Catford Stadium was a historic greyhound racing stadium in Catford, a suburb of London.

Origins Charles Benstead and Frank Sutton founded the stadium on Southern Railway land between two commuter lines in 1932. The entrance was in Adenmore Road, west of Doggett Road.

Greyhound racing Opening The inaugural meeting was held on Saturday 30 July 1932 and consisted of a seven race card; each event had four or five runners. Mick the Miller was paraded around the track before the fourth race. The first racing manager was Lt. Col. A J Vernon and there were no fewer than eighty bookmakers. A kennel complex was constructed at Layham's Farm, Keston, near Biggin Hill and six trainers were appointed.

The track was described as a tight 369 yard circumference circuit and the hare was an 'Outside Breco Silent' before being switched to a more conventional 'Outside McKee'. Buses originally dropped patrons off just outside the main gates and by the entrance gates were tote facilities and the South bank enclosure. The West forecourt had a covered grandstand with tote facilities, with the judges' box directly opposite the winning line. Behind this were the race day kennels. The East forecourt had a larger covered grandstand on the back straight. The track could also be accessed from behind this grandstand, as there were two bridges across the Southern Railway line. To use the bridges to the track an entrance fee was paid at the turnstiles on the other side of the railway line from the stadium itself; thus the bridges were actually part of the stadium complex. Finally opposite the main entrance on bends 3 and 4 was the famous tote board nestled between the uncovered north bank enclosure.

Pre War history Early trainers at the track were Jock Hutchinson, H Hammond, Claude Champion, Albert Bedford, Harry Woolner, Dal Hawkesley and Ernie Pratt and a major event 'The Gold Collar' was introduced in 1933 which would gain classic status. Two other events called the Catford British Breeders Produce Stakes and Cobb Marathon Bowl were introduced; the former became very popular with the event being run twice during many years and the latter was sponsored by brewer Rupert Cobb and became a significant test for the leading staying stars, this race would continue until 1975.

Post War history

Tote turnover after the war was extremely healthy and the seventh best in London and Great Britain just ahead of West Ham Stadium. On 20 September 1946 an express train from Victoria to Ramsgate derailed and five of the ten coaches fell down the 20 foot embankment landing in the stadium car park. The stadium employees were first on to the scene and remarkably only one person died as a result of the crash.

In 1952 the Managing Director Frank Sutton died; Sutton had introduced the British Breeders Produce Stakes. His son John would eventually take over from his father and take over the family business and introduced the very first jackpot pool in 1961, later to be copied by horse racing. In 1954 the Dave Barker trainer Ardskeagh Ville was the first and only hound from Catford to make the English Greyhound Derby final. Charles Benstead sold his share in the company in 1959 to Harold Clifton.

By 1963 the Greyhound Racing Association purchased the track and John Sutton eventually become their Managing Director. The GRA introduced under track heating system at Catford with electric cables sewn into the track eight inches under the turf. Sister track Charlton Stadium finished racing during 1971 resulting in the Greenwich Cup and Ben Truman Stakes finding a new home at Catford. One year later the track was the first London stadium to start eight dog racing and the circuit was substantially altered with steep banking on the bends.

During the 1970s trainers at the track would include Mike Smith, John Horsfall and Paddy Milligan. The legendary Scurlogue Champ set three track records over marathon distances of 718 and 888 metres from 1984-1986 and in 1987 the Scurry Gold Cup became another major event to be held at the track, the classic race arrived from Harringay Stadium after its closure.

The Cesarewitch was switched to from Belle Vue Stadium to Catford in 1995 before switching to Oxford Stadium later.

Controversy During 2001–2002, a trainer Lennie Knell was caught on camera admitting overfeeding dogs to slow them down,Overfeeding controversy and a greyhound died of heat exhaustion. Subsequently, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain brought in stringent rules that required every stadium and greyhound transporter to have cool air management systems and any trainer found deliberately overfeeding dogs would lose their licence. Knell was disqualified from all licensed greyhound tracks in May 2002 after an inquiry by the governing body.

Closure On 6 November 2003, following years of rumours, the track closed overnight without warning, when it was announced the previous day's race meeting had been the last.

Trainers John Simpson, Tony Taylor, Maxine Locke and John Walsh moved to Wimbledon, Keston based Steve Gammon left for Crayford, Sonja Spiers and Kevin Connor went to Sittingbourne and Mark Lavender switched to Portsmouth. Racing Manager Derek Hope was able to take up the same position at Wimbledon soon after because Simon Harris had left for Coventry Stadium bookmaker John Humphreys who had stood in the main ring since 1966 and sponsored the Gold Collar for 18 years, retired.

Speedway In 1934 several speedway meetings were held on a track constructed inside the dog track. In 1949 permission was sought to operate speedway from the stadium again but permission was refused.Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. Not to be confused with The Mount stadium, another stadium in Catford.

Redevelopment The local amateur football side, Catford Wanderers, were mooted to move into the stadium, though this dream was never realised. The stadium has since caught on fire and was subsequently demolished, along with the iconic tote board. The site has been redeveloped for housing by Barratt Homes as "Catford Green".BBC news item about closure

Competitions Gold Collar (an original classic competition)

Greenwich Cup

Scurry Gold Cup (an original classic competition)

Cesarewitch (an original classic competition)

Cobb Marathon Bowl

Ben Truman Stakes

Track records +Pre-metric distancesDistance (yards)GreyhoundTimeDateNotes/refs420 Cheathas Artist 23.88 25 September 1971 440 South Tipperary 27.92 30 July 1932 440 Jazz First 26.18 5 August 1932 440 Wild Woolley 25.95 6 May 1933 Gold Collar heats440 Jack's Joke 25.95 14 June 1935 440 Fine Jubilee 25.82 26 May 1936 Gold Collar heats440 Fine Jubilee 25.42 25 May 1937 440 Monday's News 25.41 31 May 1947 Gold Collar semi-finals440 Hectic Birthday =25.4131 May 1952 Gold Collar final440 Polonius 25.40 16 March 1953 440 Rusty Chain 25.26 19 May 1956 440 Dangerous Customer =25.26 5 July 1958440 Shanes Rocket =25.26 1970570 I'm Dogmatic 32.99 15 April 1963 600Congleton Lord 17 April 1938600 Shadowlands Delight 35.20 1950610 The Phoenix 35.086 January 1972 620 Music Guest 35.98 4 July 1964 620 Discretions 35.83 1970700 May Hasty 40.03 1950745 Gorey Hill 44.97 3 July 1965 745 Suir Peggy 44.43 1970790 Breachs Buzzard 45.91 18 December 1971 810 Ilene Darling 53.70 31 January 1933 810 Drintyre 51.46 7 March 1933 810 Extra Smart 51.27 17 June 1933 810 Master Ralph 50.90 7 August 1933 810 Dapifir 50.35 29 March 1934 810 Real Busy 50.04 12 July 1934 810 English Warrior 49.10 16 August 1934 810 Alvaston Lulu Belle 48.5821 July 1945 810 Tia Tina 48.48 27 September 1958 810 Rapid Prospect 48.44 4 July 1959810 I'm Dogmatic 48.40 16 May 1964 940 Chi Chi 58.10 10 March 1962 970 Budget Surplus 58.87 1963978 Real Darkie 58.87 11 December 1971 1156 Spots of Luck 70.94 25 September 1971 1180 Trev's Carriers 79.80 23 January 1945 1180 Western Dasher 74.42 19501180 Lankey Lena 72.70 4 July 19591180 Farma Zora 72.31 1969420 HSherrys Prince 24.39 2 November 1971440 H Bright Board 26.19 1950440 H Maggie From Cork 25.83 7 July 1962 600 H Derryboy Jubilee 36.31 1950 610 H Sherrys Prince 35.75 5 February 1972620 H Knockshe Prince37.93 13 February 1965 +Metric distancesDistance(metres)GreyhoundTimeDateNotes222 Blinding Service 13.73 1988222 Kiltown Prior 13.68 1989222 I'm From Tallow 13.56 1990385 Tipper Tar 23.63 March 1973 Greenwich Cup385 One To Note 23.54 11 May 1985 385 I'm Gone 23.5418 July 1987385 Farncombe Black 23.42 1988 385 Bolt Home 23.35 1989385 Union Decree 23.204 July 1998 Scurry Gold Cup semi-final517 Hello Blackie 32.03 1989555 Westmead Champ 34.65 1976555 Track Man 34.47 22 September 1984 555 Rio Shadow 34.41 9 May 1998 Greenwich Cup semi-final718 Scurlogue Champ 45.58 20 October 1984850 Proud To Run 55.25 1989 888 Pitmans Brief 58.47 1976888 Scurlogue Champ 58.00 5 June 1985888 Scurlogue Champ 57.60 19 June 1986 1050 Cregagh Prince 69.9325 April 1987385 H Ballaugh Echo 24.17 19 June 1986 385 H Parktown Ranger24.031988385 H Pantile 23.85 1989 385 H Kildare Slippy 23.73 18 May 1991517 H Breeks Rocket 33.23 1990 555 H Autumn River 35.721977 555 H Off You Sail 35.3518 July 1987555 H Freewheel Kylo 35.341994 555 H El Tenor 35.15 27 May 1999 718 H Kanturk Cannon 48.432 May 2002 H = Hurdles

External links Pictures at Derelict London More Pictures Catford Greyhound Racing History

References