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Stamford Bridge Greyhounds

Coordinates: 51°28′54″N 0°11′28″W / 51.48167°N 0.19111°W / 51.48167; -0.19111
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Stamford Bridge Greyhounds
Map
LocationLondon
Coordinates51°28′54″N 0°11′28″W / 51.48167°N 0.19111°W / 51.48167; -0.19111
Opened31 July 1933
Closed1 August 1968

Stamford Bridge Greyhounds was the greyhound racing operation held at Stamford Bridge in London.

Origins

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During 1933, Stamford Bridge Ltd, a subsidiary of parent company Greyhound Racing Association (GRA), took over the athletics track belonging to the London Athletic Club and forced them to leave because they wished to construct a greyhound track around the football pitch.[1]

Opening

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The first night of racing was held on 31 July 1933 [2] The track circumference as was 434 yards and it was described as a fast, average sized course with short 80-yard straights and banked bends of wide radius. Railers showed a slight advantage and the greyhounds were supplied by the famous GRA Hook Estate and Kennels in Northaw. The hare system was an outside McKee Cable hare.[3][4]

History

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The Charlie Ashley trained Shove Halfpenny won the 1935 Pall Mall Stakes and Joe Harmon won the 1938 running of the same competition with Roeside Creamery.[5] Events at Stamford Bridge included the Chelsea Cup, won by Creamery Border in 1936, who set a then a new world record of 28.01 seconds for 500 yards. In addition to the Chelsea Cup the tracks premier event would be the Stamford Bridge Produce Stakes, which was inaugurated in 1936.[5] [6]

Albert Jonas trained Return Fare II to Berkeley Cup success and the same trainer trained Roving Youth to the 1940 English Greyhound Derby final.[7][8] In 1944 Stamford Bridge maintained its reputation for being an extremely fast track when Ballyhennessy Seal clocked 27.64 seconds for the 500 yards course, another world and national record.[5] [6]

In 1946, the Stamford Bridge totalisator turnover surpassed £5 million, to put this in perspective to football and Chelsea F.C. at the time, the British transfer record at the same time in 1946 was £14,500.[9]

Jonas continued to train big race winners winning the Springbok with Kids Delight in 1947. During the fifties Kenneth Obee was Racing Manager before switching to sister track Harringay replaced by F A Branscombe. Assistant Racing Managers at this time included Sidney Wood and Jeff Jeffcoate. The resident trainers in 1965 consisted of Hancox, Ivor Morse, Forster, Sid Mann, Dick Clark and Jim Singleton but the GRA forced former trainer Albert Jonas and Dick Clark to leave the Northaw kennels.[5] [6]

With the formation of the Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) in 1967 the National Greyhound Racing Society named Stamford Bridge as one of the tracks to host the service. This meant racing was changed to Thursday afternoons at 2.30pm, with just one evening meeting remaining on Saturday at 6.15pm.[5] [6]

Closure

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On 1 August 1968, the GRA closed Stamford Bridge to greyhound racing, quoting the fact that Stamford Bridge was forced to race on the same days as the White City.[5] [6] [10]

Competitions

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Stamford Bridge Produce Stakes

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Year Winner Breeding Trainer Time SP
1936 Bellas Jim Maidens Boy – Walthams Bella Stanley Biss (West Ham) 28.56 7-2
1937 Junior Classic Beef Cutlet – Lady Eleanor Joe Harmon (Wimbledon) 28.00 1-3f
1946 Trev's Harlequin Rock Callan – Wotta Gem Fred Trevillion (Private) 28.30 7-1
1947 Trev's Idol Trev's Despatch – G R Bexhill Fred Trevillion (Private) 28.60 7-2
1948 Kids Shop Paddy Fortune (Wimbledon) 28.09 100-7
1949 Denver Agent Stanley Biss (Clapton) 28.57 20-1
1950 Hunsdon Stoat Tom Smith (Clapton) 28.52 20-1
1951 Moreton Ann Grand Hussar – Moreton Lily Jack Harvey (Wembley) 28.25 10-11f
1952 Kensington Perfection Black Invasion – Lambourn Firefly Bill Higgins (Oxford) 28.28 11-4
1953 Prince Lionel Tom Lightfoot (White City) 28.04 1-1f
1954 Ramsey Clipper Slaney Record – Sally Gap Paddy McEvoy (Private) 28.05 8-13f
1955 Marazion Millpool Dangerous Prince – Marazion Minnie Joe Pickering (New Cross) 28.31 100-7
1956 Highwood Spot Westbourne – Pretty Miss Amber Tom Smith (Clapton) 27.78 4-7f
1957 Tams Tamarisk Imperial Dancer – Wonderful Jimmy Jowett (Clapton) 28.08 100-8
1958 Tams Torness Prince Chancer – Tams Trasna Jimmy Jowett (Clapton) 27.87 2-5f
1959 Kensington Pioneer Kensington Prince – Ann Dell Marjorie Phipps (Oxford) 27.64 15-8
1960 Luxury Liner Northern King – Brazen Hussy Gunner Smith (Brighton) 27.86 4-6f
1961 Beaverwood Flash Churchtown Ben – Stans Daughter Frank Sanderson (Private) 27.73
1962 Tripaway Low Pressure – High Flight Vivien Pateman (Private) 27.83
1963 Hebes Ambassador Rialto Crown – Dream Car Joe Pickering (White City) 28.02
1964 Marvellous City Ballymac Sailor - Alone Frank Conlon (Private) 27.94 3-1
1965 Caledonian Jet Prairie Flash – Caledonian Opal George Carrigill (Private) 27.86

Other

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  • Winter Stayers Trophy
  • Chelsea Cup
  • May Stakes

Track records

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Distance (yards) Greyhound Time Date Notes
500 Creamery Border 28.01 1936+ World & National Record
500 Ballyhennessy Seal 27.64 20 May 1944 World & National Record
500 Mighty Hassan 27.24 04 July 1959
500 Oregon Prince 27.15 27 July 1961
700 Kampion Sailor 39.96 09 May 1946
700 Dunmore Rocco 39.25 16 May 1959
700 Ballymurn Prince 39.08 11 August 1962
880 Maddalena 51.05 05 November 1959
880 Strolling Girl 50.28 15 September 1960
934 Magic Brooklyn 54.21 30 May 1959
934 Hard Pressed Again 53.81 11 August 1962
500 hurdles Bealtaine 28.27 15 September 1938 National Record
500 hurdles Bus Stop 28.18 30 May 1959
500 hurdles Crimson Wave 28.13 27 August 1964
700 hurdles Speedway Rebel 41.30 29 June 1939 National Record
700 hurdles Olly's Playboy 40.46 13 June 1959
700 hurdles All Alone 40.42 11 June 1960
500 Chase Change That 28.44 13 June 1961

Tote Returns

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+closed during the year

References

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  1. ^ Culpepper Clarke, Carlo F (1934). Greyhound and Greyhound Racing. Methuen & Co Ltd (London). p. 136.
  2. ^ "Stamford Bridge - To-Night, 31 July". Daily Herald. 1933.
  3. ^ Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
  4. ^ Tarter, P Howard (1949). Greyhound Racing Encyclopedia. Fleet Publishing Company Ltd. p. 78.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  6. ^ a b c d e Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
  7. ^ Dack, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
  8. ^ "1940". Greyhound Data.
  9. ^ Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1946.
  10. ^ "Stamford Bridge Greyhound Stadium". Greyhound Derby.com.