A very lucrative system that was. |
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stow judge
Bonnys Tomboy. A mate of mine went out with a young lady whose dad was on very good terms with trainer John Coleman. The word was that John was backing this one off course with a view to get a load of money together to buy some Greyhounds in an upcoming sale. My brother and I went over and had plenty on at around 8-1. Nobody else at the track seemed to be backing it. Smashed out and made all. was this around the late 80s as i remember an independent bookmaker in enfield used to take a lot of live money for colemans dogs and they used to lay them off and normally doubled up the stakes and there was one night they had an 8/1 and a 13/2 shot up in singles and doubles. there was a big stewards at mecca bookmakers as one shop in finchley lost in the region of 12k and another at the back of colney hatch lane lost 10k. the bookmaker in question was related to a well known villain who picked up 16k from laddies on the friday morning and on the saturday morning had ironed out the whole lot to brooke bookmakers. |
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When I worked for Mecca (1980) a non-regular came in and asked to back Deel Joker in the ante-post market for the Mecca Bookmaker Guineas at Hackney. I forget how much he wanted on, but at 14/1 it was far too big for me to take without phoning in. When I phoned, I was told he could have something stupid like £25 at 14s, £50 at 12s and the rest at 10s !! I told my area manager he was having a laugh, but he was serious.
I told the punter to go to different shops and put enough on so that it doesn't take out a grand in any one shop, then the managers won't have to phone their area office. I got him on over the phone with two managers who were mates, one in Tottenham and one in Leyton, and he had other bets in the Tottenham area. He got all his money on at 14s. The dog won the final at 9/4, and he came to my shop with all the tickets. I phoned the office and they arranged for me to go to the bank and get the money. Thinking I was on a 'bung' I took him there in my car. I paid him out inside the bank, and when we came out I thought he would come back with me to get his car. But he just said 'Thanks' and walked the opposite way to where my car was parked. He had no car. I got a facking parking ticket though.  He came in 3 or 4 weeks later to back another dog. I said 'You can fack right off.' I never saw him again. |
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Sorry SF but couldn't help but laugh!
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Blackrock
Would i be correct in stating the private traners was P.M. If so he was a rum devil. My brother had a few open dogs in the late 80's, and the two best ones were with him for a while.One was a sprinter named Freds Fathom who was almost top class. the other was a beautiful bitch named Certain Style. We used to travel all over the place to see them run, and Certain Style was a fancied one in the Oaks final at Hrringay in i think it was 1987.We had backed her at 33/1 ante-post, and i think she was either favourite or 2nd favourite in the final.Unfortunately she had her back legs taken away at the 3rd bend when leading, and 4 grown men were almost in tears  . Happy days though. |
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Afraid to say that financially, the dogs is in a pickle, and to pretend otherwise probably doesn't help. Combination of, what, 10 dedicated sports channels (none of which champion the hounds), changing demographics, and the fact that you can now put singles on the football. Early rounds of the knockout races can be good fun, but otherwise I can't be assed.
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only ever been to perry barr, hall green, and monmore green
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My dad used to take me to Clapton every saturday night which was great fun - i seem to recall that a band played there on saturday nights, i can't be certain but i think it might have been the Salvation Army brass band - but i could be wrong.
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Great post. my memories all revolve around CATFORD. From going as a small kid with my dad circa 1970 to climbing over the old turnstiles in doggett road with my mates as a teenager. standing tall trying to get a bet on at the tote window,mostly old ladies so not too many problems. Went regularly in the 80's and 90's, Tuesdays,Thursdays and Saturdays then changed to Mondays, Wednesday and Saturdays if i remember correctly. Trips 222 385 555 718 888 and experimented with 517. Also in the early days seem to remember 8 dogs races although that seems scacely possible given the tight nature of the track and handicap races. Always went in the cheap ring,great crowd a lot of characters one that springs to mind was peanuts, bookmakers holmes, Brian aka wally harrison,sollaway and geezer who used to bet without both stood near the 555 start. I stll have about a dozen cards but like slippy threw loads out some years ago (i regret it too) they were great times and dont regret a minute of it. Boxing day morning was the best thing about christmas. Had my first big bet on a trap 6 dog the first meeting afer the great storm Oct1987 had seen the advance card and was sure the 6 box was perfect had 400 at 6/4 and led all the way. Was worried the meeting was going to be called off. the dog was called ball something. Remember many dogs but one that always barked as he was going into traps was called millwall grade A1 backe hima few times and, also remembr came out skint a few times as well and walked home back to lee green... happy days!!!
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I went to Catford with a mate and his dad in the late 60s. His dad went to stick all his cash on an odds-on shot called Farmer Zora over 1,112 yards flat, and we got a lift there from a mate of his who was going to Eltham. The dog won easily. But because his dad didn't drive, we had to get a bus back to Blackwall Tunnel, then a bus through the tunnel, then another bus to Canning Town. By the time I got home it was facking midnight.
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Betting without man at Catford was Jim Robinson, I liked that bloke. We use to chat about races beforehand and I always got a bit extra and fractions with him. He always liked to know what I was thinking of doing
but he was a good judge on his own.Wally Harrison of course, Tony Kemp, Sid Hooper, Steve Gibbs, old man Solloway (he actually helped set the tissue for John Humphries). That nutcase Mick, alaways off his rocker. They had 8 dogs races for ages, the 385 trip was literally like equine bingo when they were doing that. I never saw any handicaps there though. |
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*canine bingo* still looking at the Aintree card!
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Did you bet with Arthur at Catford?
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You know what, I have met him in The Norwood Hotel a couple of times so know who he is but I just cannot remember him standing let alone punting with him. I bet with Harry Cripps untold amounts of times on the cheapside, he is still at Romford as far as I know. I was usually in the main ring betting with John Humphries and David Richardson but knew all the books from the cheapside as they all had a pitch at Wimbledon as well. I just cannot recall the mad Scotsman that is Arthur
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Mad scotsman
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I stand corrected, just spoke to my dad and he says they never had handicaps at CATFORD, he first went just after the war with my grandparants and was at catford dogs the saturday night I was born in lewisham hospital, so i guess i must remember that from some her track he took me to. I remember Jim robinson now. Used to stand with Tony B (harry cripps)and often cadged a lift back home on his way back to falconwood, that was before he took up the bookmaking side, saw him at ronmford just before christmas standing in the cheap ring, still the same. Mostly bet with wally harrison, big fat cigar on the go, cant ever remember him not laying everyone in the queue when the price had been wiped off other boards and whatever the results nothing seemed to faze him. proper gentleman.
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Found this by accident looking for something else
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Wembley,
Went in my 1st year down in London with my induction manager from Laddies, we went Wendy Fairs Heats night and I too found it soulless but it was my 1st visit to Wembley as being a Huddersfield fan, we didn't get too much opportunity Didn't back a winner but told "Supermac" Malcolm McDonald that he was a crap manager, City had beaten us 10-1 when he was in charge Crayford Had a few nights out there as works do's as free entry and free coach if you took 30+ Cleaned up in the last one night despite having a lump on the 2nd, my now wife backed the wrong dog for me in fc/tc's and got it up, paid £190 for a £1, would have had 1st, 2nd and 4th if she had put my selections on Stow Worked there for Laddies on course from mid 1997 to 1999 covering the BAGS and again for a small time in 2002. Great craic, free scampi and chips, knew most of the staff On the back of working there, got a freebie to a charity night during the 1999 Cheltenham festival for Cancer Bacup with Ian Dury the star guest (RIP), Jupitus was MC and Lamarr there too along with a few other celebs. Laddies had paid for a table of 10 but it was World Hurdle day so all the bigwigs were pissed in Cheltenham so it filtered down to us plebs and all those beers I had bought the organiser came back to me that night I arrived early straight from work, didn't need the ticket to get in as was known by gate staff as an employee, still used that in 2005 :)...Got up to the Goodwood suite just in time for 1st didn't really have time to study and after buying a pint for me and my mate had £12 in my hand of the £100 I took with me, threw on a fc/tc and it copped for £150, won the £10 table raffle (Signed Meat Loaf poster and Dury CD) wasn't allowed to pick anything more valuable by organiser and sat next to Dog Compiler all night so backed another 4 winners, more beers and a ruby to finish Cushtie Romford My first visit was my best back in 1992. My mate had dogs with Simpson at Hackney and one Friday night, he came into the boozer round the corner from work fora pint and said he was off to Rommers. I was living in Ilford at the time and he said do you want to come. It was Friday Feb 13th, had had a busy week so not much money on me it was all at home but had a nifty so said yes, no entrance fee as he had owners pass as his dog WISHING TREND was running in the 2nd last and Simpson had fancied dogs either side These races 10.30, 10.45 & 11.00 were on the SUPERLEAGUE channel beamed into pubs and clubs by BAE in the early dats of Satellite and you could bet INTERTRACK from Wimbledon as well and they did Sat nights His 1st dog won at 7/2 and the £10 on that was ok then had a £10 on Simon's dog at 20's when it drifted from 16's. It had T1 and the jolly in T5 had done the track record at Crayford the week before The dog trapped and took paint off the rail and 1st time round was 3 clear and there as only me and Simon Oi OI'ing, the 5 got in trouble but was catching hand over fist but she held on by a neck Bloke next to us said did you back that, back it I said, he owns it as we toddled onto the track for the presentation Last one won at 11/4 and Simon told me the West End/City bookies had taken an hammering as there were small trixies on all over Ruby and more beers afterwards but he did loads back at Hackney the next day |
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It was Friday the 13th in the early 70s when I got a small yankee* up on the night dogs, £2-20 stake for a £48 return. I decided to back one trainers dogs at Hackney the next morning, and I had 5 of the 8 winners and 3 forecasts. Thank you Josh Hedley.
*Only ever had two all successful yankees in all my years of punting. Hardly touch multiples on horses or dogs these days. |
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Got out of jail one night at Rommers, was in the restaurant with the Mrs and couldn't buy a winner, one f/c all night and that paid about £8, she had about 6 winners and the bill was just about to arrive for food and drink and my flexible friend was going to have to pay
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Tote girl came for last race and said you've not had much luck tonight love, I said tell me about it, it could be worse I said, I could be doing the dogs for Joe Corals which I kinda was at the time
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She said, that nice man over there says 6 will win the last so I had a £10 on it downstairs on the way back from the bog (The cab money home) and put it in the fc/tc bets I'd been doing all night, Mrs B backed it too and oi oi'ed it home for the 1-2-3, nice tip for the tote girl, waitress and a black cab home HAPPY DAYS
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I think the nice man was either Jim Austen or Ian St.Pier,
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Good stuff Baggers. Seems hard to believe now but only one track left in London and Wimbledon won't be going for too long now I suspect. Years ago there were tracks at Brixton, Catford, Wandsworth and New Cross all of which are few miles from me.
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Slippy, working class sport gone to the dogs, Stow was run into the ground with too many fingers in the pie Inside the M25, only Romford and Crayford surviving with BAGS fodder for the shops and some OPENS
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