Doncaster Greyhound Stadium

Doncaster Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in Stainforth, near Doncaster, England.[1]

Doncaster Stadium
The winning line at Doncaster Greyhound Stadium
LocationStation Road, Stainforth
Coordinates53°35′20.7″N 1°01′49.1″W
Opened1929 Speedway
1941 Greyhound Racing
Tenants
Greyhound racing (originally speedway)

It is sometimes referred to as Meadow Court Stadium and was previously known as Stainforth Stadium. It is not to be confused with the former Doncaster Greyhound Track that existed near the York Road.

The stadium has executive suites, a restaurant, a number of bars and fast food areas. Racing takes place every Monday and Wednesday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.

History

Pre-war History

Stainforth Stadium opened as a speedway dirt track in 1929 following extensive work on an area of marsh land west of Station Road that was turned from marsh to cinder. The track consisted of sand, three inches of concrete and then finished off with nine inches of cinder. The first speedway took place on Easter Monday 1930 [2] but despite a promising start the Stainforth speedway company went into liquidation in 1930.

In 1933 the Stainforth Amateur Athletic Club bought the stadium but the World War II brought the Athletics to a halt. However, in 1941 during the war a greyhound and whippet track was added, the first meeting was on Saturday 22 March 1941 and plans were drawn up for racing every Saturday at 5.30pm. Races were held over 300 yards and 465 yards and the track attempted to gain permission for a tote in 1945 without success.[3]

Post-War history

The track remained a flapping track (not licensed by the National Greyhound Racing Club) for thirty five years; boxing events and trotting was also seen at the stadium that was owned by Benjamin Lovatt at the time. Distances changed to 350 and 600 yards and meetings took place on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.[4] The stadium was reportedly sold in 1976 but plans to upgrade the track ended with the stadium closing in 1978 and the site remained derelict for a further thirteen years.

In 1992 businessman and greyhound enthusiast Chick Hicken and his partner June Hicken submitted plans for a new stadium to Doncaster council. The plans were passed during March 1993 a newly built track costing £1.5 million opened. The track wanted to become part of the National Greyhound Racing Club and brought in former English Greyhound Derby winning trainer Barbara Tompkins as General Manager; Racing Managers were Andrew Walker and Richard Bentley. A three tier grandstand was constructed with a restaurant, cocktail bar, public bar and other facilities all being available for the customers. Sometimes known as Meadow Court Stadium, the distances were over 275, 480, 661 and 709 metres on a track circumference of 430 metres.[5] The opening also resulted in an exodus of trainers from Craven Park, Hull in order to train at Stainforth.[6]

Tompkins retired in 2004 and the stadium re-branded from Stainforth Stadium to Doncaster Stadium in 2006. Former Belle Vue Stadium Racing Manager Stephen Gray and Richard Munton had spells as Racing Managers there from 2006-2008 and 2008-2010 respectively before former Wembley manager Mick Smith arrived. The track has grown in reputation and held the TV Trophy in 2008 & the Trainers Championship in 2010. The Yorkshire St Leger was inaugurated in 2004 and became the biggest event held at the track annually.[7]

In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with SIS to race every Monday and Wednesday evening, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.[8]

Competitions

Yorkshire St Leger

Track records

Current [9]

Distance
metres		 Greyhound Time Date Notes
275Pinpoint Mo16.5131.07.2017
450Droopys Country [10]27.1621.09.2016
480Farloe Verdict28.9413.07.2004
483King Eden28.8728.08.2017
661Frisby Figo41.0001.09.2004
661Black Pear41.0004.09.2004=equalled
705Gaba Gabba Hey44.4017.11.2009
868Flying Winner55.8224.06.2008
877Roxholme Magic55.6930.09.2015

Former

Distance
metres		 Greyhound Time Date Notes
278Slippery Jaydee16.4401.12.1994
278Fosse Way16.1728.03.1999
278Musical Chair16.8430.10.2001
278Glendon Jack16.6316.11.2004
450Pinpoint Dazl27.5030.09.2015
450Qatar Fortune27.4227.07.2016
450Coolavanny Rebel27.3117.08.2016
460Super Bridge27.4602.07.1994
480Silver Steel28.922002
480Ravenshill Lad29.2202.08.2003
480Rhincrew Santini29.0806.07.2004
480Rhincrew Santini28.9613.07.2004
480Farloe Joe28.9510.09.2004
483Farloe Joel29.5527.03.2005
483Cocks Hero29.5203.04.2005
483Distant Mist29.4601.05.2005
483Glen Abbey St29.3901.05.2005
483Jordans Spark29.2501.05.2005
483Yorkshire29.0729.07.2005
485Jubilee Rocco29.7324.06.1993
485Maireads Bob29.7120.09.1998
666Westwood Surprise40.9510.09.1993
709Almost On Fire43.8628.06.1998
709Soviet Valley44.6611.03.2003
709Gaynors Jet44.5507.03.2004
709Hesley Gale44.4210.09.2004
709Frisby Figo43.9301.05.2004
890Slow Fuse58.4323.03.2001
910Let Us Know58.4303.03.2002
910Ericas Equity58.0810.09.2004
925Souda Bay59.5609.02.1998

References
  1. "Track Search". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  2. "Stainforth Snippets". Stainforth Online.
  3. Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1946.
  4. Furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing. New Dominion House.
  5. Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook, page 254. Ringpress Books. ISBN 186054-010-4.
  6. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When) March edition". Greyhound Star. 2015.
  7. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 185. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  8. "SIS announces schedule for SIS British Greyhound Service for 2018". SIS.
  9. "Track records". Greyhound Data.
  10. "2016 track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.

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