Here is a race I would loved to have watched

[Robbie B]

I have been busy looking at some online old newspapers archives and in the Daily Mirror dated Friday 8 April 1938  on page 34 it reported on a spectacular Johnnie Hoskins event that was due to take place on Tuesday 3 May when a speedway rider at West Ham would race against a cheetah. The  rider as normaill would be on the track being pursued by the animal on the greyhound track with a large piece of meat attached to an electric hare.

Bluey Wilkinson, when asked by the paper if he would race against the cheetah for £5 as most of the West Ham rider were shy of racing against the beast and he replied "no, I'll let him have it". The Daily Mirror then stated that the speedway riders place would be taken by a animal trainer who happens to be a speedway rider, but sadly they did not mention his name. Although, I have checked further Daily Mirror's for the race result unfortunately I could not find it.

[steve roberts]

Johnnie in his book "Walkabout" quotes a story about cheetahs-

...We advertised the appearance of the fastest animals in the world to race round the West Ham track. In a trial in the morning the brutes all got loose in the stadium and the directors, fearing lawsuits and injuries to the public rebelled. We had to keep faith however and it was too late to advertise any non-appearance. The race started before a tremendous crowd of curious people. After a run of thirty yards the animals came to the end of their leather tethers and halted. An apology was felt appropriate. "Ladies and Gentleman. Tonight we advertised five cheetahs, but in reality there are six" I announced. Quick as a flash  came a shout from the crowd "Yes and we know who the sixth is".

Edited November 24, 2019 by steve roberts

[Robbie B]

Many thanks for all the information Steve it does not surprise one bit that they might have been would about litigation in case the cheetahs got lose with the inedible effect of injurious to health to those attending the meeting.

The funniest race I personally saw was at Wimbledon during the second half interval of league match against Coventry in the British League I think 1978 when Ole Olsen (and i'm sure a wimbledon rider - I have to check my programmes) whilst riding a very young child's bicycle had a one-lap race against some bunny girls who were wearing their full bunny costumes.