This Week In Greyhound History: October 15th- October 21st
15th October
The first greyhound meeting took place at Newcastle in 1927. A crowd estimated at 15,000 turned out to watch the spectacle of greyhounds chasing a mechanical lure. The inaugural Newcastle Cup was won by Sky Chimes.
Ada Yin, later to become a leading stayer around Wentworth Park, won a heat and final of what would be classed as a fifth grade event over 500 yards at Lithgow in 1949. It was not unusual to run heats and finals on the same meeting at many tracks up until the 1960s.
Lizrene won Radio's Golden Anniversary Cup, a special event held in 1973. From box one the natural wide runner was hammered by Salala from box two. Lizrene regained her balance but was checked at the first turn. She stormed home at the finish to register one of her best wins.
Often underrated stayer High Intensity defeated the mighty Bold Trease by nine lengths over 716 metres at Sandown Park in 1987. High Intensity had also defeated Bold Trease the previous week.
The 1995 Canberra Cup final resulted in a dead-heat between Scholar's Mate and Victorian sprinter Sandy Honcho.
16th October
Noted fast beginner Amethyst Queen held on to win the 1971 NSW Country Championship over 580 yards (530 metres) at Wentworth Park, equalling the race record of 31.3. On the same night, the Geoff Watt-trained Top Saba defeated Victorian stayer Bubble's Luck in the Sydney Cup final. That race saw equal favourite Roman Copy, from Victoria, run sixth, his first defeat in seven Sydney starts.
Sensational NSW sprinter Alpha Brava won the 1975 Gabba Sprint Championship) in a race record 32.70 over 558 metres at the Gabba. He defeated Queensland champ Coorparoo Flyer and fellow NSW sprinter Ungwilla Lad.
The 1976 Sydney Cup meeting was abandoned due to inclement weather, and the final was postponed for nine days. This is the only occasion the Sydney Cup has not been run as scheduled.
17th October
Reg Kay's Queensland sprinter Size Can Matter travelled to New Zealand and took out the Platinum Paws over 520 metres at Addington in Christchurch in 2008. The race was worth a massive $119,000.
18th October
This Guy Moss and Marg's Fortune, both trained by John Brown, ran first and second in the 1975 Sydney Cup final. The margin was a mere three-quarters of a length, with Queensland representative Welcome Dee Anne just a nose away third.
The Robert Britton-trained Kulu Magic defeated Sky Hazzard and Flashing Floods to take out the 2007 Sir John Dillon Memorial.
19th October
Zoom Top broke the track record with a 43.2 success in the 1968 Sydney Cup final, defeating Victorian star Miram Miss by four lengths. Zoom Top's litter sister, Busy's Charm, was seventh.
The Geoff Watt-trained sprint star Benny McGrath won the 1972 Dapto Silver Collar by seven lengths, earning $750 for his connections.
Bold Trease broke the Australian record for the most prize money when he scored in track record time over 735 metres at Ballarat in 1988. Bold Trease took his earnings to $106,100, surpassing the previous mark set just 18 days earlier by NSW stayer Whip Tip.
20th October
Champion stayer Miss High Lo won the 1973 Sydney Cup by five lengths in a race record 42.88, breaking the record of 43.2 set by Zoom Top in 1968. She went on to win the 1974 Sydney Cup as well to become the only greyhound to have ever won the race twice.
Queensland champion Dancing Gamble became Australia's highest prize money winner when he scored a brilliant victory in the 1988 Coca Cola Cup (now known as the Brisbane Cup). His $25,000 first prize money took Dancing Gamble to $107,000, about $900 beyond the amount won by Bold Trease.
Toss The Teddy downed Scenic Cuba and Flying Amy to win the 1994 Brisbane Cup over 520 metres at Albion Park. Flying Amy would return the following year and win the Cup in race record time.
21st October
Local star Madonna Lee won the 1982 National Sprint Championship, run over 558 metres at the Gabba, from the Victorian pair of Tempix Image and Kid Campbell.
Star Title won the 1993 Brisbane Cup for NSW, the first running of the event over 520 metres at the new Albion Park circuit. He defeated Victorian Dallas Duo.