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Laurels (English Greyhound Race)
The Laurels is an original classic greyhound competition held at Perry Barr Stadium. It was run at Wimbledon Stadium from 1930 until 1997. It then moved to Belle Vue Stadium in 1998 and remained there until 2017 when it switched to Newcastle Stadium. After two years at Newcastle and a cancellation in 2020 due to COVID-19 it switched to Perry Barr in 2021. competition lost its Category 1 status but was still regarded as one of the most valuable prizes during the racing year. The Arena Racing Company Arena Racing Company, also called ARC Racing and Leisure Group is a UK private company, created in 2012 by the merger of Arena Leisure and Northern Racing. It owns and operates 16 racecourses in Great Britain, accounting for 39% of British rac ... gained the prestigious competition in 2017 from the GRA and it returned to Category 1 status in 2022. Venues and distances *1930–1974 (Wimbledon Stadium, 500 y) *1975–1997 (Wimbledon Stadium, 460 m) *1998-1998 (Bel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Perry Barr Stadium
Perry Barr Stadium (also known as Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium and previously as Alexander Sports Ground(s)) is a stadium and a Greyhound Board of Great Britain regulated greyhound racing track on Aldridge Road in Perry Barr, Birmingham, England. The track is operated by the Arena Racing Company (ARC), who lease it from owners the National Asset Management Agency. Racing takes place every Saturday evening, in addition to their four ARC fixtures. Opened in 1929, it was built for Birchfield Harriers, who left in 1977. It is now used for greyhound racing and speedway. It is not to be confused with the Birchfield Ladbroke Stadium that is also known as the old Perry Barr Stadium which closed in 1984. Location The stadium is opposite the former Birmingham City University main campus and close to (and served by) Perry Barr railway station. It sits in the fork of the A34 Walsall Road (to its West) and the A453 Aldridge Road. The River Tame flows northwards between the stadium a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1932 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1932 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the seventh year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The total annual attendance across the country for 1932 topped 20 Million, increasing to 20,178,260 from 17,906,917 (in 1931), a sixth consecutive annual increase. Summary At least 43 new tracks opened during 1932. It is believed that there were 187 tracks (including independent tracks) in operation by December 1932 as the industry continued to experience phenomenal growth. The breakdown consisted of 50 tracks affiliated to the National Greyhound Racing Society and 14 tracks affiliated the rival organisation the British Greyhound Tracks Control Society (BGTCS) leaving 123 unaffiliated tracks. Tracks The London area was served by four new tracks Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium, Hackney Wick Stadium, Catford Stadium and Brixton Greyhound Stadium. Catford held an inaugural meeting on Saturday 30 July where the crowd witnessed a seven card race of events comprising fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1946 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1946 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 21st year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The greyhound racing industry experienced an extraordinary year in 1946, with all previous records in terms of attendances and totalisator turnover being broken. The year would be the pinnacle in the history of the sport and would never be matched again. Attendances were estimated to be around 75 million based on an annual totalisator turnover of £196,431,430. The figure equates to £8 billion today (2018), using a historic inflation calculator, which indicates the significance of the industry at the time. Trading on greyhound racing shares at the stock exchange were centre stage business. The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) recorded record attendances and profits at all of their tracks. The largest tote turnover was at White City and reached £17,576,190. Competitions Mondays News won the 1946 English ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1945 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1945 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 20th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The Second World War came to an end in Europe on 8 May, leaving time for the industry to complete a full racing schedule including a return of the 1945 English Greyhound Derby that was won by Ballyhennessy Seal. Attendances and totalisator turnover for NGRC tracks reached record highs, with over 50 million paying customers going through the turnstiles. It was also announced that the NGRC tracks had earned the government £120,000 for war charities during the duration. Annual totalisator turnover nearly doubled to 137,715,273 (a phenomenal sum in 1945). The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) recorded a record profit of £1,616,000 but £1,230,000 of that was allocated for the liability of excess profit tax and National Defence Contribution. The annual report indicated that greyhound racing had served servic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
West Ham Stadium
West Ham Stadium was a stadium that existed between 1928 and 1972 in Custom House, in East London (it was in the County Borough of West Ham, in the county of Essex, at the time of the stadium's construction). The stadium was built in 1928 on Prince Regent Lane, near the site of the present-day Prince Regent DLR station. The venue was used for greyhound racing and speedway on weekdays and had no connection with West Ham United football club, who played at the nearby Boleyn Ground, Upton Park from 1904 until 2016. Greyhound racing Origins Plans for a very large stadium in a rural area near Plaistow Marsh, east of Canning Town were unveiled in the late 1920s and work began on the structure where an old sports ground (built in 1855) was situated that had belonged to the workers of the custom house of Royal Victoria Dock. The stadium was designed by Archibald Leitch, responsible for most of the major football stadia at the time including Anfield and Highbury. There was a large t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1940 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1940 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 15th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The government were reportedly on the verge of calling a ban on racing and tracks that remained open were beset with problems with many of their staff being called up to fight in the war. In addition many of the greyhound owners were unable to pay the kennel fees to their respective trainers for the same reason. The Greyhound Express even ran an article about their own dwindling staff at the newspaper. The anti–betting lobby led by the Labour Party wanted a total ban to racing, quoting that the public transport was being used by racegoers and as a result munitions factory workers were having to walk home. The nation was divided in regards to allowing racing to continue. Despite the problems the industry continued to record remarkable results, in terms of attendances and totalisator turnover. The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Park Royal Stadium
Park Royal Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in London used from 1931 until 1969. It is not to be confused with the Park Royal Ground built in 1907 by the Great Western Railway and used by Queens Park Rangers F.C. from 1907 to 1915. Origins The Royal Agricultural Society of England built showgrounds in 1903 intended to be used every year for their annual show. It served as the home stadium for Queens Park Rangers F.C. but was sold in 1907. Due to its proximity to central London and the local railway network, the site attracted industrial companies and buildings began to be constructed in the area, which soon became known as Park Royal. In 1931, just east of the old showgrounds and north of an athletic ground and engineering works a new stadium was constructed on the Abbey Road. Next door to the stadium was the newly built Park Royal Coachworks, which would also become a very well-known business. The stadium had two very large covered stands that ran the length ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1939 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1939 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 14th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary Despite the outbreak of World War II, another ten tracks opened, buoyed on by the attendances and profits generated. Attendances and totalisator turnover at National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) licensed tracks was on course for a record year but was disrupted, with many tracks closing in the latter part of the year. A record 92,000 attended the 1939 English Greyhound Derby final at White City and the totalisator turnover for the final was £14,341 and for the meeting it was £114,780 which set a new record for a greyhound meeting. The race was won by Highland Rum. The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) saw reduced profits, due to the closure of their London tracks from September. The operating net profit for 1939 was £151,000 and attendances at GRA tracks increased rose to 3,808,994. Tracks Oxford Stadium w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1938 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1938 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 13th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary 1938 in the United Kingdom was a place of tension due to the unrest in Europe and the ongoing negotiations between the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain and Germany. However the public continued to embrace greyhound racing which was an affordable national pastime. Attendances at the National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) licensed tracks topped 26 million with totalisator turnover recorded as £39,352,839. The track tote deduction was 6% and the government tote tax was an additional 6%. The leading greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) significantly increased profits once again. The operating profit for 1938 was £278,000 (a substantial figure at the time) and attendances at GRA tracks increased rose to 4,408,412. The GRA also invested heavily into their breeding facility on the company owned Fan Court Farm, on the Longc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1937 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1937 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 12th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The industry showed no sign of a slow down, with attendances at UK tracks surpassing twenty million for the sixth year in succession. The leading company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) increased profits again. The operating profit for 1937 was £241,000 (a substantial figure at the time) and attendances at GRA tracks increased slightly to 3,849,513. The GRA also took a controlling interest in New Cross Stadium and boasted that they had the largest totalisator in the world at White City, with 634 issuing machines. Wattle Bark won the 1937 English Greyhound Derby defeating 1936 star Shove Halfpenny into second place. Tracks Just five known tracks opened but Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium underwent a significant £50,000 renovation, with no provision made for speedway. Tracks opened Competitions London based trainers monopolised t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1936 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1936 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 11th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Summary The nations leading Greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) continued to grow and recorded record profits. The operating profit for 1936 was £215,583 (a substantial figure at the time) and attendances at GRA tracks increased from 3,817,934 to 3,849,513 despite the fact that the company held 160 fewer meetings. The GRA then opened Harringay Arena on 10 October, which would become famous for ice hockey and boxing. At least ten more tracks opened as racing retained its status as a national pastime. Fine Jubilee trained by Marjorie Yate was the star of the year, after winning the 1936 English Greyhound Derby and the Gold Collar. Roll of honour Tracks The Dolphin Stadium in Slough, was bought by New Clapton Stadium Co. Ltd and they renamed it the Slough Stadium. Rochester and Chatham Sports Stadium opened and was listed as the 55th Nationa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1935 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1935 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the tenth year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The sport remained extremely popular, with attendances exceeding 20 million for a fourth successive year. Racing was an affordable national pastime in the United Kingdom and Ireland and profits made by the tracks enabled the greyhound companies to flourish. Major-General Lord Loch (chairman) announced that the nations leading Greyhound company, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) made an operating profit of over £136,000 during 1935 (a substantial figure at the time). The construction of new tracks had slowed considerably but the GRA announced their plans to build Harringay Arena. and also purchased Stenhouse Stadium. Greta Ranee won the 1935 English Greyhound Derby before a record crowd of 88,700. Tracks Clyde F.C.'s financial difficulties led to them selling Shawfield Stadium to the Shawfield Greyhound Racing Company Ltd, continuing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
