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Towcester Greyhound Stadium

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Coordinates: 52°07′25″N 0°58′12″W / 52.1237°N 0.9701°W / 52.1237; -0.9701
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Towcester Greyhound Stadium
View of Towcester Greyhound Track from the main grandstand
Map
LocationTowcester Racecourse,
Watling Street,
Towcester,
Northamptonshire
Coordinates52°07′25″N 0°58′12″W / 52.1237°N 0.9701°W / 52.1237; -0.9701
Field size420 metres (1,380 ft)
SurfaceSand
Opened6 December 2014
re-opened
22 May 2020
Website
Official website

Towcester Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located within Towcester Racecourse at Towcester in Northamptonshire, England.[1] It has been the home of the English Greyhound Derby since 2021, having previously hosted the event from 2017 to 2018.

Opening

[edit]

Towcester opened on 6 December 2014 becoming the first track in Britain to open since the 1995 openings of Harlow and Sittingbourne. The idea of a track inside the horse racing course was created by Lord Hesketh the racecourse owner and Chief Executive Kevin Ackerman. Former Walthamstow Racing Manager Chris Page, Deputy Racing Manager Andy Lisemore and Steve Cale were recruited to run the operation. [2]

Construction

[edit]

At a cost of £1.5 million the 420 metres circumference circuit was created by laying down 60,000 tonnes of soil so that the greyhound racing surface met the horse racing home straight at a level setting, resulting in a six-metre rise. The bends are very wide which assists the occasional eight dog race. The kennels were constructed inside unused horse stables and new trainers included five times champion trainer Mark Wallis, 2011 champion trainer Chris Allsopp, Kevin Hutton and Matt Dartnall. The distances are 260, 480, 500, 655, 686 and 906 metres and the first race was won by 4-1 shot Fairest Royal trained by Wallis. [3] A big screen situated on the home straight was a new feature to greyhound tracks.

Achievements

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2018 administration

[edit]

In August 2018 the future of Towcester racecourse was put in doubt. A statement released by the racecourse on 16 August read: "Towcester Racecourse Company Limited, proprietors of Towcester Racecourse, are currently experiencing trading difficulties and are in discussions with key stakeholders and professional advisers on the way forward. However, the directors have concluded that they have no alternative in the short term but to seek court protection and are now taking steps to place the company into administration. As a result, the last greyhound meeting was on 12 August.

On 23 August KPMG were appointed as administrators and 134 out of 137 members of staff at the racecourse were made redundant.[13] Eight trainers joined Henlow, including Mark Wallis and Nick Savva while Kevin Hutton joined Monmore.

On 13 November it was announced by the administrators that the racecourse's assets were being sold to a company called Fermor Land LLP.[14] [15] This company was formed on 18 October (26 days before the sale) and is headed by Lord Hesketh's brother-in-law Mark Westropp, a trustee of the Hesketh Family trusts.[14] [16]

Re-opening

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In October 2019 Kevin Boothby, promoter of Henlow Stadium, signed a deal for a 10-year lease at Towcester, with the intention that greyhound racing would re-start in March 2020.[17] The stadium's re-opening was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic before eventually opening on 22 May 2020.[18][19] Several major competitions returned to the track including the English Greyhound Derby, Puppy Derby and Juvenile.[20][21]

Competitions

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Track records

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(new track 2020 onwards)

[edit]
Metres Greyhound Time (sec) Date Notes
270 Aero Sacundai[22] 15.35 29 June 2024
500 King Memphis[23] 28.58 24 May 2024 Derby heats
500 De Lahdedah[24] =28.58 29 June 2024 Derby first round
712 Havana Lover[25] 42.76 16 October 2022 Hunt Cup semi final
942 Aayamza Royale[26] 58.15 15 August 2021

Former (2020 onwards)

[edit]
Extended content
Metres Greyhound Time (sec) Date Notes
270 Bentley Crew[27] 15.61 29 June 2021
270 Bockos Jon Jo[28] 15.64 30 March 2021 Northamptonshire Sprint
270 Shrewd Call[29] 15.64 18 May 2021
270 Havana Class[30] 15.45 10 July 2021
270 Flashing Willow[31] 15.42 11 June 2022
500 Priceless Jet[32] 29.11 11 May 2021
500 Warzone Tom[33] 29.08 18 May 2021
500 Bockos Belly[34] 29.03 11 June 2021 2021 English Greyhound Derby 2nd round
500 Lautaro[35] 28.84 19 May 2022 2022 English Greyhound Derby 1st round
500 Priceless Jet[31] 28.78 11 June 2022 2022 English Greyhound Derby quarter final
500 Swords Rex[36] 28.76 7 May 2023 2023 English Greyhound Derby trial stake
500 Clona Duke[37] 28.73 26 May 2023 English Greyhound Derby 1st Round
500 Clona Duke 28.69 24 June 2023 English Greyhound Derby semi final
500 King Memphis[38] 28.66 19 November 2023 Puppy Derby semi final
500 Romeo Command[39] 28.64 31 December 2023
712 Blue Mischief[40] 43.47 30 March 2021
712 Night Time Danny[41] 43.20 30 March 2021
712 Kishlawn Shakira[42] 43.00 2 July 2021
712 Salacres Pippy[43] 42.90 14 November 2021 Hunt Cup final
712 Bockos Brandy[44] 42.80 24 April 2022

(2014-2018)

[edit]
Extended content
Metres Greyhound Time Date Notes
260 Razldazl Banjo 15.63 6 December 2014
260 Opus Star 15.54 13 December 2014
260 Mays Teejay 15.47 20 December 2014
260 Club Notes 15.46 27 December 2014
260 Leaveittome 15.30 3 January 2015
260 Mays Teejay 15.07 22 January 2015
260 Cloudbursting [45] 15.00 1 February 2015
480 Fairest Royal 28.55 6 December 2014
480 King Dec 28.46 6 December 2014
480 Killglen Chief 28.44 6 December 2014
480 Priests Place 28.41 12 December 2014
480 Ballymac Brogan 28.30 13 December 2014
480 King Dec 28.20 13 December 2014
480 Ballymac Mossjoe 28.09 22 January 2015
480 Blue Moment 27.91 22 January 2015
480 Domino Storm 27.84 2 January 2015
480 Forest Twilight 27.72 15 August 2015 Lowther Stakes heats
480 Forest Twilight [46] 27.59 22 August 2015 Lowther Stakes final
500 Tyrur Shay [47] 28.72 9 June 2017 2017 English Greyhound Derby 2nd round
655 Billys Bullet 39.69 6 December 2014
655 Holdem Hawk 39.42 13 December 2014
655 Billys Bullet [48] 38.90 8 February 2015
686 Touch Tackle 41.91 6 December 2014
686 Vanrooney 41.55 13 December 2014
686 Black Francis 41.45 22 January 2015
686 Vanrooney 40.97 8 February 2015
686 Rubys Rascal [49] 40.89 24 June 2017 Derby Stayers heat
906 Supreme Rossie 57.09 6 December 2014
906 Supreme Rossie 56.75 6 December 2014
906 Ribble Atom 55.46 25 July 2015 TV Trophy Trial Stakes
906 Ballymac Bonnie 55.29 8 August 2015 TV Trophy heats
906 Droopys Cottage [50] 55.17 8 August 2015 TV Trophy heats
480 H Razldazlnewstalk 28.41 18 August 2015
480 H Ballymac Manix [51] 28.38 24 June 2017 Champion Hurdle heats

References

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  1. ^ "Track Search". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  2. ^ "Towcester opens greyhound track in £15m redevelopment". BBC Sport. 9 December 2014.
  3. ^ "Results". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  4. ^ "Chelsea Glass GTA Trainers' Championship - Sittingbourne". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  5. ^ "Hutton again". Greyhound Star. 15 February 2016.
  6. ^ "Towcester are the champions". Greyhound Star. 15 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Latest News". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  8. ^ "Towcester set for green light to stage Greyhound Derby". Racing Post.
  9. ^ "2017 ECC TIMBER PUPPY DERBY". Towcester Stadium.
  10. ^ "Towcester gets the Oaks, Leger Stays at the Barr". Greyhound Star. 23 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Arc Schedule Released". Greyhound Star. 21 December 2017.
  12. ^ "Star Sports/TRC Events & Leisure English Greyhound Derby 2021 Final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  13. ^ Barber, Bill (23 August 2018). "BHA to decide fate of Towcester fixtures as 134 staff are made redundant". Racing Post.
  14. ^ a b "Towcester racecourse assets sold to company linked to Hesketh family". Racing Post.
  15. ^ "SALE OF TOWCESTER – PRESS RELEASE FROM ADMINISTRATORS". Greyhound Star. 13 November 2018.
  16. ^ "Fermor Land LLP". Endole.
  17. ^ "BOOTHBY SIGNS 10 YEAR DEAL TO RE-OPEN TOWCESTER". Greyhound Star. 20 October 2019.
  18. ^ "Towcester decision on Friday". Greyhound Star. 19 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Yes– it's really back!". Greyhound Star. 22 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Greyhound racing is back at Towcester". At The Races. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  21. ^ "TOWCESTER UNVEIL THEIR NINE CAT 1S". Greyhound Star. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  22. ^ "British performance of the week". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  23. ^ "The Star Sports & TRC English Greyhound Derby - Round 1 Heat 12". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  24. ^ "The Star Sports & TRC English Greyhound Derby Final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  25. ^ "STADIUM BOOKMAKERS HUNT CUP 1st SEMI-FINAL". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  26. ^ "The Stadium Bookmakers Marathon Trophy - Heat 2". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  27. ^ "Towcester D1". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  28. ^ "TRC HEALTH & HYGIENE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE SPRINT (HEAT 2)". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  29. ^ "Towcester Racecourse Sprint". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  30. ^ "The RPGTV Watling Street Sprint Final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  31. ^ a b "2022 Derby quarter finals". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  32. ^ "JET DERBY DISTANCE CLOCK". Greyhound Star. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  33. ^ "Towcester Racecourse Maiden". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  34. ^ "Star Sports/TRC Events & Leisure English Greyhound Derby 2021 2nd Round Ht5". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  35. ^ "The Star Sports & TRC English Greyhound Derby 2022, First Round, Heat 6". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  36. ^ "STAR SPORTS/TRC ENGLISH GREYHOUND DERBY TRIAL STAKE". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  37. ^ "THE STAR SPORTS & TRC ENGLISH GREYHOUND DERBY - First Round - Heat 12". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  38. ^ "Monday Round Up". Greyhound Star. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  39. ^ "Towcester Racecourse Standard - Div 1". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  40. ^ "Towcester S1 712m". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  41. ^ "Gain Greyhound Nutrition Challenge Cup - Heat 2". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  42. ^ "Gain Greyhound Nutrition Challenge Cup - Heat 3". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  43. ^ "THE STADIUM BOOKMAKERS HUNT CUP - FINAL". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  44. ^ "THE MATCHBOOK BETTING EXCHANGE MAIDEN STAYERS TROPHY". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  45. ^ "260m track record". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  46. ^ "480m track record". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  47. ^ "Star Sports English Greyhound Derby 2nd round". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  48. ^ "655 track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  49. ^ "Star Sports Derby Stayers heat 1". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  50. ^ "906 track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  51. ^ "Star Sports Champion Hurdle heat 2". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
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