Pelaw Grange

Last updated

Star Pelaw
Greyhound track at Pelaw Grange c.1980.png
The stadium circa.1980
Pelaw Grange
Former namesPelaw Grange Stadium
LocationDrum Road, Chester-le-Street DH3 2AF
Coordinates 54°52′37.6″N1°34′43.3″W / 54.877111°N 1.578694°W / 54.877111; -1.578694
OwnerStar Sports
Opened1944*
Tenants
Greyhound racing
Website
Official website

Pelaw Grange Stadium (known as Star Pelaw for sponsorship purposes) is a Greyhound Board of Great Britain regulated greyhound racing track located at North Lodge in the English county of Durham, between Chester-le-Street and Gateshead. [1] The stadium has a restaurant and a number of bars and is owned by Star Sports.

Contents

Racing takes place every Saturday evening.

Origins and opening

A greyhound track situated north of Chester-le-Street was constructed and named after Pelaw Grange a nearby country house and farm directly to the east. It was reportedly built in 1944* by a man called George Towers to the south of Drum Road and directly next to the railway with the back straight running parallel to the east side of the railway. It served the local population in the area with independent racing (unlicensed). The entire area was a hot bed of greyhound racing with links to the mining communities that lived in the county of Durham. It is also believed that there was a larger greyhound stadium just to the north in Birtley. [2]

The stadium was taken over by Joe and Joyce McKenna in January 1965, racing every Thursday and Saturday. The racing consisted of level and handicap races over distances of 241, 410 & 570 yards with an inside hare. The McKenna’s son Jeff eventually became the track promoter and he continued to offer independent racing taking the role of General and Racing Manager combined. Facilities improved over the years with the 360y circumference track becoming all-sand in the eighties. Competitions were introduced called the Newcastle Rose Bowl & Whitfield Oaks. There was computerised tote, car parking for 200 vehicles, three bars and two glass fronted stands. [3] [4]

Licensed racing

In 2005 Jeff McKenna and his wife Theresa changed over to race under rules after sixty years as an independent track. The application to the National Greyhound Racing Club was passed and the switchover took place on Monday 22 August with the first racing on the Thursday 25th 2005. [5]

The track installed Graeme Henigan as Racing Manager and there was also success from local trainers in National competitions including a National Sprint title for Clounlaheen trained by Mick Hurst. The track today runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday lunchtime with the current Racing Manager being David Gray. The track celebrated fifty years under the McKenna’s in August 2015 by hosting a Sky Sports television fixture for the first time featuring a meeting sponsored by Pin Point Recruitment. [6]

In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with ARC to race every Sunday evening. [7] In 2021, Jaguar Macie trained by Pelaw Grange attached Graham Rankin won the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby and the Northern Puppy Derby. [8] [9]

In 2024, it was announced that the stadium had changed ownership with Star Sports purchasing the site from Jeff McKenna. Star Sports (owned by Ben Keith) renamed the stadium Star Pelaw. [10]

In 2025, the stadium took delivery of Crayford's hurdles following it's demise and Pelaw would become the only track in the United Kingdom to hold hurdles races. [11]

The stadium in 2013 Pelaw Grange Greyhound Stadium - geograph.org.uk - 3568545.jpg
The stadium in 2013

Track records

Current

[12] [13]

MetresGreyhoundTime (sec)DateNotes
245Forest Vic [14] 14.3326 October 2014
435Blue Genisis [15] 25.1326 December 2007
590Katies Vixen [16] 35.6118 June 2017
780Calzaghe Lisa [17] 47.8811 August 2015

Former

Extended content
Distance
metres
GreyhoundTimeDateNotes
245Craan Fleece14.7824 March 2008
245Mill Pearl14.578 September 2008
245Lampard14.5128 May 2011
260Stouke Society15.524 February 2006
435Family Title25.4623 September 2006
435Maglass Legend25.3510 September 2007
590Travelyans Corn36.4824 March 2008
590Malden Flight36.0525 August 2008
590Malden Flight35.868 September 2008
590Droopys Freda35.7515 September 2008
605Zigzag Kit36.8426 December 2005
605Beren37.5126 December 2005
605Amolee Classic37.2824 July 2006
605Joyous Leader37.2028 August 2006
605Blue Tom Cat36.9830 October 2006
605Stretching Out36.9627 August 2007
605Droopys Freda36.8126 December 2007
780Schofield Bertie48.465 May 2008

References

  1. "Track Search". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  2. Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1946.
  3. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, pages 295-296. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-15-5.
  4. Furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing, page 21. New Dominion House.
  5. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008. page 196. Raceform. ISBN   978-1-905153-53-4.
  6. "Racing Events 2015" (PDF). pelawgrange.co.uk.
  7. "TRP Allocate Pelaw Schedule". Greyhound Star. 29 August 2018.
  8. "LADBROKES PUPPY DERBY FINAL". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  9. "Arena Racing Company Northern Puppy Derby". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  10. "New owners for Pelaw Grange dog track in Chester-le-Street". The Northern Echo. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  11. "Holloway calls on Central Park to re-introduce Hurdle Racing nearly six months since Crayford closure". Greyhound News UK. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  12. "Track records". Greyhound Data.
  13. "British Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  14. "14:11 Pelaw Grange OR 245m". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  15. "E. Lloyd Hartland Boxing Day Standard Div 1". Greyhound Data. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  16. "590 metres track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  17. "Total Recycling Services Marathon". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.

54°52′37″N1°34′44″W / 54.87708°N 1.57875°W / 54.87708; -1.57875