White City Greyhounds

White City Greyhounds
Location London
Coordinates 51°30'48.6"N 0°13'38.5"W
Opened 1927
Closed 1984

White City Greyhounds was the greyhound racing operation held at White City Stadium in London.

Origins

After the 1908 Summer Olympics the White City area was used for further exhibitions but the stadium began to be underused. By 1922 attempts had been made to sell it and it is reputed to have been in a very poor state by 1926. During the February's of 1926 and 1927 the stadium was used for the British Industries Fair before the public announcement that the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) had purchased the stadium following on from the success experienced by the company at the nation's first greyhound meetings in Manchester at Belle Vue Stadium.[1][2]

It would be the GRA’s second stadium and the old running and cycle tracks were grassed over. A new restaurant was built and covered terracing was constructed. The Metropolitan Railway reopened their Wood Lane station in preparation for the race nights.[3]

Opening

The first greyhounds moved into the kennels on 20 May and the first private trial was planned for 30 May with racing starting on 1 June but delays ensued.[4][5] The first meeting finally took place on Monday 20 June 1927 with the first race won by a greyhound called Charlie Cranston. There was a capacity of 93,000 and club house accommodation for 1,000 people more than the original seating capacity in 1908.[6]

The track had a large 498 circumference with long straights of 120 yards described as good sweeping turns suitable for strong galloping type dogs. The hare system was an outside trolley type and the GRA’s finances were helped with the use of an automatic totalisator.[7][8]

1928-1939

The GRA moved its headquarters to White City from Belle Vue and early visitors included the Prince of Wales later King Edward VIII and Prince George, later King George VI.[9]

The English Greyhound Derby was inagurated in 1927 followed by the Champion Hurdle (renamed the Grand National) the following year. The Oaks (for bitches only) would complete a trio of classic races. The GRA purchased the Hook estate at Northaw some 13 miles from the centre of London. They saw it as the ideal place for GRA trainers to train greyhounds for White City and Harringay Stadium which was their third track to open, and later other London tracks. The 140 acres of park and grassland became famous within the industry.[10]

The Derby competition became the primary target for all greyhound connections. The first winner was Entry Badge who picked up 1,000, he was trained by local trainer Joe Harmon and had won a race on opening night. The following year all qualifying rounds would be held at White City which had not been the case in 1927.[11]

In 1929 Mick the Miller arrived for his first Derby from Ireland and captured the public’s imagination sending greyhound racing into most households in Britain and Ireland. His successful defence of the title one year later drew a 50,000 crowd and the controversial final of 1931 attracted 70,000.[11] Major Percy Brown was installed as Racing Manager (RM) in 1931 arriving from sister track Belle Vue and greyhounds that won the Derby over the following years found fame.

In 1936 the stadium introduced the Wood Lane Stakes and the 'White City', the former would remain an important race throughout the years but the latter was less known despite rewards that came second only to the Derby in terms of prize money. It was an invitation race for the sports top greyhounds but only lasted until the start of the war. In 1937 the Springbok and GRA Stakes was inaugurated for novice hurdlers and stayers respectively. Early track trainers included Leslie Reynolds, William Dixon, Arthur Jonas, Les Parry and Harry Buck.[10]

A record 92,000 people attended the 1939 English Greyhound Derby and the tote turnover set new records of £14,341 for a single race and £114,780 for a meeting. Using historic inflation (2015) this equates to £7 million for one meeting.[12][13]

1946-1950

White City was the first track to install a photo finish camera in 1945 and the sport remained a national pastime after the war with the annual tote turnover for White City in 1946 being £17,576,190 (2015 equivalent £661 million).[14]

In 1946 Bahs Choice went undefeated through the Wood Lane Stakes and on 6 June 1946 in a Derby trial, he recorded 28.99 sec to become the first dog in the world to break 29sec over 525 yards. Quare Times broke the track record twice during the 1946 event which led to Major Brown organising a match race between the pair at White City on August Bank Holiday Monday. Quare Times won the race setting a new world record for the 550 yards. Also in 1946 another new event was introduced called the Longcross Cup.[9]

White City was featured in numerous films including the 1950 movie The Blue Lamp and one year later Major Percy Brown had to select 48 greyhounds for the Derby from a record 140 entries.[9]

1950s

In December 1955 Spanish Battleship travelled to England for the first time for a special match race with Duet leader and Hi There at White City. Pigalle Wonder and Mile Bush Pride won the Derby during the 1950s and the Gimcrack (later called The Challenge) race was introduced in 1959 with the Oaks moving to sister track Harringay.[10]

1960s

In 1964 trainer Randolph Singleton was transferred to White City from Belle Vue and the GRA extended its board by adding Major Percy Brown, John Cearns (son of W.J Cearns) and Charles Chandler Jr. to the directors. Arthur Aldridge former RM of Powderhall Stadium and Belle Vue was brought in as the new White City RM. Camira Flash owned by the Duke of Edinburgh won the Derby for White City for only the third time.[15]

A story broke in 1969 that the GRA had granted an option to Stock Conversion and Investment Ltd to purchase greyhound racing’s premier track White City for redevelopment. The official line was that a new modern White City stadium would be built in the remaining four acres from the existing sixteen. A greyhound reporter called Neil Martin stated this move must spell death to all sport there in time – and in my opinion greyhound racing too Fellow reporter John Bower had a different view that it would create a wonderful new stadium, a view seemingly given substance by GRA announcing that the architects plans were already drawn up. The future of the stadium was unknown.[15][16]

1970s

Patricias Hope won his second Derby and Sherrys Prince won his third consecutive Grand National victory in 1972, an added bonus for White City was the fact that his trainer Colin West had recently joined the track. West and the Cambridgeshire competition had transferred from the recently closed West Ham Stadium. In 1972 GRA Director of racing Major Percy Brown retired after 40 years in the sport, his replacement was the Arthur Aldridge.[11][15] In 1975 the track switched to metres under the supervision of RM Bob Rowe.

1981-1984

During 1982 Bob Rowe relinquished his position to take up the role of chief racing manager of the GRA with John Collins brought in as the new RM. Also in 1982 trainer Joe Pickering (who joined the track in 1956) retired as did Colin West leaving White City two trainers short. They appointed Graham Mann and Frank Melville. Randy Singleton retired soon after.[15]

Closure

The 1969 option to sell to Stock Conversion and Investment Ltd for redevelopment had almost been forgotten due to the fact that racing had continued for another 15 years but in 1984 the redevelopment plans went ahead without plans to build a new stadium. The final Derby took place in late June before the final meeting on 22 September 1984. Hastings Girl trained by Tommy Foster was the last winner and before the month had passed demolition teams had demolished the historic stadium.

The GRA, the company who introduced greyhound racing to Britain had sold the sports premier track which became a collection of BBC buildings.

Competitions

Home trained Derby winners

Pre metric track records

Distance Greyhound Time Date Notes
500y Outside Left 27.55 12.07.1958
525y Mick the Miller 29.82 16.07.1929 Derby heats, world record
525y Ryland R 29.69 16.07.1931 Derby heats
525y Future Cutlet 29.62 07.1932 Derby heats
525y Shove Halfpenny 29.47 1936
525y Fine Jubilee 29.47 1936
525y Wattle Bark 29.36 06.1937 Derby heats
525y Shove Halfpenny 29.36 19.06.1937 Derby semi-finals
525y Wattle Bark 29.26 26.06.1937 Derby final
525y Quare Times 28.95 06.1946 Derby heats, world record
525y Quare Times 28.82 29.06.1946 Derby consolation, world record
525y Priceless Border 28.?? 1947/48
525y Priceless Border 28.64 06.1948 Derby heats
525y Pauls Fun 28.64 19.06.1954 Derby semi-finals
525y Kilcaskin Kern 28.63 06.1958 Derby heats
525y Mile Bush Pride 28.60 06.1958 Derby semi finals
525y Pigalle Wonder 28.44 21.06.1958 Derby semi finals
525y Yellow Printer 28.30 03.06.1968 Derby heats, world record
525y Super Rory 28.26 17.06.1972 Derby semi-finals
550y Quare Times 30.38 05.08.1946 Match v Bahs Choice
550y Ballymac Ball 30.30 10.12.1949
550y Ballymac Ball 30.27 26.12.1949
550y Fearless Mac 29.93 03.08.1959
550y Monalee Champion 29.82 07.01.1967
725y Shaggy Lass 41.43 06.05.1946
725yMurray Grant 40.63 27.07.1963
725yCash For Dan 40.16 28.06.1969
800y Ryans Rose 45.69 1950
800yWestern Stream ?? 1954
800yBella Bambino 45.15 31.10.1964
800yPoor Mick 44.90 1970
800yLively Mandy 44.89 02.10.1971
880y The Cherry Tree 49.99 17.03.1962
880yCash For Dan 49.44 16.10.1969
1025y Yason 60.88 21.08.1954
1025yRozels Blue Girl 59.52 27.06.1964
1025yGreenville Fauna 58.60 18.07.1968
525yH Barrowside 29.43 07.05.1955 Grand National final
525yHLucky Orange 29.34 1970
525yHSherrys Prince 29.10 8.05.1971
550yH Indoor Sport 31.16 28.07.1962
550yHSherrys Prince 30.62 16.10.1969
725yH Gypsy Boy 41.84 27.06.1959
550yC Fodda Champion 31.18 1957Chase

Post metric track records

Distance Greyhound Time Date Notes
268m Mutts Silver 15.70 1976
500m Sallys Cobbler 29.31 06.1975 Derby heats
500mSlippery Slave 29.26 06.1975 Derby Heats
500mMyrtown 29.23 21.06.1975 Derby semi finals
500mBallybeg Prim 29.23 1976
500mShamrock Point 29.18 06.1976
500mGlen Rock 29.16 1977 World record
500mBalliniska Band 29.16 25.06.1977 Derby final
500mParkdown Jet 29.09 20.06.1981 Derby semi-finals
500mHay Maker Mack 28.95 25.06.1983
680m Sallys Cobbler 40.85 1975
730m Glin Bridge 44.03 1980
962m Westown Adam 59.81 1980
962mPortland Dusty 59.81 1980
500mH Moon View 30.09 1980
680mH Topofthetide 42.56 1979

References

  1. ↑ Ash, Edward C (1933). The Book of the Greyhound. Hutchinson & Co. p. 303.
  2. ↑ ""Greyhound Racing." Times [London, England] 20 Apr. 1927". The Times Digital Archive.
  3. ↑ Tarter, P Howard (1949). Greyhound Racing Encyclopedia. Fleet Publishing Company Ltd.
  4. ↑ ""Greyhound Racing." Times [London, England] 12 May 1927". The Times Digital Archive.
  5. ↑ ""Greyhound Racing." Times [London, England] 21 May 1927". The Times Digital Archive.
  6. ↑ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  7. ↑ ""Greyhound Racing." Times [London, England] 17 June 1927". The Times Digital Archive.
  8. ↑ ""Greyhound Racing." Times [London, England] 21 June 1927". The Times Digital Archive.
  9. 1 2 3 Genders, Roy. The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  10. 1 2 3 Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
  11. 1 2 3 Dack, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
  12. ↑ "Historic inflation calculator: how the value of money has changed since 1900". This is money.
  13. ↑ "OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. "Athletics." Times [London, England] 26 June 1939". The Times Digital Archive.
  14. ↑ Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1946.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
  16. ↑ "White City Stock Conversion". Greyhound Magazine. 1969.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/22/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.