The Hunt Cup is a
greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around a track. There are two forms of greyhound racing, track racing (normally around an oval track) and coursing; the latter is now banned in most countries. Tra ...
competition held at
Oxford Stadium in England.
History
The race had its inaugural running during 1931 and was held at
Reading Stadium (Oxford Road)
Reading Stadium (Oxford Road) was a greyhound racing stadium and short lived speedway venue in Reading.
It is not to be confused with Reading Stadium in Bennet Road that opened one year after Oxford Road closed and is located further to the so ...
over 400 yards, initially advertised as a major sprint event.
In 1933, an event at
Blackpool Squires Gate Greyhound Stadium, also called the Hunt Cup was won by Beef Cutlet, who broke the world record for 500 yards straight in the semi-finals. However, the event was unrelated to this competition. From 1951 until 1957 the event was not held, but it was brought back in 1958 over 460 yards.
In 1974, the Oxford Road site was closed, and eventually the competition switched to the new
Reading Stadium on Bennet Road by permission of the
Greyhound Racing Association, who allowed Allied Presentations Ltd to re-introduce the event in 1978. However, once again the race ended because of yet another closure, when the stadium was sold by the council to developers during 2008.
After a 13-year absence, the event was brought back by promoter Kevin Boothby at Towcester Greyhound Stadium and Oxford Stadium.
Past winners (since 1936)
Venues & Distances
*1931–1950 (Reading Oxford Road, 400y)
*1958–1971 (Reading Oxford Road, 460y)
*1972–1973 (Reading Oxford Road, 500y)
*1978–1978 (Reading Bennett Road, 635m)
*1980–2007 (Reading Bennett Road, 660m)
*2021–2022 (Towcester, 712m)
*2023–present (Oxford, 650m)
Sponsors
*1971, 1980 (Stadium Bookmakers)
*1984–1989 (Hall's Oxford Brewery)
*1990–1992 (
Castlemaine XXXX
XXXX (pronounced four-ex) is a brand of Australian beer brewed in Milton, Brisbane by Queensland brewers Castlemaine Perkins (now a division of the Japanese-owned company Lion). It enjoys wide popularity in the state of Queensland, where it ...
)
*1993–1996 (Carlsberg Tetley)
*2021–2022 (Stadium Bookmakers)
*2023–2023 (
Bet365)
References
{{UK & Irish greyhound competitions
Greyhound racing competitions in the United Kingdom
Recurring sporting events established in 1932
Sport in Reading, Berkshire
Sport in Northamptonshire
Sport in Oxfordshire