I can remember racing taking place at Manchester racecourse in the early sixties, it was to the outskirts of Salford, a fair way from Manchester City centre itself.

The name rings a bell was it a grader or open racer?

I certainly remember Springwood Mickey mopping up all the Northwest West opens back then, there was a lot of cloak and dagger stuff going on back then. Geoff De Mulder used to run a few on Bolton as well as Charlie.

I believe it was sold to Salford University who have built a student campus on it. Going back a few years you could see a bit of the old track and railings off the western part of the M60, not any more.

barstool  re  DE Mulder  and Charlie  .. ran  plenty at Bolton   but you got to remember   the Bolton Derby was  worth 10 grand to the winner     1975 .....
re Johns  Mansion   ..he was a pet  knew andy very  well  thats the owner
but  had no papers    so could not run NGRC  .....   Harry Thorpe   said    he was the best  flapping   dog he ever graded   ...and  Harry was the grader  for  30 odds years at Bolton
the boys  after racing had a few laughs and drinks in the bar   them were the days

screaming

the boxing day card at Wolverhampton always staged some novice hurdles where the Christmas money could be got.

zipper, I remember Harry Thorpe well, did not like the bloke though, he called everyone coc k. Got on much better with the handicapper at Blackburn John Dutton much better. Used to race on straw there in winter. Peter 'o Dowd was the manager at Preston (now at Romford).

Best of all was Alec Broadbent at Blackpool, would always oblige with a good mark if he knew you were struggling a bit, this was when the Boyle family owned both tracks.

Great days, never to be repeated alas. Still we were there when it was at it's best and for that I am thankful.

workrider 24 Aug 15 17:59 Joined: 29 Jun 02 | Topic/replies: 21,053 | Blogger: workrider's blog
Hard to beat Baldoyle on a St Patricks day , Johnnie Roe on a 2yo for Connolly first race of the flat season , a 3 mile  hurdle race Orient War the winner ,ah the memories..

Was that the Orient War owned by John Banks, the Glasgow bookie?

Would love to have seen Taunton dogs in the 1960s and 1970s. Dave Pipe snr (David Pipe's grandfather) was both promoter and bookmaker, so no conflict of interest there.

The dogs ran around the perimeter of the cricket field at the County Ground opposite the old cattle market in the town centre. They paraded in what is now the car park, but at the time was the cricket nets, which must have been interesting for the cricketers the next morning.

I was at the last Cardiff greyhound meeting.

played rugby against Warwick Uni inside Wolverhampton racecourse.
Our coach driver got Brahms and Liszt so we spent the night at the uni.

I also played cricket at Taunton.

I remember eastville and my only visit there was  also against united at easter the season they were in division two ,

Barstool
Towards the end have you any idea how many bookies actually bet there with their own money?You'd be surprised if you knew as one gentleman from over the hill didn't just put the money up for his own pitch & you would be doubly amazed at one of the pitches he was running.

managed to go the last folkestone and hereford meetings in the same december, of the two i preferred folkestone although it was more run down than hereford at the time..was a regular at catford dogs in 90s when lived in london, was surprised to hear it closed, was living abroad at the time - what did they do with it, houses?  don't think hereford or folkestone will ever re-open

As mentioned earlier, White City for those memorable Derby Final nights and of course, Walthamstow for almost any Saturday or big final night - nothing but fond memories...

barstool your post  yesterday   18.27   re  John Dutton  a very fair guy  if  you played fair Do you remember  Eddie Thomas  was the grader at  White City Manchester  when it closed had a spell at Bolton  last  i heard of him  he had a paper shop in Sheffield

Gordon

when the news broke Hereford was permanent Folkestone was just for a couple of years until things were sorted out,well from what I see nobody is interested in Folkestone the locals the council and arc have given up,hereford however is ticking over with a bit of arab racing and whilst I agree its unlikely either will reopen the more likely of the two would be Hereford.

Sorry zipper, I did not know him.

Hurst Park

Bus from Hammersmith and the ferry over the river to the track.

For a young boy it did not get any better.

Remember I had 2/6 on a 10/1 chance that won think the horse was called King of diamonds would be interesting if that is correct.

Might have been with the away's I had the bet so long ago now.

barstool  you have  been a flapper    do your remember   THE  Waterloo Cup    talking about  gambling  bookies    Steven  Little    would lay  anything  for 5k  in a match    thats was  1970  ...  when the average   wage  was  £30 a week..
.Other top layers John  Banks  horses
and that  top  judge  on the dogs  the one  only  Mick  THE Miller     the best ever

bar thats mick the miller

Great memories of Hurst Park, lads.  I think though that the Victoria Cup when run there was 1m 2f (incl the dogleg 7f), not the 7f of Ascot today.

I just wish I remembered it as I am told I went aged 8 (1960) but I do not remember it, or Ally Pally which I went at the same time. I remember Brighton though!!!!