Youghal Greyhound Stadium

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Youghal Greyhound Stadium
LocationClaycastle, Youghal, County Cork, Ireland
Coordinates 51°56'24.5"N 7°51'25.4"W
Operated by Greyhound Racing Ireland
Date opened1948
Race type greyhound racing
Official website

Youghal Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located south of Youghal, County Cork, Ireland. The stadium is a 20 minutes walk from the town centre. [1]

Contents

History

On 30 July 1948 a greyhound called Hackles Spring won the first ever race at Youghal. The seaside track on the Upper Strand was run by the Youghal Racing Company before rásaíocht con éireann took over in 1972. [2]

The circuit is 464 yards in circumference and the track originally raced on Tuesday and Friday nights. Finbarr Coleman was racing manager for thirty years, from 1972 until 2002. Main events have included the Blackwater Cup, Paddy Stakes and Aherne Memorial Cup. [3]

Brian Collins and Pat Leahy both had short stints as Racing Manager until 2006 when Kathleen Lennon (daughter of the well-known breeder and trainer Denny) took over and became Ireland’s first female Racing Manager. Lennon left in 2012 to take over at Kilcohan Park.

John McGrath was appointed as the Racing and Commercial Manager from 2012. [4]

In 2012 Greyhound Racing Ireland announced plans to spend over €100,000 to deliver improvements at the track. The improvements were completed in April 2014 and Tom Hayes, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine opened the newly built facility. The refurbishment including a new judges box, and cost €134,000 in the end. Hayes complimented Bertie Lupton and the board of directors for their efforts at Youghal. [5]

It was announced that Curraheen Park and Youghal Greyhound Stadium had helped raise more than €5m for charities, clubs and other good causes in 2015. [6]

In 2023, the stadium signed a contract agreement with S.I.S regarding the broadcasting rights for early evening fixtures (6.05pm) that were introduced. Consequently, criticism arose over the €763,000 in state funding that had been received from 2020 to 2023 and GRI statement the meetings were not conducive to attracting public attendance. [7] In December 2023, the stadium renewed the contract agreement (as part of the GRI) with S.I.S for 2024. [8]

Operations

Racing takes place every Monday and Friday evening and the facilities include a fast food outlet, a bar, totalisator betting and inside and outside viewing areas. [9]

Race distances are 325, 525 and 550 yards [10] and the track has several feature events in the Irish racing calendar. [11]

Track records

Current [12]

YardsGreyhoundTimeDateNotes
325Lemon Clover17.3411 October 1996
525Whitty Guinness [13] 28.5429 October 2010
550Whatsupjack29.9118 September 2009
700Tinas Girl38.7919 August 2003
790Shining Rumble44.7613 July 2004

Former [14] [15] [16]

YardsGreyhoundTimeDateNotes
325Wonderful Era17.8020 September 1968
325Spotlight Mark17.8021 September 1971
325Basking Shark17.7023 August 1974
325Lough Tan17.4815 August 1986
325Greenane Catcher17.467 September 1990
350Joyful Bob19.651953
500Tillie O'Lear28.901960
525Speedyman29.4528 June 1968
525Special Check29.0027 July 1976
525Glenpark Dancer28.9015 November 1985
525Gabirel Wonder28.8220 August 1991
525Gold Spitfire28.8022 August 1997
525Coolmona Dave28.669 May 2003
525Boherduff Light28.6610 October 2003
525Boherduff Light28.6125 June 2004
525Boherduff Light28.612 July 2004
550Pools Punter30.852 August 1968
550Clashing Breeze30.8019 August 1977
550Glorious Champ30.751978Paddy Stakes semi-final
550Glorious Champ30.751978Paddy Stakes Final
550Blanco Kerry30.6513 July 1978
550Killaclug Jet30.601979Paddy Stakes Final
550Lispopple Tiger30.2031 May 1985
550Borna Best29.949 May 1997
550Clover Hare29.9213 September 2002
700Baylough Proud40.352 September 1977
700Huberts Thacher40.3513 July 1978
700Man of Ice40.201980
700Blondie Brown39.6826 August 1983
700Barbery Glade39.6813 August 1989
700Gaytime Blonde39.3629 August 1997
700Toms Mixture39.0920 August 2002
790Rovigno45.7027 June 1969
790Whittle Off45.3018 July 1972
790Fen Tiger44.924 July 1986
990Wonderful Meudy59.182 August 1986
990Queenies Fire59.1415 June 1990
525 HSuper Fellow30.7017 July 1962

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References

  1. ↑ "Greyhound Track". Discover Ireland.
  2. ↑ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   07207-1106-1.
  3. ↑ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN   0-948955-15-5.
  4. ↑ "GRI announces Youghal Appointment". Youghal online.
  5. ↑ "Hayes opens refurbished stand at Youghal Greyhound Stadium". merrionstreet.ie.
  6. ↑ "Curraheen Park and Youghal Greyhound stadia helped raise more than €5m". Cork.ie. February 2016.
  7. ↑ Brennan, Cianan (17 July 2023). "Bailed-out Youghal Greyhound Track attracts just three fans to each meeting". Irish Examiner.
  8. ↑ "SIS GRA 2024 Agreement". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  9. ↑ "Youghal greyhound Stadium". Greyhound Racing Ireland.
  10. ↑ "Youghal". Greyhound Data.
  11. ↑ "Feature Events" (PDF). Greyhound Racing Ireland.
  12. ↑ "Irish Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  13. ↑ "The Friends of Youghal A2 Stakes Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland.
  14. ↑ "Track records". Greyhound Data.
  15. ↑ "Track records". Greyhound Star. 22 January 2018.
  16. ↑ "Newbridge Track records". Greyhound Star. 7 January 2019.

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