The industry experienced a small rise in attendances andtotalisator turnover for the first time since 1946. TheNational Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) affiliated tracks saw 11,213,730 paying customers at 5972 meetings with tote turnover of £58,480,219.[9] However the possibility of future increases was unlikely because there was competition from television, which had found its way into many of Britain's households, bingo halls (a recent gambling rival) which was now established and dance halls pulled in the younger generation. In addition many companies that owned tracks had evaluated that selling them for redevelopment brought large short term financial gain, especially in major cities.[10][11]
Staines Greyhound Stadium was demolished, five years after closing and the Mexborough greyhound track called the Dog Daisy Stadium, which was situated on the corner of Sedgefield Way and Harlington Road also shut.[12]Seaforth Greyhound Stadium closed on 31 December. Romford Stadium Ltd sold their controlling interest in theDagenham Greyhound Stadium track for £185,000 stating that government restrictions on fixtures forced both tracks to race on the same day which impacted attendances. IncidentallyThe Dagenham Coup court case continued.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19]
On 25 JanuaryJuvenile champion Hi Joe trained by Noreen Collin and owned by bookmaker Victor Chandler Sr. was stolen from his Epping kennels. Initial hopes were that he could be recovered quickly to allow him to line up for theEnglish Greyhound Derby but as the weeks passed he had not been recovered.[10][11]
John Sutton became the Managing Director of theGreyhound Racing Association[7] and the GRA extended its board by adding Major Percy Brown, John Cearns (son of WJ Cearns) and Charles Chandler Jr. to the directors. They then sold the Kingsfurze breeding establishment atNaas inCounty Kildare, the seven acre grounds had been breeding greyhounds for over 17 years.[20] This was followed by the sale of Upper Childown Farm and Fan Court Farm grounds inLongcross nearChertsey. The two properties were used as a nursery and rearing establishment by the GRA. Further cutbacks by the GRA included the sacking of two advertising executives and five trainers from theHook Estate and Kennels. Harry Buck, Dick Clark, Albert Jonas, Eric Hiscock and Jack Cooper all left while the remaining ten Hook Kennels trainers would cover the three tracks ofWhite City Greyhounds,Harringay Stadium andStamford Bridge Greyhounds.[10][11] The Chairman and Directors were rewarded for their work by gaining a significant rise, doubling their salaries, which was deferred until 1966.[21]
Track Chromatography (a drug testing unit) was first used at Walthamstow in their purpose built lab.[22] Leading owner, the 70 year old shipping magnate Noel Purvis retired after forty years owning greyhounds, he ratedMile Bush Pride as his greatest greyhound.[10][11]
A litter whelped in February 1965, at the kennels of Leo Stack at Duagh, County Kerry, would become one of the greatest litters in the history of track racing. The litter, of five dogs and four bitches, was by Crazy Parachute out of Supreme Witch and included Forward Flash (a black dog), Forward King (a fawn dog), Spectre II and Tric-Trac (two black dogs) and Gezira (a fawn bitch).[10][11][23]
TheGrand Prix atWalthamstow Stadium is cancelled for the second year in succession due to problems over filling the event. Walthamstow had applied for a change to 700 yards at late notice but it is refused by the NGRC. They will however apply for a longer distance the following year and be successful. Conna Count, a white and brindle dog became the fourth greyhound to successfully defend theLaurels atWimbledon Stadium for a new increased prize of £1,500.[24][25]
