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Nottingham Greyhound Stadium

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Nottingham Greyhound Stadium
The grandstand in 2008
Map
LocationColwick Park,
Nottingham,
Nottinghamshire,
NG2 4BE
Coordinates52°57′00″N 1°06′40″W / 52.950°N 1.111°W / 52.950; -1.111
OwnerArena Racing Company
OperatorArena Racing Company
Capacity1,500
Field size437 metres (1,434 ft)
SurfaceSand
Construction
Opened24 January 1980
Expanded19 August 2008
Website
Official website

Nottingham Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track and stadium on the outskirts of Nottingham, England.

Races at the course are held on Monday and Friday evenings as well as additional matinée meetings every Wednesday & Thursday.[1] The circumference of the track is 437 metres (1,434 ft).[1]

Competitions

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The stadium holds several competitions annually:

Origins and opening

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In 1970 the White City Stadium in Nottingham closed down leaving the city without greyhound racing. However members of the Severn and Trent greyhound clubs had maintained a presence in the council's thoughts and several years later plans for a new track within the Nottingham Racecourse site began to surface. The site of the racecourse was west of the village of Colwick and the racecourse had been open since 1892.[2]

On 24 January 1980 the Colwick Park greyhound track opened, it was situated on the north side of the racecourse where a car parking area had stood and previous to that it had been an old bed of the River Trent. The circumference of the track was 442 metres and was described as a very good galloping track with long straights and the sand used was Worksop Grey. The Managing Director Jon Carter announced that there were over 2,000 attending the first meeting which consisted of eight races, six over 500m and two over 295m. The first winner was a greyhound called Tartan Al trained by W Horton who won in 32.98sec at odds of 7–1.[2]

History

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20th Century

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An initial investment of £250,000 included the Panorama Room with a state of the art restaurant and totalisator. The first Racing Manager was Jim Woods,[3] the Director of Racing was Terry Meynell and the first trainers were Bill Horton, Christine Lawlor, A Coppin, T Smith and one Charlie Lister. Another trainer that appeared on opening night was Geoff DeMulder and he joined the track in 1984. Racing took place on Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings and the nature of the large track soon attracted some of the sports best greyhounds including Scurlogue Champ who broke the track record in October 1985 and then Ballyregan Bob who won two races at Nottingham that formed part of his world record breaking run during November 1985 & April 1986 with the first run creating a new track record. It was also in 1986 that Coventry closed resulting in the Eclipse competition finding a new home at Nottingham. In April 1989 the 'Outside Sumner' hare was replaced by the 'Bramich' and race distances were re-measured as 310, 500, 700 & 747m.[4]

In 1988 Terry Corden took control of Nottingham from Wiseville Ltd, Corden had recently sold Derby Greyhound Stadium and had been successful during the property boom. Racing Manager Jim Woods left to join Monmore Green Stadium and was replaced by Mick Smith before Peter Robinson took over. One of the first tasks of the new owners was to invest in new facilities and in 1989 the track underwent a considerable upgrade.[5]

A new competition introduced to the track in 1990 was the National Sprint, the important race had struggled to find a home since the closure of Harringay Stadium and would be held towards the end of the year and was known as the Peter Derrick Christmas Cracker for a few years. Trainer Dawn Wheatley trained Ayr Flyer, who finished runner-up in the 1994 English Greyhound Derby.

Wembley closed to greyhound racing in 1996 and Nottingham was awarded the prestigious Select Stakes as a consequence in 1997. Trainer Charlie Lister won the 1997 English Greyhound Derby and Scottish Greyhound Derby with Some Picture.[6]

It was voted 'Central Region Racecourse of the Year' by the British Greyhound Racing Board for 1998–1999.[7]

21st Century

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The track was voted 'Central Region Racecourse of the Year' by the British Greyhound Racing Board for a second time in 2001–2002.[7] A new kennel range costing £250,000 was introduced in 2003.[8] Stadium owner Terry Corden brought his daughter Rachel and son Nathan into the business and they are now both heavily involved in the running of the track. Another event (the Produce Stakes taken from Hall Green Stadium) came to the track in 2009.[9]

In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with Arena Racing Company (ARC) to race every Monday and Friday evening and a matinée meeting every Tuesday.[10] During 2019 the track was chosen as the new venue for the sport's most famous event, the English Greyhound Derby which switched from Towcester.[11]

In 2020 the stadium was sold by Nottingham Greyhound Stadium Ltd to ARC. The Director of Nottingham Greyhound Stadium Rachel Corden was retained by ARC and appointed ARC Greyhound Operations Director.[12] In 2021 the Derby returned to Towcester following two years at Nottingham.[13] In 2022, the stadium owners ARC signed a long term deal with Entain for media rights, starting in January 2024.[14]

Track records

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[15]

Current

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Metres Greyhound Time Date Notes
255 Skate On[16] 14.84 18 August 2014
305 Target Harris[17] 17.34 2 June 2014
480 Swift Hoffman[17] 28.07 15 July 2014
500 Skywalker Logan[18] 29.05 25 May 2019 Derby first round
680 Fabulous Shanty[17] 41.06 4 March 2013
730 Romantic Rambo[17] 44.11 15 July 2014
905 Festival Time[19] 56.46 18 November 2014
925 Fearsome Liberty[17] 57.86 18 November 2013

Former

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Extended content
Metres Greyhound Time Date Notes
255 Mother Shauna[20] 14.88 9 June 2014
295 Tims Crow[21] 17.45 24 November 2003
295 Laser Beam 17.43 26 August 2005
300 Nervous Paddy 17.81 24 December 2001
300 Hawk I Hunt 17.68 2 June 2003
305 Laser Beam 17.77 14 November 2005
305 Carrib Prince 17.73 12 December 2005 National Sprint heats
305 Ningbo Jack 17.73 12 December 2005 National Sprint heats
305 Ballydaniel Bozz 17.73 9 January 2006
305 Ballydaniel Bozz 17.57 20 February 2006
305 Ningbo Jack 17.55 29 May 2006
305 Against the Lead 17.55 18 July 2006
305 Against the Lead 17.51 21 August 2006
305 Rotar Wing 17.47 13 December 2010 National Sprint semi-final
305 Jumeirah Dubai 17.45 3 December 2012
310 Yellow Jersey 18.58 1989
310 Cocktail Darkie 18.18 4 September 1989
312 Fagans Friend 18.41 24 January 1987
460 Myth Maker 28.01 20 August 1990
460 Carmels Prince 27.75 1 October 1990
460 Stop To Conquer 27.75 20 June 1991
460 Almost New 27.66 31 October 1992
480 Tullerboy Lass 28.83 12 June 2001
480 Larkhill Lo 28.82 26 November 2002
480 Baliff Spring 28.71 27 July 2004
480 Pennys Shakira 28.60 23 July 2007
480 Lively Arthur 28.59 21 August 2007
480 Farloe Reason 28.39 21 December 2007
480 Bit View Micko 28.32 22 October 2012
480 Diesel Blue 28.31 21 January 2013
480 Bower Stone 28.25 30 July 2013
485 Sun Ging 29.50 26 December 1986
485 Fearless Ace 29.26 1987
500 Holyhill Way 30.35 10 March 1987
500 Drumgoon Swallow 30.53 1989
500 Fires of War 30.00 30 July 1990
500 World Wind 29.98 29 October 1990
500 Westmead Merlin 29.65 17 October 1994
500 Droopys Rhys 29.77 23 April 2001
500 Top Savings 29.67 30 August 2001
500 Top Savings 29.43 14 April 2003
500 Droopys Shearer 29.34 4 August 2003
500 Fear Me 29.45 14 November 2005 Eclipse heats
500 Shelbourne Rene 29.28 18 September 2006
500 Ballymac Eske 29.28 22 October 2012
500 Ballymac Eske 29.21 29 October 2012
500 Sawpit Sensation [22] 29.16 28 November 2012 Eclipse final
530 Decoy Gold 32.03 16 October 1980
680 Ballyregan Bob 41.87 9 November 1985 Part of the 32 world record
680 Wailea Flash 41.67 1987
680 Wentworth Which 41.36 9 July 2007
680 Aero Rebel 41.26 19 November 2012
700 Hot News 44.24 1989
700 Doves Delight 43.50 18 September 1989
700 Mobile Magic 43.06 28 January 1993
700 Lavally Pete 43.43 29 April 1999
700 Sexy Delight 42.73 11 September 2000
700 Top Plan 42.66 9 June 2003
700 Tinrah Lad 42.87 11 April 2005
722 Farloe Bonus 42.89 24 May 1999
722 El Poker 45.38 28 August 2000
722 Farloe Bonus 43.70 27 November 2000
730 Droopys Kenny 45.36 4 November 2005
730 Gunner Black 45.00 9 January 2006
730 Fabulous Sophie 44.99 30 January 2006
730 Blonde Pearl 44.19 20 February 2006
747 Manx Marajax 47.03 1989
747 Road Princess 46.87 27 August 1990
747 Penny I Am 46.50 16 September 1991
747 Miss Piggy 46.12 26 September 1994
754 Scurlogue Champ 47.30 17 October 1985
754 Change Guard 47.02 1987
885 Ericas Equity 56.32 19 January 2004
885 Lisnakill Cathal 55.68 27 July 2004
900 Easy Field 57.76 27 August 1990
900 Clonbrin Basket 57.52 11 July 1991
900 Clonbrin Basket 56.91 8 August 1991
900 Red Arrow Lady 56.76 24 October 1991
902 Let Us Know 57.25 11 March 2002
905 Ziggy Girl 57.56 12 January 2004
905 Flying Winner 56.99 20 November 2008
905 Art Banksy 56.90 15 July 2014
905 Mays Petal 56.58 28 October 2014
925 Seathwaite Robby 58.13 20 November 2006
927 Limekiln Pearl 59.60 25 August 1987
937 Deenside Fire 59.74 30 August 1993
485 H Distant Echo 30.15 24 August 1987
500 H Speedy Tiger 30.99 17 October 1985
500 H El Tenor[17] 30.71 21 June 1999

References

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  1. ^ a b "Track Info: Nottingham Greyhound Stadium". thedogs.co.uk (Greyhound Board of Great Britain website). Greyhound Board of Great Britain. 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing, pages 58-61. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  3. ^ "REMEMBER WHEN: SEPTEMBER". Greyhound Star.
  4. ^ Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing, pages 49-50. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
  5. ^ Barnes, Julia (1991). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, page 72. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-61-9.
  6. ^ "1997 Derby". Greyhound Derby.com.
  7. ^ a b British Racing Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. 2004. ISBN 1-904317-07-3.
  8. ^ "Remember When - February 2003". Greyhound Star. 2018.
  9. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 194. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  10. ^ "Arc Schedule Released". Greyhound Star.
  11. ^ "Nottingham to stage 2019 English Derby". Greyhound Star. 13 December 2018.
  12. ^ "PRESS RELEASE – ARC CONFIRMS ACQUISITION OF NOTTINGHAM GREYHOUND STADIUM". Greyhound Star.
  13. ^ "Greyhound racing news: Latest updates including 'new' Derby home". Sporting Life. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  14. ^ "No Competition - No Progress". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. ^ "British Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  16. ^ "2014 track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  17. ^ a b c d e f "Nottingham track records". Greyhound Data. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  18. ^ "25 May heats". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  19. ^ "2014 Track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  20. ^ "2014 track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  21. ^ "Track records". Greyhound Data.
  22. ^ "Betfred Eclipse final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.