Clonmel Greyhound Stadium

Clonmel Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland.[1]

Clonmel Greyhound Stadium
LocationDavis Road, Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland
Coordinates52°21′12″N 7°41′32″W / 52.353344°N 7.692148°W / 52.353344; -7.692148
Date opened1931
Race typegreyhound racing
Official website

Racing takes place every Friday and Sunday evening and the facilities include a grandstand restaurant, fast food facilities, a number of bars, totalisator betting and seating.[2]

Race distances are 300, 525, 550, 575, 790 and 1,015 yards and the feature competition at the track is the National Produce Stakes.[3]

Competitions

edit

current and former

History

edit

Opening

edit

The first race held at Clonmel took place on 20 March 1931. The track is situated on the Old Waterford Road just off Davis Road and is also the headquarters of the Irish Coursing Club (ICC).[4] The ICC moved into the town of Clonmel in 1921 and the secretary Tom Morris became the first managing director of the greyhound racecourse. In 1931 the Horse Show Society agreed with the Greyhound Racing Club of Clonmel to lease the grounds for £250 per year. The Racing Manager was Tim Rice and the circuit was 480 yards in circumference running the standard main distance of 525 yards.[5]

The Oaks was held here in 1932 and the Clonmel public were lucky to see the magnificent bitch Queen of the Suir win the race. The following year the track was selected to host both the Oaks and St Leger. The running of the Irish St Leger was the one and only time at the track and resulted in a victory for the legendary Brilliant Bob. The May 1931 whelp was introduced to track racing in 1933 and after finishing runner-up in the Easter Cup won the St Leger over 550 yards in 31.53.[6]

The premier racing event to be held at Clonmel would be the National Sapling Stakes (which would become the National Breeders Produce Stakes). The first running was in 1939 and was claimed by Sporting Fancy. A year later in 1940 Tanist became the first greyhound to break 30 seconds at Clonmel recording 29.85 over 525 yards. The track renamed the National Sapling Stakes to the National Puppy Cup before it became the National Breeders Produce Stakes in 1947.[7]

Post War

edit

The next milestone came in 1946 when in the second round of the National Puppy Cup a greyhound called Quare Times clocked an amazing 29.75sec to set a new track record. In 1947 the ICC moved into new headquarters so that they could administer the sport in addition to housing 'The Sporting Press' a newspaper owned by the ICC. The struggling racecourse known as Powerstown Park had also been acquired by the ICC which used the venue for coursing inside the horse racing circuit. They retained some horse racing meetings maintaining the Park as a going concern.

The track would come under the control of the Bord na gCon in 1960 that purchased the track from the Morris family. There were no major developments over the next couple of decades except for the introduction of a new event called the Munster Cup and the 1979 retirement of Christy Mulcahy the Racing Manager. One event that was not welcome was the regular flooding of the track from the nearby River Suir.[8]

In 1986, the track was closed to allow a complete renovation with the re-opening in spring 1987, the track underwent major changes as well going all-sand and introducing the controversial Australian Noel Bramwich hare.[9] The track improvements changed the expected times recorded and Balalika set a new track record of 28.68 over 525 yards on a circumference of 593 yards.

The lease for Clonmel was bought out by the Clonmel Leisure Group from the Bord na gCon in 1991 but the track closed down in 1998 following an ongoing dispute over the lease and freehold agreements between the Clonmel Leisure Group and the Clonmel Agricultural Show.[10]

Recent history

edit

In 2000 it was hoped that a new track could be constructed at Powerstown Park. Meetings were held between the Irish Coursing Club (tenants at Powerstown Park), the Irish Greyhound Board, the Tipperary County Council, Government Minister Noel Davern, and Clonmel's Mayor, Tom Ambrose but the problems continued and a solution was not found. Eventually it was agreed that the greyhound track section of the showgrounds would be sold to the Davis Road Greyhound Racing Company.[11]

Before re-opening in 2003 the stadium was upgraded and modernised signalling a new start with Red Mills becoming sponsors of the National Produce Stakes and Barry Coleman becoming Racing Manager.[12] The former Racing Manager Gus Ryan retired in 2009 after 42 years in racing.[13]

In 2012, Clonmel earned contributions from Greyhound Racing Ireland and received a €1 million investment allowing the owners to knock down the old stand and rebuild a new modern grandstand.

In 2023, the stadium announced a contract agreement (as part of the GRI) with S.I.S regarding the broadcasting rights of the racing.[14][15]

Current track records

edit

[16][17]

Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes
300 Calling Spice[18] 15.81 1 February 2011
525 Clares Rocket 27.87 1 May 2016
550 Clonbrien Swift[19] 29.59 24 March 2019
575 Compass Smash 31.03 5 October 2008
750 Kiltrea Kev 41.10 29 August 2010
790 Volcano 43.66 7 February 2015
1015 Ferdia Bound 57.78 10 October 2010

Former track records

edit
Extended content

[20] 1937 track record holder Monarch Of All was sold for a record price at the time of 350 guineas at the Harold's Cross Stadium sales.[21][22]

Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes
300 Quiet Spring 16.50 14 May 1970
300 Im Game 16.54* 27 April 1987
300 Greenpark Fox =16.34 01.1989
300 Greenpark Fox 16.12 01.02.1989
300 Marshals Music 16.25* 7 August 2003
300 Derwent Storm 16.21 18 January 2004
300 Droopys Hughes 16.15 5 February 2004
300 Run for Alice 16.08 1 May 2005
300 Rising Fire 16.04 16 July 2006
300 Rising Fire 16.01 24 August 2006
300 Unique Option 15.95 12 November 2006
300 Toms Zorro 15.94 14 January 2007
300 Four Dubs 15.94 1 April 2007
300 Rising Fire 15.89 22 April 2007
300 Rising Fire 15.85 29 April 2007
330 Brilliant Tulip 18.30 1950
500 Odd Venture 28.25 18 May 1961
525 Tanist 29.85 1940
525 Quare Times 29.75 1946
525 Barna Derg 29.65 1950
525 The Grand Fire 29.40 25 April 1957
525 The Potman 29.34 September 1979
525 Game Ball 29.22 April 1983 Produce Stakes semi-final
525 Balalika 28.68* 8 April 1987
525 Arrancourt Duke[23] 28.38 13 April 1989 Produce Stake semi-final
525 Vintage Prince 28.55* 29 May 1995
525 College Prime 28.60 6 April 2003
525 Velvet Cash 28.54 17 March 2004
525 Charity Jack 28.36 5 March 2006
525 St Louis Spirit 28.33 05.04.2009 Produce Stakes first round
525 Ardera Power 28.29 12.04.2009 Produce Stakes second round
525 Shaneboy Lee 28.24 12.04.2009 Produce Stakes second round
525 Colorful Champ 28.23 25 October 2009
525 Amazing Dude =28.23 31 May 2015
550 Flighty Rover 31.30 1950
550 Mad Mac 30.50* 15 June 1987
550 Fiddlers Wish 30.04 31 January 1989
550 Meet Me Halfway 29.80 01.08.1989
550 Man of Lamancha 30.02* 04.02.2003
550 Toms Little Jo 29.88 3 June 2004
550 Swahili Eile 29.85 16 February 2007
550 Off the Fags 29.81 6 July 2007
550 Leahs Boss 29.81 8 October 2008
550 Mardocs Heinze 29.63 12 October 2008
550 Mahogany Rumble 29.63 12 July 2009
550 Carib King 29.63 26 July 2009
550 Movealong Tony 29.62 17 July 2011
550 Cabra Buck 29.60 24 January 2013
575 Silver Shout 31.23 27 April 2003
575 Charity Jack 31.15 24 October 2003
575 Lucky Lindsey 31.05 23 August 2007
700 Lady Bon 40.40 18 May 1961
730 Manx Sky 41.52* 9 November 1987
730 Crohane Lucy 41.16 1 February 1989
730 Benedine Rose 41.16 1 February 1989
730 Mid Clare Lass 40.88 3 February 1990
750 Just George 41.28 1988
750 Top Award 41.90 17 April 2003
750 Brave Legend 41.82 24 August 2006
750 Musical Beauty 41.49 29 October 2006
750 Dromana Blue 41.47 15 November 2007
750 Flying Winner 41.26 22 November 2007
790 Able Queen 45.06 17 July 2003
790 Smooth Slippy 44.73 22 August 2004
790 Lady Norma 44.72 22 August 2004
790 Five Gold Bars 44.50 23 March 2008
790 Thatll Do Jack 44.41 25 January 2011
790 Freedom Marconi 44.14 14 August 2011
790 Kerryroad Baba 44.24 14 August 2011
790 Usual Story 44.06 26 August 2012
790 Razldazl Marilyn 44.00 17 January 2013
1000 Tokio Lady 58.99 1988
1015 Original Charm 58.15 27 July 2003
1025 Cute Way 59.34 30 January 1989
1025 Fairy Surprise 59.26 7 November 1991
500 H Knockdrina Ranger 29.95 2 May 1957
525 H Fair King 31.00 1950
525 H Jerrys Wonder 30.90 11 May 1963
525 H Unguarded Moment =30.90 16 May 1963
525 H Mars Mist 30.12 1988
550 H Quarter Cross 32.55 1950

References

edit
  1. ^ "Clonmel Greyhound Stadium". Tipperary Tourism. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Clonmel Greyhound Stadium". Irish Greyhound Board.
  3. ^ "Clonmel". Greyhound Data.
  4. ^ "About Us". Irish Coursing Club.
  5. ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  6. ^ Fortune, Michael (1979). Irish Greyhound Annual. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
  7. ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  8. ^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  9. ^ "Remember When – September 1989". Greyhound Star. 9 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Clonmel group, Bord na gCon settle case". The Irish Times.
  11. ^ "History". Clonmel Agricultural Show.
  12. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  13. ^ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 2009) August edition". Greyhound Star.
  14. ^ "Thursday Round Up". Greyhound Star. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  15. ^ "SIS GRA 2024 Agreement". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Track records". Greyhound Star. 7 January 2019.
  17. ^ "Irish Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  18. ^ "The Imelda Phelan Open Sprint Stake final". Irish Greyhound Board.
  19. ^ "The Spring A1 Stake final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Clonmel track records". Greyhound Data.
  21. ^ "Remember When – April 1937". Greyhound Star. 2012.
  22. ^ "Track records". Greyhound Data.
  23. ^ "Arrancourt fast mover". Irish Independent. 28 April 1989. Retrieved 29 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.