Towcester Greyhound Stadium
![]() View of Towcester Greyhound Track from the main grandstand | |
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Location | Towcester Racecourse, Watling Street, Towcester, Northamptonshire |
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Coordinates | 52°07′25″N 0°58′12″W / 52.1237°N 0.9701°WCoordinates: 52°07′25″N 0°58′12″W / 52.1237°N 0.9701°W |
Field size | 420 metres (1,380 ft) |
Surface | Sand |
Opened | 6 December 2014 re-opened 22 May 2020 |
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[]
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[]
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[]
- Trainer Kevin Hutton won the prestigious Trainers Championship in March 2015. [4]
- Hutton twice retained the title in 2016 and 2017, joining a select group of trainers to win more than one title. [5]
- The track was crowned the BAGS National Champions at Perry Barr Stadium in December 2015 (team manager - Andy Lisemore). [6]
- Retained the BAGS National Championship in December 2016 (team manager - Simon Pearson).[7]
- Awarded the Greyhound Derby after the closure of Wimbledon Stadium.[8]
- Awarded the Puppy Derby in 2017 following the closure of Wimbledon Stadium.[9]
- Kevin Hutton won the 2018 English Greyhound Derby
- In 2018 the track gained another original classic race, the Oaks, from the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA).[10]
- In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with ARC to race every Saturday morning and Sunday evening.[11]
- In 2021, Thorn Falcon won the Derby for Belgian born Patrick Janssens[12]
2018 administration[]
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[]
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[]
- The English Greyhound Derby
- Champion Hurdle
- The English Greyhound Derby Invitation
- The Puppy Derby
- The Oaks
- Juvenile
Track records[]
(new track 2020 onwards)[]
Metres | Greyhound | Time (sec) | Date | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
270 | Havana Class[22] | 15.45 | 10 July 2021 | |
500 | Bockos Belly[23] | 29.03 | 11 June 2021 | 2021 English Greyhound Derby 2nd round |
712 | Salacres Pippy[24] | 42.90 | 14 November 2021 | Hunt Cup final |
942 | Aayamza Royale[25] | 58.15 | 15 August 2021 |
Former (2020 onwards)[]
Extended content
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(2014-2018)[]
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References[]
- ^ "Track Search". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "Towcester opens greyhound track in £15m redevelopment". BBC Sport.
- ^ "Results". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "Chelsea Glass GTA Trainers' Championship - Sittingbourne". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "Hutton again". Greyhound Star.
- ^ "Towcester are the champions". Greyhound Star.
- ^ "Latest News". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "Towcester set for green light to stage Greyhound Derby". Racing Post.
- ^ "2017 ECC TIMBER PUPPY DERBY". Towcester Stadium.
- ^ "Towcester gets the Oaks, Leger Stays at the Barr". Greyhound Star.
- ^ "Arc Schedule Released". Greyhound Star.
- ^ "Star Sports/TRC Events & Leisure English Greyhound Derby 2021 Final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ Barber, Bill (23 August 2018). "BHA to decide fate of Towcester fixtures as 134 staff are made redundant". Racing Post.
- ^ a b "Towcester racecourse assets sold to company linked to Hesketh family". Racing Post.
- ^ "SALE OF TOWCESTER – PRESS RELEASE FROM ADMINISTRATORS". Greyhound Star.
- ^ "Fermor Land LLP". Endole.
- ^ "BOOTHBY SIGNS 10 YEAR DEAL TO RE-OPEN TOWCESTER". Greyhound Star. 20 October 2019.
- ^ "Towcester decision on Friday". Greyhound Star.
- ^ "Yes– it's really back!". Greyhound Star.
- ^ "20:54 Towcester 20 Apr 2021". At The Races. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ "TOWCESTER UNVEIL THEIR NINE CAT 1S". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ "The RPGTV Watling Street Sprint Final". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ "Star Sports/TRC Events & Leisure English Greyhound Derby 2021 2nd Round Ht5". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ "THE STADIUM BOOKMAKERS HUNT CUP - FINAL". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ "The Stadium Bookmakers Marathon Trophy - Heat 2". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ "Towcester D1". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ "TRC HEALTH & HYGIENE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE SPRINT (HEAT 2)". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Towcester Racecourse Sprint". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ "JET DERBY DISTANCE CLOCK". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Towcester Racecourse Maiden". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Towcester S1 712m". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Gain Greyhound Nutrition Challenge Cup - Heat 2". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ "Gain Greyhound Nutrition Challenge Cup - Heat 3". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ "260m track record". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "480m track record". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "Star Sports English Greyhound Derby 2nd round". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "655 track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "Star Sports Derby Stayers heat 1". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "906 track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- ^ "Star Sports Champion Hurdle heat 2". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
- Sports venues in Northamptonshire
- 2014 establishments in England
- Sports venues completed in 2014
- Greyhound racing venues in the United Kingdom