Nottingham Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track and stadium on the outskirts of Nottingham, England.
Races at the course are held on Monday and Friday evenings as well as additional matinée meetings every Wednesday & Thursday. The circumference of the track is .
Competitions The stadium holds several competitions annually:
The Select Stakes, (500 metres), invitation event The Puppy Classic – August, (500 metres), puppy event The British Breeders Stakes – March, (500 metres), British-bred event The St Leger, September, (730 metres) The Eclipse – November, (500 metres) The National Sprint – December, (305 metres) The Guineas (500 metres) (former event)
Origins and opening In 1970 the White City Stadium in Nottingham closed down leaving the city without greyhound racing. However members of the Severn and Trent greyhound clubs had maintained a presence in the council's thoughts and several years later plans for a new track within the Nottingham Racecourse site began to surface. The site of the racecourse was west of the village of Colwick and the racecourse had been open since 1892.
On 24 January 1980 the Colwick Park greyhound track opened, it was situated on the north side of the racecourse where a car parking area had stood and previous to that it had been an old bed of the River Trent. The circumference of the track was 442 metres and was described as a very good galloping track with long straights and the sand used was Worksop Grey. The Managing Director Jon Carter announced that there were over 2,000 attending the first meeting which consisted of eight races, six over 500m and two over 295m. The first winner was a greyhound called Tartan Al trained by W Horton who won in 32.98sec at odds of 7–1.
History 20th century An initial investment of £250,000 included the Panorama Room with a state of the art restaurant and totalisator. The first Racing Manager was Jim Woods, the Director of Racing was Terry Meynell and the first trainers were Bill Horton, Christine Lawlor, A Coppin, T Smith and one Charlie Lister. Another trainer that appeared on opening night was Geoff DeMulder and he joined the track in 1984. Racing took place on Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings and the nature of the large track soon attracted some of the sports best greyhounds including Scurlogue Champ who broke the track record in October 1985 and then Ballyregan Bob who won two races at Nottingham that formed part of his world record breaking run during November 1985 & April 1986 with the first run creating a new track record. It was also in 1986 that Coventry closed resulting in the Eclipse competition finding a new home at Nottingham. In April 1989 the 'Outside Sumner' hare was replaced by the 'Bramich' and race distances were re-measured as 310, 500, 700 & 747m.
In 1988 Terry Corden took control of Nottingham from Wiseville Ltd, Corden had recently sold Derby Greyhound Stadium and had been successful during the property boom. Racing Manager Jim Woods left to join Monmore Green Stadium and was replaced by Mick Smith before Peter Robinson took over. One of the first tasks of the new owners was to invest in new facilities and in 1989 the track underwent a considerable upgrade.
A new competition introduced to the track in 1990 was the National Sprint, the important race had struggled to find a home since the closure of Harringay Stadium and would be held towards the end of the year and was known as the Peter Derrick Christmas Cracker for a few years. Trainer Dawn Wheatley trained Ayr Flyer, who finished runner-up in the 1994 English Greyhound Derby.
Wembley closed to greyhound racing in 1996 and Nottingham was awarded the prestigious Select Stakes as a consequence in 1997. Trainer Charlie Lister won the 1997 English Greyhound Derby and Scottish Greyhound Derby with Some Picture.
It was voted 'Central Region Racecourse of the Year' by the British Greyhound Racing Board for 1998–1999.
21st century The track was voted 'Central Region Racecourse of the Year' by the British Greyhound Racing Board for a second time in 2001–2002. A new kennel range costing £250,000 was introduced in 2003. Stadium owner Terry Corden brought his daughter Rachel and son Nathan into the business and they are now both heavily involved in the running of the track. Another event (the Produce Stakes taken from Hall Green Stadium) came to the track in 2009.
In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with Arena Racing Company (ARC) to race every Monday and Friday evening and a matinée meeting every Tuesday. During 2019 the track was chosen as the new venue for the sport's most famous event, the English Greyhound Derby which switched from Towcester.
In 2020 the stadium was sold by Nottingham Greyhound Stadium Ltd to ARC. The Director of Nottingham Greyhound Stadium Rachel Corden was retained by ARC and appointed ARC Greyhound Operations Director. In 2021 the Derby returned to Towcester following two years at Nottingham. In 2022, the stadium owners ARC signed a long term deal with Entain for media rights, starting in January 2024.
In 2024, Nottingham received the prestigious St Leger to be held for the first time at the track in 2025.
Track records
Current Metres Greyhound Time (sec) Date Notes/ref255 Skate On 14.84 18 August 2014305 Target Harris 17.34 2 June 2014480 Swift Hoffman 28.0715 July 2014500 Proper Heiress 28.9524 November 2025Eclipse final680 Fabulous Shanty 41.064 March 2013730 Mongys Wild 43.828 Sept 2025905 Festival Time 56.46 18 November 2014 925 Fearsome Liberty 57.8618 November 2013
Former
Metres Greyhound Time (sec) Date Notes255 Mother Shauna 14.88 9 June 2014295 Tims Crow 17.45 24 November 2003 295 Laser Beam 17.4326 August 2005300 Nervous Paddy 17.81 24 December 2001300 Hawk I Hunt 17.682 June 2003305 Laser Beam 17.77 14 November 2005305 Carrib Prince 17.73 12 December 2005 National Sprint heats305 Ningbo Jack 17.73 12 December 2005 National Sprint heats305 Ballydaniel Bozz 17.73 9 January 2006305 Ballydaniel Bozz 17.57 20 February 2006305 Ningbo Jack 17.55 29 May 2006305 Against the Lead 17.55 18 July 2006305 Against the Lead 17.51 21 August 2006305 Rotar Wing 17.47 13 December 2010 National Sprint semi-final305 Jumeirah Dubai 17.45 3 December 2012310 Yellow Jersey 18.58 1989310 Cocktail Darkie 18.18 4 September 1989312 Fagans Friend 18.41 24 January 1987460 Myth Maker 28.01 20 August 1990460Carmels Prince 27.75 1 October 1990460Stop To Conquer 27.75 20 June 1991460Almost New 27.66 31 October 1992480 Tullerboy Lass 28.83 12 June 2001480 Larkhill Lo 28.82 26 November 2002480 Baliff Spring 28.71 27 July 2004 480 Pennys Shakira 28.60 23 July 2007480 Lively Arthur 28.59 21 August 2007480 Farloe Reason 28.39 21 December 2007480 Bit View Micko 28.32 22 October 2012480 Diesel Blue 28.31 21 January 2013480 Bower Stone 28.25 30 July 2013485 Sun Ging 29.50 26 December 1986485 Fearless Ace 29.26 1987500 Holyhill Way 30.35 10 March 1987500 Drumgoon Swallow 30.53 1989500 Fires of War 30.00 30 July 1990500 World Wind 29.98 29 October 1990500 Westmead Merlin 29.65 17 October 1994500 Droopys Rhys 29.77 23 April 2001500 Top Savings 29.67 30 August 2001500 Top Savings 29.43 14 April 2003500 Droopys Shearer 29.34 4 August 2003 500 Fear Me29.45 14 November 2005Eclipse heats500 Shelbourne Rene 29.28 18 September 2006500 Ballymac Eske 29.28 22 October 2012 500 Ballymac Eske 29.21 29 October 2012500 Sawpit Sensation 29.1628 November 2012 Eclipse final500 Skywalker Logan 29.0525 May 2019 Derby first round530 Decoy Gold 32.03 16 October 1980680 Ballyregan Bob 41.87 9 November 1985 Part of the 32 world record680 Wailea Flash 41.67 1987680 Wentworth Which 41.369 July 2007680 Aero Rebel 41.26 19 November 2012700 Hot News 44.24 1989700 Doves Delight 43.50 18 September 1989700 Mobile Magic 43.06 28 January 1993700 Lavally Pete 43.43 29 April 1999700 Sexy Delight 42.73 11 September 2000700 Top Plan 42.66 9 June 2003700 Tinrah Lad 42.87 11 April 2005 722 Farloe Bonus 42.89 24 May 1999722 El Poker 45.38 28 August 2000722 Farloe Bonus 43.70 27 November 2000730 Droopys Kenny 45.36 4 November 2005730 Gunner Black 45.00 9 January 2006730 Fabulous Sophie 44.99 30 January 2006730 Blonde Pearl 44.19 20 February 2006747 Manx Marajax 47.03 1989747 Road Princess 46.87 27 August 1990747 Penny I Am 46.50 16 September 1991747 Miss Piggy 46.12 26 September 1994754 Scurlogue Champ 47.30 17 October 1985754 Change Guard 47.02 1987885 Ericas Equity 56.32 19 January 2004885 Lisnakill Cathal 55.68 27 July 2004900 Easy Field 57.76 27 August 1990900 Clonbrin Basket 57.52 11 July 1991900 Clonbrin Basket 56.91 8 August 1991900 Red Arrow Lady 56.76 24 October 1991902 Let Us Know 57.25 11 March 2002905 Ziggy Girl 57.56 12 January 2004905 Flying Winner 56.99 20 November 2008905 Art Banksy 56.90 15 July 2014905 Mays Petal 56.58 28 October 2014925 Seathwaite Robby 58.13 20 November 2006 927 Limekiln Pearl 59.60 25 August 1987 937 Deenside Fire 59.74 30 August 1993 485 H Distant Echo 30.15 24 August 1987500 H Speedy Tiger 30.99 17 October 1985500 H El Tenor 30.7121 June 1999
References