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Scurry Gold Cup
The Scurry Gold Cup is an original classic greyhound competition currently run at Perry Barr Stadium. It was run at Clapton Stadium from 1928 until its closure in 1973. The event moved to Slough Stadium in 1974 which consequently closed in 1986. The third move resulted in Catford Stadium hosting the race from 1987 until yet another closure forced the race to end in 2002. After a two-year wait, a new home was finally found at Perry Barr Stadium until 2009 when the GRA switched the competition to sister track Belle Vue Stadium. With the closure of Belle Vue in 2020 the future of the competition was unknown but the British Greyhound Breeders Forum stepped in to sponsor the race (held at Harlow Stadium for two years) before it returned to Perry Barr in 2021. Venues & Distances *1928–1973 (Clapton, 400 y) *1974–1974 (Slough, 475 y) *1975–1978 (Slough, 434 m) *1979–1986 (Slough, 442 m) *1987–2002 (Catford, 385 m) *2005–2008 (Perry Barr, 275 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 racing fixtures. It also operates hotels at Wolverhampton Racecourse and Lingfield Park Racecourse and golf courses at Lingfield, Southwell and Newcastle. Following the purchase of Nottingham Greyhound Stadium in 2020 the company became the leading greyhound racing operator in the UK. In November 2022, it was announced Arena Racing Company had acquired the Athens-headquartered omni-channel content distributor, Vermantia. Personnel The chief executive officer is Martin Cruddace who was formerly the chief legal officer for Betfair. Cruddace is a member of the Racehorse Owners Association. David Thorpe was appointed chairman in April 2014. He was previously Chairman of Arena Leisure plc, as well as the Racecourse Association Ltd. Arena Ra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1933 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1933 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the eighth year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The industry continued to experience a boom with attendances steadily increasing. However the totalisator ban enforced by the government was impacting profits with 17,000 jobs affected. The situation did not deter new tracks opening, with at least 28 known tracks starting racing during 1933. Future Cutlet won the 1933 English Greyhound Derby before being retired, his owner Mr Evershed set up a trust fund for the champion so that he would live in luxury for the rest of his life. Tracks London remained the main focus point for racing with Walthamstow Stadium, New Cross Stadium, Wandsworth Stadium and Stamford Bridge joining the tracks already operating. A small flapping track (independent) called the Crooked Billet Greyhound & Whippet track was bought by William Chandler who then went about building Walthamstow. Wandsworth stadium cost £ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stan Biss
James Stanley Biss known as Stan (1892–1952) was a leading English greyhound trainer. He was a seven times winner of the Oaks in addition to winning the Scottish Greyhound Derby and Welsh Greyhound Derby. Early life Biss spent his childhood living at the Queens Head public house in Waltham Abbey before becoming an Assurance Agent. In 1917 he joined the Navy and Royal Air Force as a Corporal mechanic. He married Agnes Oyler in 1923. Racing career Biss was one of the original trainers at Wimbledon Stadium when the stadium opened in 1928 during the pioneer years of oval racing. In 1929 Biss trained out of Burhill Kennels and was in charge of some of the leading greyhounds in the country which included Bradshaw Fold and Queen of the Suir. He also helped fellow Burhill trainer Sidney Orton and the Kempton family acquire the legendary Mick The Miller. During 1930 he joined West Ham Stadium, the same year that Bradshaw Fold finished second to Mick The Miller in the 1930 English Gre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1947 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1947 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 22nd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary Racing was seriously affected by the Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom and the fuel crisis. Tracks were forced to close from 11 February and on 11 February Sir Guy Bower, a Department Secretary for the Government, had closed down all greyhound tracks to conserve fuel and when racing was allowed to return it was restricted to Saturdays. On 15 March the fuel ban was lifted after 29 days, but 160 meetings were lost in London alone. Despite the loss of nearly two months of racing the returns for the year were significant, the extraordinary year of 1946 would never be matched again but totalisator returns still reached £131,460,177. The government increased their tote tax deduction to 10%, earning over £13 million for the treasury, track deductions remained at 6%. The government was subject to criticism from the industry because of t ... [...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] |
Derby Stadium
Derby Greyhound Stadium or Derby Stadium was a greyhound racing venue in Derby, England. Origins A full century before turning into a greyhound stadium the site was used as the county gaol and called the Vernon Street Prison. It was a six-acre site on South Street backing onto Uttoxeter Old Road and cost £65,000 to build. The entrance was at the end of Vernon Street and the construction took six years to complete opening in 1827. The walls were 25 feet high enclosing three acres of land and the gaol held over 300 prisoners. It continued to serve as a prison until 1916 but was then used as a military prison. The buildings and cells inside the boundary walls were demolished in 1929 but the curtain wall and large entrance. Within five years the Preston Greyhound Racing Association had purchased the site and built a greyhound stadium within the walls. Opening The company who had just opened their Preston track in May 1932 set an opening date of 29 April 1933. The first manager was ... [...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] |
Southend Stadium
Southend Stadium was a former greyhound racing and football stadium in Grainger Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. It was also the home ground of Southend United between 1934 and 1955 and was also known as Greyhound Park. Origins The first greyhound racing in Southend took place at the Kursaal from 1927 until 1929. Three years later in 1932 planning permission for a new stadium was submitted to the Southend Council by a new company called Southend Stadium Ltd headed by the Wimbledon supremo William John Cearns. The new stadium was built on the site of the Milton Hall Brickworks in the All Saints Ward and featured two main stands, the east stand which would later have a restaurant and the west stand with covered seating, the remainder of the stadium being uncovered terracing. The Milton Hall Brick Company Ltd had just opened the Star Lane Brickworks in the nearby village of Great Wakering allowing the sale of the older Brickworks located between the Redstock Road to the north, Maldon ... [...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] |
