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Greyhound racing to return to Oxford Stadium in September

Written By Saturday 13 August 2022 Add Comment Edit

Greyhound racing & motorcycle speedway venue in Oxfordshire, England

Oxford Stadium
Oxford Stadium 2000 executive suites and restaurant.png
Location Sandy Lane, Cowley, Oxfordshire, OX4 6LJ
Coordinates 51°43′35″N 1°12′1″Due west  /  51.72639°Northward one.20028°Due west  / 51.72639; -i.20028 Coordinates: 51°43′35″Due north i°12′1″Due west  /  51.72639°N 1.20028°Due west  / 51.72639; -1.20028
Possessor Risk Capital Partners
Operator Kevin Boothby
Surface Sand
Construction
Opened 31 March 1939
Renovated 1986
Expanded 2000

Oxford Stadium is a greyhound racing and speedway venue in Oxford, located in Sandy Lane, Cowley.[one]

Races were historically held every Tuesday, Th and Saturday evening with afternoon BAGS (Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service) racing on Friday and Dominicus. Race evenings also included Friday evenings at various times throughout the history of the stadium.[ii]

Stadium facilities [edit]

At that place was a 350-seater grandstand restaurant overlooking the runway, with three executive suites and large general public areas named afterwards some of Oxford's most successful greyhounds Sandwinder, Security Sam, Self Made and Perth Pat. Conference and business organisation facilities were also bachelor. There is a go-karting runway enclosed within the speedway rails, which is popular amid Oxfordshire residents.

Origins [edit]

The stadium was constructed in 1938 on the site of a 'flapping' (unregulated) track where owners could turn upward and run their greyhounds around an oval on the days selected for racing. The rear wheel of a jacked upward motor car was used to drive the lure around the track.[3] The location on Sandy Lane, in Cowley, Oxfordshire is a short walk from the famous Oxford motor factories built by Morris Motors.[iv]

The back straight was adjacent to the Great Western Railway Thame Co-operative line (now the BMW freight line). A principal grandstand edifice was erected and the stadium joined the regulatory governing torso of the National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC).[five] The owner of the land at the time was a Mr Johnson, and he agreed a 99-year lease with Mr Leslie Vernon Calcutt.

Speedway [edit]

Speedway was an integral part of the stadium and was run every twelvemonth from 1939 up to 2008. The team known as the Oxford Cheetahs won the Britain's premier competition five times. They were champions in 1964, 1985, 1986, 1989 and 2001.[half-dozen] Speedway returned to Oxford Stadium in 2022 with the Cheetahs competing in the SGB Title 2022.[7]

Speedway at Oxford Stadium

Speedway at Oxford in 1981

Greyhound racing [edit]

Opening [edit]

The countdown race night was on 31 March 1939 and the stadium was officially opened past Lord Denham with races over 310, 525 and 735 yards. The rails trainers were Beak Davies, Bill Higgins, Paddy Mullins and Mr Preston. The first race was won by Hunting Snipe, the 2-1 favourite.[8]

1940s [edit]

During World War II the rails closed and reopened on several occasions, but generally raced on Saturday afternoons. In 1941 Leslie Calcutt purchased Irish 1000 National winner 'The Gunner' for £400 and the Jack Young trained hurdler won 11 successive open races, cartoon in large crowds.[nine] In 1943 Nighttime Tiger won the Trafalgar Loving cup.[10]

In 1944 a fire destroyed the principal stand: information technology was reported that a paper had blown onto a heater. Too in 1944 Winnie of Berrow won the Eclipse Stakes.[11]

The track was described as a good size course with a good run-up to the first bend. The hare organization was an 'Within McWhirter track-less' and race distances were now 290, 455, 500 and 715 yards. There were kennel facilities on site for 132 greyhounds; fees were charged at one guinea per week, i.eastward. iii shillings per 24-hour interval. Civilities included the Oxford Stadium society five shilling enclosure, Oxford Stadium racing social club 2s 3d enclosure.[5]

In 1947 Calcutt was appointed as Director of Bristol Greyhound Racing Association Ltd and one year later Narrogar Ann won the Western Two-Year Old Produce Stakes.[12]

1950s [edit]

In the summer of 1952 Calcutt vicious sick and had to go to hospital for a major functioning. Whilst recuperating at Acland nursing habitation he suffered a relapse and died on 3 August anile just 49.[xiii] The Bristol Greyhound Racing Clan was soon to modify their name to Bristol Stadium Ltd and they took control of Oxford following the decease of Calcutt. Kensington Perfection won the 1952 British Breeders Produce Stakes Finals at Catford Stadium and Stamford Bridge and the 1953 Eastville Stadium Produce Stakes and Regency.[xiv]

Owner-trainers were allowed to race their greyhounds at the track; these included Paddy Sweeney, a respected veterinary surgeon. In 1957 Racing Manager John Hare introduced the 2 Year Quondam Produce Stakes. Beak Higgins (10) and Jack Young (ix) won the beginning nineteen Oxford trainer championship titles between them from 1939 to 1957. Higgins died in 1958 and was replaced by Joe Farrand for a second spell at Oxford.[3]

1960s [edit]

Pulsate Major Two recorded a fiftieth track win in 1961 and in 1964 the Oxfordshire Stakes was introduced. In 1967 Oxford was i of the first four tracks to exist awarded an inaugural BAGS (Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service) contract forth with Hackney, Kings Heath and Park Royal. The decade ended with new investment which saw a new supporters guild edifice constructed, it would be used for functions.[iii]

1970s [edit]

Perth Pat trained by Jim Morgan brought the first ever classic race success to Oxford following her win in the 1970 Oaks. In the aforementioned year Henry Kibble secured a tenth track trainers title. In 1974 a new 'Outside Sumner' hare system was introduced but the following twelvemonth Bristol Stadium Ltd agreed a deal worth £235,000 with the Oxford City Council housing committee.[15] A group formed SOS (Salvage Our Stadium) and a petition with 27,000 names was lodged with the council. Local MP Michael Heseltine called for a public meeting which gave SOS the chance to find a buyer. The stadium closed on 31 Dec 1975 until farther discover but reopened during March 1976 and eventually plant a heir-apparent in 1977 when Northern Sports purchased the track for £250,000. The threat of permanent closure had been prevented by David Hawkins the managing managing director of Northern Sports.[3]

1980s [edit]

The resident kennels were demolished in 1980 because the contract trainers were at present employed and one of the trainers called Jack Coker reached the final of the 1980 English Greyhound Derby with Immature Breeze. In 1981 Careless Dragon trained by Jim Morgan won the Trafalgar Cup one yr earlier Northern Sports announced plans to invest heavily into Oxford and sister runway Ramsgate Stadium. Mick Wheble arrived equally Racing Manager in 1984, Joe Farrand retired subsequently 45 years as a trainer and Arthur Hitch won the 1984 BBC TV Trophy with Weston Prelude.[16]

The investment promised came to fruition in 1986 when Northern Sports spent £ane.5 million on a new three tier grandstand restaurant and sports centre including squash courts, a snooker club, gymnasium, sauna and various other facilities. The stadium underwent considerable success with significant increases in attendances and totalisator turnover.[17] Charity events featured appearances from Desert Orchid, Bob Champion, Henry Cooper, Jenny Pitman and many others. The sports leading trainer Geoff De Mulder joined the track and the speedway squad became the leading team in the Britain with four times Earth Champion Hans Nielsen every bit their captain.[half-dozen]

In 1987 Sandwinder trained by Vicky Holloway became the rails champion and in 1988 the Pall Mall Stakes was switched from the closing Harringay Stadium to Oxford. The first running was won past Fearless Ace and the winning bays was presented by George Best. Every bit the 1980s ended Maurice Massey won a fifth trainers track championship.[eighteen]

1990s [edit]

The recent success had made Oxford ane of the leading provincial tracks in the Uk and the first e'er Derby success came in 1994 when Ringa Hustle trained by Tony Meek won the 1994 English Greyhound Derby.[nineteen] Kind of Magic won the 1993 Scurry Gold Cup for Litzi Miller who herself would win eight trainers titles.[20]

All the same, as the 90s progressed Northern Sports parent company Hawkins of Harrow were beginning to suffer from the recession that was affecting their other business interests in structure and garden centres and in 1995 Hawkins of Harrow called in the receivers and Oxford was made a going concern. The stadium attracted a list of potential buyers only it was Donald Joyce a former member of SOS who purchased the stadium in 1996 then sold it on for a considerable profit to the Greyhound Racing Clan (GRA) in 1999.[21]

2000-2012 [edit]

The GRA fabricated immediate changes with a new multimillion-pound extension completed during 2000. The former supporters club had been demolished making manner for an extension to the grandstand restaurant and improver of three big executive suites. In add-on there was a new racing surface and Swaffham hare system costing a further £130,000. The circumference of the track remained at 395 metres, with race distances of 250, 450, 595, 645 and 845 metres.[22] [23]

A classic race called the Cesarewitch switched to Oxford from Catford in 2001 and the major competitions were screened alive on SKY boob tube.[24] Angie Kibble won six trainers titles and traditional battle day meetings continued to draw in a chapters omnipresence from the local population. The stadium continued to be frequented by the famous which included Ant & Dec, Zara Phillips and Vinnie Jones.[25] [three]

Closure 2012-2020 [edit]

The closure of the stadium was sealed when GRA's parent company Wembley plc was broken apart and GRA were field of study to a takeover by Risk Capital letter Partners with development partner Galliard Homes in 2005 for £52.4m. Plans for 150 houses and 75 flats were mooted but the quango publicly stated they were in favour of keeping the site for leisure use. The racing connected for seven years until the GRA closed the stadium; the terminal greyhound meeting was held on 29 December 2012 in forepart of a chapters oversupply, with the last winner being Moorstown Mystiq, trained by Richard Baker. [26]

Reopening [edit]

The stadium is due to reopen in late 2021/early 2022, with speedway returning to the stadium in 2022.

Competitions [edit]

During the year there were five chief greyhound events held at Oxford upwards until the end of 2012, they were -

  • The prestigious Pall Mall Stakes (450 m)
  • The original classic race The Cesarewitch (645 yard)
  • The Trafalgar Cup for puppies (450 yard)
  • The Oxfordshire Stakes (Greyhounds) (450 grand)
  • The Oxfordshire Gold Loving cup (450 m)
  • The Two Twelvemonth Old Produce Stakes (450 k - discontinued in 1975).

Track records at closing [edit]

Metres Greyhound Time Engagement Trainer
250 Miss Lee 14.65 sec 24 March 2009 David Pruhs
450 Up For Sam 26.20 sec eleven February 2010 Ballad Weatherall
595 Bower Turbo 35.87 sec 25 March 2008 Richard Yeates
645 Primitive Style 38.98 sec 25 March 2008 David Pruhs
845 Tralee Crazy 52.16 sec 22 March 1998 Nick Savva
1040 Honeygar Belle 67.63 sec xiv November 1989 Peter Billingham
450 H Druids Mickey Joe 27.12 sec 5 Apr 2005 Seamus Cahill
645 H Bozy Blue Blaze 40.94 sec 6 Feb 2001 John Mullins

Track records pre-metric [edit]

+After the introduction of ray timing

Rail records post-metric [edit]

Track Dimensions [edit]

  • NE bend 108 metres
  • SE straight 81 metres
  • SW curve 109 metres
  • NW directly 81 metres
  • Total 379 metres

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Runway Search". Greyhound Board of Uk. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  2. ^ Betts, Bob (1988). Sporting Life Greyhound Almanac 1988. Queen Anne Printing. pp. 86–87. ISBN0-356-14355-four.
  3. ^ a b c d due east Baiden, Gary (2009). The History of Oxford Stadium. authorhouse. ISBN978-1-4490-2054-5.
  4. ^ "Os County Series Oxfordshire 1937-1939". old-maps.co.britain.
  5. ^ a b Tarter, P Howard (1949). Greyhound Racing Encyclopedia. Fleet Publishing Company Ltd.
  6. ^ a b Bamford/Shailes, Robert/Glynn (2007). The History of Oxford Speedway. Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN978-0-7524-4161-0.
  7. ^ "Oxford Cheetahs: Speedway side set for British Championship return in 2022". BBC Sport. Retrieved xi April 2022.
  8. ^ "Oxford Greyhound Stadium, Lord Denham Performs Opening Ceremony, Saturday i Apr". Oxford Mail. 1939.
  9. ^ "Big Hurdle issue at Eastville". Western Daily Press. 26 Feb 1942. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archives.
  10. ^ "Dark Tiger shock at Wembley". Daily Herald. viii Nov 1943. p. 4 – via British Paper Archives.
  11. ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN07207-1106-ane.
  12. ^ Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN0-7207-1804-Ten.
  13. ^ "Announcements". Banbury Advertiser. six Baronial 1952. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archives.
  14. ^ "Greyhound racing". Worthing Herald. 15 May 1953. p. 20 – via British Newspaper Archives.
  15. ^ "Bids and Deals". Birmingham Daily Postal service. ten February 1976. p. 21 – via British Paper Archives.
  16. ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. p. 157. ISBN0-948955-15-v.
  17. ^ Cremin, Jim (1987). Racing Post Greyhound Year. Racing Post. pp. 52–53. ISBN0-9512081-0-1.
  18. ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. p. 116. ISBN0-948955-xv-five.
  19. ^ The National Greyhound Racing Guild Greyhound Racing Yearbook, pages 104-108. Ringpress. 1995. ISBNane-86054-010-4.
  20. ^ "Scurry Loving cup 93 United kingdom". Greyhound Data. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Recall When)". Greyhound Star. 2012.
  22. ^ "Oxford Stadium" (PDF). Oxford City Quango. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  23. ^ "Oxford Stadium sold to GRA". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  24. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. ISBNone-904317-07-3.
  25. ^ "Annal - Monday, 12 September 2005". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  26. ^ "Oxford greyhound stadium stages last race coming together". BBC News. Retrieved i November 2020.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Stadium

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