Kings Heath Stadium

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Kings Heath Stadium
LocationKings Heath, Birmingham
Coordinates52°25′12″N 1°53′21″W / 52.42000°N 1.88917°W / 52.42000; -1.88917
Opened21 May 1927
Closed31 March 1971

Kings Heath Stadium was a greyhound racing track in Birmingham.

Origins and Opening[]

In 1927 the British Greyhound Sports Club (BGSC) acquired the lease of the newly constructed stadium on the south side of Taylor Road and which was accessed off the east side of Alcester Road South.[1] The land on which the stadium was constructed was formerly known as the Horse Show Ground.[2] The first race meeting was on 21 May 1927.[3] The company also owned four other tracks in 1927, Darnall Stadium in Sheffield, Knowle Stadium in Bristol, Boulevard Stadium in Hull and St Annes in Blackpool.[4] The new facilities included a main grandstand with a capacity of 3,000 and a concrete slope in front of the grandstand that could accommodate a further 2,000 people. The stadium capacity was estimated to be around 20,000 and the new build was overseen by Mr J. P. Hughes of the BGSC.[5]

History[]

Kings Heath Greyhound Stadium c.1960

Towards the end of 1927 greyhound racing was successful and a new company called the Associated Greyhound Racecourses Limited was formed and they purchased eight tracks including the five BGSC tracks and the Kings Heath lease.[6]

On 7 October 1935, an 18 year lease was acquired by Herbert Leo Craven (the Managing Director of the Long Eaton and Perry Barr stadiums at the time) and he introduced a major new event called the Lincoln.[7] The first running of the Lincoln was won by Slightly Polly trained by Arthur Doc Callanan. In 1949 the freehold was finally bought outright by the Kings Heath Racecourse Ltd. The track was described as a fair sized course with fairly easy turns and a good length run in despite the circuit having a small 390 yard circumference. The main distances were 480 and 675 yards and greyhounds chased an ‘Outside Sumner’ hare. On the Alcester Road South entrance there was the main stand featuring the Silver Club and Best Ring Club with matching betting rings. On the opposite side of the course were two covered stands, to the west was the popular betting ring and to the east were the racing kennels, isolation kennels and home kennels that included a rest room and surgery. Rest kennels were located at Cookhill in Worcestershire. Perspective owners had to pay kennel charges of one guinea per week and the greyhound would be accepted into the track kennels on the understanding that all greyhounds were subject to veterinary examination, National Greyhound Racing Club rules and company conditions.[8]

The first track trained success came in 1948 when King Hero trained by P.E Frost won the Cambridgeshire at West Ham Stadium. Another race called the Midland Oaks was introduced and trainers included Jim Todd, Bill Bryant, Alf Gibbins, Len Bane and Mr Allen.

Following the 1964 closure of the Lythalls Lane Stadium in Coventry, a major race the prestigious Eclipse Stakes was transferred to the track. Following the formation of the Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) in 1967 the track was chosen as one of the first four tracks to host live betting shop race meetings along with Oxford, Park Royal and Stamford Bridge.[9]

Closure[]

In 1971 developers bought the stadium from the Greyhound Racing Association who themselves had only purchased the stadium the previous year. The final race meeting was held on 31 March 1971.[10] The last race is won by Zansy Token.[11] The north part of the stadium is now Wynfield and Leander Gardens and the south part is where the Cocks Moors Woods golf course stands.

Competitions[]

The Lincoln[]

Year Winner Breeding Trainer Time SP
1936 Slightly Potty Bright Brindle – Burnbrite Arthur Doc Callanan (Wembley) 36.70 7-4f
1937 Hexham Bridge Rally Round – Dainty Duchess Bill Cowell (Southend) 28.64 3-1
1938 Demotic Mack Beef Cutlet – Kaiti Hill Charles Cross (Clapton) 28.72 7-4f
1939 Loyal Judy Erins Best – Disputed Biddy Bill Cowell (Wembley) 28.20 7-2
1952 Sound Sprig Astras Son – Nancys Sprig Tom Perry (Private) 27.10 6-4f
1953 Kettle Drum Smoky Cutlet – La Saqlle Street Dal Hawkesley (West Ham) 26.86 5-1
1954 Manganstown Major Sandown Champion – Good Night Kentucky Ron Chamberlain (Private) 26.77 4-5f
1955 Manganstown Major Sandown Champion – Good Night Kentucky Ron Chamberlain (Private) 26.60 7-2
1956 Suir Villa Champion Fedamore Victory – Slaney Rut Ron Chamberlain (Private) 27.18 6-4f
1957 Wish Me Luck Marsh Harrier - Chaser Ron Chamberlain (Private) 26.42 10-1
1958 Five Up Nine Up - Duplicate Ron Chamberlain (Private) 26.60 5-4f
1959 Wincot Clifford Fly Prince - Whoosh Jack Toseland (Perry Barr) 26.65 8-11f
1960 Welcome Home Hi There - Ophelia Bill Gigg (Private) 26.38 4-6f
1961 Welcome Home Hi There - Ophelia Vivien Pateman (Private) 26.51
1962 Poetic Licence Knockrour Again – Tanyard Tan Joe Booth (Private) 26.36
1963 Blackamoor Graceful Man – Bright and Merry Jimmy Jowett (Clapton) 27.21
1964 Old Berry Silent Silent Worship – Dromin Lass Fred Berrow (Private) 26.42 5-2
1965 Red Captain Uncommon Man – Gower Grand Ron Chamberlain (Private) 26.81
1966 Kiddie Kut Hi There – Carols Pride Tony Dennis (Private) 27.42
1967 Stately Boy Knockrour Again – Little Margo George Gooch (Preston) 27.26
1968 Nancy's Flash Prairie Flash – Biddy Mulligan Paddy McEvoy (Wimbledon) 26.46
1969 Lisamote Precept Hi Spark – Lisamote Queen Joe Kelly (Leeds) 26.73 4-7f
1970 Shady Shuffle Lucky Hi There – Patrician Lady Norman Oliver Brough Park 27.07 7-2

1936-1970 (480 yards), 1940-1951 (not held)

Track records[]

[12]

Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes
480 Ilsley Darkie[13] 27.70 12 October 1940
480 Special Intention 27.12 1950
480 Poetic License 26.36 14 April 1962
480 Nancys Flash 26.24 1967
495 Peace Sprite[14] 27.08 11 July 1964 Midland Oaks final
660 Konig Seiger[15] 37.08 17 July 1965
700 Inferior Cracker 39.94 25 May 1963
880 Joystick 50.86 8 April 1964
495 H Happy Reveller 27.91 25 August 1965 Eclipse Hurdles semi final
495 H Happy Reveller 27.79 28 August 1965 Eclipse Hurdles final

References[]

  1. ^ "OS County Series Warwickshire 1937". old-maps.co.uk.
  2. ^ "New Electric Hare Tracks". Westminster Gazette. 19 April 1927. Retrieved 3 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "White City Next". Daily Herald. 23 May 1927. Retrieved 3 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ Tarter, P Howard (1949). Greyhound Racing Encyclopedia. Fleet Publishing Company Ltd. pp. 58–59.
  5. ^ "Dog Racing". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 26 April 1927. Retrieved 3 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Prospectus". Western Daily Press. 15 December 1927. Retrieved 3 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Kings Heath acquired by H Leo Craven". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 24 September 1935. Retrieved 3 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ Tarter, P Howard (1949). Greyhound Racing Encyclopedia. Fleet Publishing Company Ltd. p. 62.
  9. ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. p. 45. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  10. ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. p. 418. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  11. ^ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1971) March edition". Greyhound Star.
  12. ^ Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound, pages 321-325. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
  13. ^ "Sport". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 8 January 1940. Retrieved 3 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1964) July edition". Greyhound Star. 2012.
  15. ^ "Konig Seiger napped". Birmingham Daily Post. 22 July 1965. Retrieved 3 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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