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The Grand Prix
The Grand Prix was a classic greyhound competition held at Walthamstow. It was first run in 1945 and in 1971 it was granted classic status. The race came to an end following the closure of Walthamstow in 2008. The race is not to be confused with the Arena Racing Company Grand Prix held at Sunderland. The competition was not run from 1952 until 1953 due to insufficient entries and again from 1964 to 1965. The event was cancelled in 1965 following the refusal by the National Greyhound Racing Club to allow a change is race distance. Venue and Distances *1945–1958 (Walthamstow 525 yards) *1960–1963 (Walthamstow 500 yards) *1966–1974 (Walthamstow 600 yards) *1976–2007 (Walthamstow 640 metres) Past winners Discontinued Sponsors *1994-1998 Laurent-Perrier Laurent-Perrier () is a Champagne house founded in 1812. It is the main company of the Laurent-Perrier Group, whose other flagship brands include the houses of Salon, De Castellane and Delamotte. Laurent-Perrier G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walthamstow Stadium
Walthamstow Stadium was a greyhound racing track in the London Borough of Waltham Forest in east London.BBC News - Walthamstow race track to close' It was regarded as the leading greyhound racing stadium in Britain following the closure of White City in 1984. The stadium closed on 16 August 2008. Greyhound racing Crooked Billet In the early part of the 20th century the Myrtle Grove sports ground was built and used by the Walthamstow Grange Football Club from 1908. By 1929 the ground hosted greyhound racing for the first time and was known as the Crooked Billet Greyhound and whippet track (named after the nearby Crooked Billet public house). The track was an independent track, unaffiliated to a governing body. In 1931, William Chandler, a bookmaker by trade, decided to build on the existing independent track. Chandler also had shares in the Hackney Wick Stadium. Opening It cost Chandler £24,000 to buy the site and the Art Deco parapet entrance was built in 1932 with the c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1954 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1954 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 29th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary Spanish Battleship secured a second consecutive Irish Greyhound Derby title becoming the first greyhound in history to do so. In addition to the Derby win, during the year he won the Tostal Cup at Harold's Cross Stadium and Easter Cup at Shelbourne Park before an injury curtailed his efforts in the Callanan Cup final. After his historic Derby win he would win the Tipperary Cup with two track record runs and a victory in the McCalmont Cup but would be a shock loser in the final of the McAlinden Cup for the second year running. Pauls Fun won the English Greyhound Derby for Leslie Reynolds securing a record fifth title for the trainer. The annual totalisator was £56,139,001. Competitions Prince Lawrence and Ardskeagh Ville claimed the pre-derby classics, the Grand National and Gold Collar respectively. Jack Harvey went on a significant thre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1971 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1971 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 45th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The annual National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) returns were released, with totalisator turnover at £56,188,971 and attendances recorded at 7,119,398 from 5808 meetings. Dolores Rocket was Greyhound of the Year after winning the English Greyhound Derby at White City and St Leger at Wembley. Her performances shone through during a difficult year that saw the closure of four tracks. The tracks were Kings Heath Stadium, which had only just recently been purchased by the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) under their GRA Property Trust, Charlton Stadium (also GRA), the City Stadium, Norwich and Houghton Stadium in Durham. Tracks Hendon was the first track to declare decimal dividends and Milton Keynes (known as Bletchley or the Groveway) switched from independent status to full NGRC status. Competitions Following the closure of Charlto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1970 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1970 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 44th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary Tote turnover deductions were changed, with tracks being allowed to charge anything up to 12.5% in deductions. The annual National Greyhound Racing Club returns were released, with totalisator turnover at £55,556,351 and attendances recorded at 7,365,653 from 5585 meetings. 1970 English Greyhound Derby finalist Moordyke Spot won the Oxfordshire Stakes, Playfield Cup, and ran undefeated through the Pall Mall Stakes, contributing to another winning streak of eight including the White City Championship. He was retired to stud in Galway at the end of the year and was named Greyhound of the Year. Tracks The Totalisator and Greyhound Holdings (T.G.H) were showing interest in buying stadia. They already held Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium, Elland Road Greyhound Stadium, Brough Park and Gosforth Greyhound Stadium and then purchased the Midl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1969 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1969 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 43rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) granted an option to Stock Conversion and Investment Ltd, for the purchase of greyhound racing's premier track White City Stadium for redevelopment. The official line was that a new modern White City stadium would be built in the remaining four acres from the existing 16 acres. However reporter Neil Martin stated "this move must spell death to all sport there in time – and in my opinion greyhound racing too". Fellow reporter John Bower had a different view, in that it would create a wonderful new stadium, a view seemingly given substance by the GRA, who announced that the architects plans were already drawn up. The GRA then announced that New Cross Stadium had been sold for development and it was closed in April. The GRA Property Trust was culling tracks at an alarming rate within the industry. They ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1968 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1968 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 42nd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary A greyhound called Yellow Printer arrived on the racing scene and was regarded as the fastest greyhound for many years. The fawn dog was voted Greyhound of the year and won the Irish Greyhound Derby, in addition to setting a new world record over 525 yards of 28.30 seconds at White City Greyhounds. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was presented with greyhound called Camira Flash, to become the sports most prominent greyhound owner. The fawn and white greyhound was given to him at a charity meeting at Harringay Stadium just over a month before the Derby started, with the condition that all prize money earned would go to the Duke Of Edinburgh Awards Scheme. The greyhound went on to win the 1968 English Greyhound Derby. Tracks The Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) closed the operation at Stamford Bridge on 1 August, which left a gap on t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1966 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1966 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 40th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The industry celebrated its 40th anniversary but the event was marred by the government extended betting tax to all greyhound tracks and attendances suffered because of the 1966 World Cup. Wembley however refused to cancel regular greyhound racing resulting in the World Cup match between Uruguay and France being played at White City Stadium. Dusty Trail is voted Greyhound of the Year after winning the Scottish Greyhound Derby, Select Stakes, International at Wimbledon and Anglo Irish International at White City, in addition to finishing runner-up in the Welsh Derby and reaching the Laurels final. Competitions The racing schedule suffered bad organisation, with the Welsh Greyhound Derby, Oaks and Scurry Gold Cup all clashing in July and the Scottish Greyhound Derby and St Leger clashing in September. The Regency at Brighton & Hove Greyh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1963 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1963 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 37th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The Greyhound Afternoon Service was established whereby tracks supplied afternoon racing for the larger bookmaking clients. However the track promoters made a request for a guaranteed payment for the off course rights from all bookmakers taking bets from their stadium. Negotiations would continually take place between the stadiums, the National Greyhound Racing Society (NGRS) and the bookmakers. The problems had been ongoing since the introduction of the Betting and Gaming Act 1960. Clapton Stadiums Ltd owners of Clapton Stadium, Slough and Reading scrapped evening starting times in an attempt to disrupt the betting in bookmaker's shops. Tracks racing during the afternoon had already implemented this procedure. A further development resulted in the tracks ending the annual £100,000 agreement with the off course bookmakers to provide forecas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White City Greyhounds
White City Greyhounds was the greyhound racing operation held at White City Stadium in London. The venue was regarded as the sport's primary track during its existence. History Origins After the 1908 Summer Olympics the White City area was used for further exhibitions, including the France-Britain Exhibition of 1908 and the Japan-Britain Exhibition of 1910, but the stadium began to be underused. By 1922 attempts had been made to sell it and it is reputed to have been in a very poor state by 1926. During the Februarys of 1926 and 1927 the stadium was used for the British Industries Fair before the public announcement that the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) had purchased the stadium following on from the success experienced by the company at the nation's first greyhound meetings in Manchester at Belle Vue Stadium. It would be the GRA's second stadium and the old running and cycle tracks were grassed over. A new restaurant was built and covered terracing was constructed. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1961 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1961 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 35th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The Betting and Gaming Act 1960 came into force on 1 January 1961. The effect was almost instantaneous with afternoon attendances collapsing. In an attempt to combat the decline, the National Greyhound Racing Society banned telephones at the track and did not allow results to be published before 9.00 pm. In addition they attempted delaying trap draws and enforced a copyright on the tote returns but the government legislation had effectively handed over the afternoon track trade to the bookmaker industry. Bizarrely the government handed horse racing a levy (a deduction from bookmaker's turnover that would be paid back to the racecourses), under the Betting Levy Act 1961. The levy was given because of the losses that horse racing would incur with daytime bookmakers shops opening. Greyhound racing was not given a levy which came as a furth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1960 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1960 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 34th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The National Greyhound Racing Club released the 1960 figures for their affiliated tracks, which showed that 14,243,808 paying customers attended 5,736 meetings. The totalisator turnover was £54,188,302 but government tote tax remained at 10% with track deductions remaining at 6%. Turnover and attendances remained stable but one piece of government legislation was about to have a dramatic impact on the industry. The Betting and Gaming Act 1960 was passed on 1 September 1960 and would come into effect four months later, on 1 January 1961. Tracks Staines Greyhound Stadium closed, forcing Jack Walsh to open a bookmakers shop in Egham, Surrey, Walsh had been part owner with William Hill of the 1938 English Greyhound Derby winner Lone Keel. Gerry Bailey and Jack Carter took over the lease at Rye House Stadium from the Lea Valley Regional Pa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1958 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year
The 1958 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 32nd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Roll of honour Summary The National Greyhound Racing Society (the management branch of the National Greyhound Racing Club agreed a deal with the BBC to provide an annual greyhound event which would be shown live on Sportsview. The race would be known as the Sportsview BBC Television Trophy with the venues to be changed each year. The first competition was at Wimbledon over 500 yards but it was soon discovered that the distance was too short for the viewers to remain interested, which resulted in a switch to longer distances the following year. The inaugural event was claimed by trainer Leslie Reynolds with a 20-1 shot called Town Prince. Pigalle Wonder was voted Greyhound of the Year, after a year that included winning the 1958 English Greyhound Derby at White City, Cesarewitch at West Ham Stadium and Pall Mall Stakes at Harringay Stadium. Competitions Pig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
