The Oaks is an original classic greyhound competition, held at

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, Engl ...

. It was run at

White City Stadium White City Stadium was a stadium located in White City, London, England. Built for the 1908 Summer Olympics, it hosted the finish of the first modern marathon and other sports like swimming, speedway, boxing, show jumping, athletics, stock car ...

from 1927 until 1958, and gained classic status in September 1939, becoming the seventh classic race but due to the

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

it was suspended until 1945. The race was held at

Harringay Stadium Harringay Stadium was a major greyhound racing and motorcycle speedway venue in Harringay, north London. It was built and opened in 1927 and closed in 1987. Construction Harringay Stadium was the third greyhound racing stadium to open in Br ...

from 1959 until 1987 and then to

Wimbledon Stadium Wimbledon Stadium, also known as Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium, was a greyhound racing track located in Wimbledon in southwest London, England. It also hosted stock car and other small circuit motor racing events, and until 2005 hosted motorc ...

in 1988 until 2012. In 2013 the

Greyhound Racing Association The Greyhound Racing Association was a UK-based private company founded in 1925 and existed until 2019. It was involved in the management of sports venues, notably greyhound racing stadia. The GRA was responsible for introducing Greyhound racing ...

(GRA) decided to move the event to sister track

Belle Vue Stadium Belle Vue Stadium was a greyhound racing track in Belle Vue, Manchester, England, where the first race around an oval track in Britain was held on 24 July 1926. It has also been used for motorcycle speedway, as the home ground of Elite League t ...

and just five years later, during 2018, it switched to Towcester following the decision by GRA to reduce their major race schedule. A sixth change of venue was necessary in 2018 following the sudden closure of

Towcester Towcester ( ) is an affluent market town in Northamptonshire, England. It currently lies in West Northamptonshire but was the former administrative headquarters of the South Northamptonshire district council. Towcester is one of the oldest ...

, leading owner John Turner stepped in to save the event with a late scheduling being organised in December at Swindon Stadium. In 2021, the race was switched from Swindon to Perry Barr due to the ongoing saga surrounding Swindon's redevelopment.

Venues & Distances

*1927 (White City, 500 y) *1928–1958 (White City, 525 y) *1959–1974 (Harringay, 525 y) *1975–1987 (Harringay, 475 m) *1988–2012 (Wimbledon, 480 m) *2013-2017 (Belle Vue, 470 m) *2018-2018 (Swindon, 480 m) *2019-2020 (Swindon, 476 m) *2021-2022 (Perry Barr, 480 m)

Past winners

References

{{UK & Irish greyhound competitions Greyhound racing competitions in the United Kingdom Sports competitions in Manchester Recurring sporting events established in 1927 Greyhound racing in London Sport in Northamptonshire Sport in Swindon

Venues & Distances

Past winners

Sponsors

References