Doncaster Greyhound Stadium

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Doncaster Stadium
The winning post at Doncaster Greyhound Stadium.jpg
The winning line at Doncaster Greyhound Stadium in 2018
Doncaster Greyhound Stadium
Former namesStainforth Stadium
LocationStation Road, Stainforth
Coordinates 53°35′20.7″N1°01′49.1″W / 53.589083°N 1.030306°W / 53.589083; -1.030306
Opened1929 Speedway
1941 Greyhound Racing
Website
Official website

Doncaster Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in Stainforth, near Doncaster, England. [1]

Contents

It is sometimes referred to as Meadow Court Stadium and was previously known as Stainforth Stadium. It is not to be confused with the former Doncaster Greyhound Track that existed near the York Road.

The stadium has executive suites, a restaurant, a number of bars and fast food areas. Racing takes place every Monday and Wednesday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.

History

Pre-war History

Stainforth Stadium opened as a speedway dirt track in 1929 following extensive work on an area of marsh land west of Station Road that was turned from marsh to cinder. The track consisted of sand, three inches of concrete and then finished off with nine inches of cinder. The first speedway took place on Easter Monday 1930 [2] but despite a promising start the Stainforth speedway company went into liquidation in 1930.

In 1933 the Stainforth Amateur Athletic Club bought the stadium but the World War II brought the Athletics to a halt. However, in 1941 during the war a greyhound and whippet track was added, the first meeting was on Saturday 22 March 1941 and plans were drawn up for racing every Saturday at 5.30pm. Races were held over 300 yards and 465 yards and the track attempted to gain permission for a tote in 1945 without success. [3]

Post-War history

Stainforth Greyhound Stadium c.1992 Stainforth Greyhound Stadium c.1992.png
Stainforth Greyhound Stadium c.1992

The track remained a flapping track (not licensed by the National Greyhound Racing Club) for thirty five years; boxing events and trotting was also seen at the stadium that was owned by Benjamin Lovatt at the time. Distances changed to 350 and 600 yards and meetings took place on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. [4] The stadium was reportedly sold in 1976 but plans to upgrade the track ended with the stadium closing in 1978 and the site remained derelict for a further thirteen years.

In 1992 businessman and greyhound enthusiast Chick Hicken and his partner June Hicken submitted plans for a new stadium to Doncaster council. The plans were passed during March 1993 a newly built track costing £1.5 million opened. The track wanted to become part of the National Greyhound Racing Club and brought in former English Greyhound Derby winning trainer Barbara Tompkins as General Manager; Racing Managers were Andrew Walker and Richard Bentley. A three tier grandstand was constructed with a restaurant, cocktail bar, public bar and other facilities all being available for the customers. Sometimes known as Meadow Court Stadium, the distances were over 275, 480, 661 and 709 metres on a track circumference of 430 metres. [5] The opening also resulted in an exodus of trainers from Craven Park, Hull in order to train at Stainforth. [6]

Tompkins retired in 2004 and the stadium re-branded from Stainforth Stadium to Doncaster Stadium in 2006. Former Belle Vue Stadium Racing Manager Stephen Gray and Richard Munton had spells as Racing Managers there from 2006-2008 and 2008-2010 respectively before former Wembley manager Mick Smith arrived. The track has grown in reputation and held the TV Trophy in 2008 & the Trainers Championship in 2010. The Yorkshire St Leger was inaugurated in 2004 and became the biggest event held at the track annually. [7]

In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with SIS to race every Monday and Wednesday evening, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. [8]

Competitions

Yorkshire St Leger

Track records

[9]

Current

MetresGreyhoundTimeDateNotes
275Pinpoint Mo [10] 16.5131 July 2017
450Droopys Country [11] 27.1621 September 2016
483King Eden [12] 28.8728 August 2017
661Frisby Figo [13] 41.001 September 2004
661Black Pear [13] 41.004 September 2004=equalled
868Flying Winner [13] 55.8224 June 2008
877Roxholme Magic [14] 55.6930 September 2015

Former

Extended content
MetresGreyhoundTimeDateNotes
278Slippery Jaydee16.441 December 1994
278Fosse Way16.1728 March 1999
278Musical Chair16.8430 October 2001
278Glendon Jack16.6316 November 2004
450Pinpoint Dazl27.5030 September 2015
450Qatar Fortune27.4227 July 2016
450Coolavanny Rebel27.3117 August 2016
460Super Bridge27.462 July 1994
480Silver Steel28.922002
480Ravenshill Lad29.222 August 2003
480Rhincrew Santini29.086 July 2004
480Rhincrew Santini28.9613 July 2004
480Farloe Joe28.9510 September 2004
480Farloe Verdict [13] 28.9413 July 2004
483Farloe Joel29.5527 March 2005
483Cocks Hero29.523 April 2005
483Distant Mist29.461 May 2005
483Glen Abbey St29.391 May 2005
483Jordans Spark29.251 May 2005
483Yorkshire29.0729 July 2005
485Jubilee Rocco29.7324 June 1993
485Maireads Bob29.7120 September 1998
666Westwood Surprise40.9510 September 1993
705Gaba Gabba Hey [13] 44.4017 November 2009
709Almost On Fire43.8628 June 1998
709Soviet Valley44.6611 March 2003
709Gaynors Jet44.557 March 2004
709Hesley Gale44.4210 September 2004
709Frisby Figo43.931 May 2004
890Slow Fuse58.4323 March 2001
910Let Us Know58.433 March 2002
910Ericas Equity58.0810 September 2004
925Souda Bay59.569 February 1998

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References

  1. ↑ "Track Search". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  2. ↑ "Stainforth Snippets". Stainforth Online.
  3. ↑ Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1946.
  4. ↑ Furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing. New Dominion House.
  5. ↑ Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook, page 254. Ringpress Books. ISBN   186054-010-4.
  6. ↑ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When) March edition". Greyhound Star. 2015.
  7. ↑ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 185. Raceform. ISBN   978-1-905153-53-4.
  8. ↑ "SIS announces schedule for SIS British Greyhound Service for 2018". SIS.
  9. ↑ "British Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "RPGTV SPRINT". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "2016 track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  12. ↑ "RPGTV STANDARD DUPLICATED". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Track records". Greyhound Data.
  14. ↑ "ANDREW WALKER BOOKMAKERS MARATHON". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.

53°35′21″N1°01′49″W / 53.58907°N 1.03025°W / 53.58907; -1.03025

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