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Kingdom Greyhound Stadium

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Kingdom Greyhound Stadium
LocationBrewery Road, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland
Coordinates52°16'29.9"N 9°42'00.0"W
Operated byIrish Greyhound Board
Date opened1930
Race typegreyhound racing
Official website

Kingdom Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. [1] It has been known as Oakview Park and the Tralee Greyhound Stadium previously.

Racing takes place every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evening and the facilities include a grandstand restaurant, fast food facilities, a number of bars, totalisator betting and seating. It also has a large car park around the stadium.[2]

Race distances are 500, 525, 550, 570, and 750 yards and the feature competitions at the track are the Juvenile Classic and the Race of Champions. [3]

History

A track known as the Ardfert Greyhound track in Ardfert opened in August 1929 but unfortunately closed the same year as a result of a larger track arriving in Oakview Village nearer to the Tralee town centre. The first meeting was held on 9 April 1930 at Oakview Park and the circumference was 476 yards making for a nice comfortable course for the greyhounds.[4]

The great Ballyhennessy Seal made his debut here in 1943 followed by Spanish Battleship, Ballymac Ball, Priceless Border and Patricias Hope, a quite remarkable list of greyhounds that graced the track over the years. In addition a series of competitions have been introduced over the years providing the Tralee public with regular annual events. The events were the Bloom 500, Harp Lager Stakes, Rose of Tralee, Clarke Cup, Kingdom Puppy Cup, Monalee Hiker Stakes and the MJ Hannafin Memorial Cup. The last mentioned event the MJ Hannafin Memorial Cup was named in memory of the Racing Manager at the track when it opened in 1930. His brothers to Jerry and Dennis Hannafin were two highly respected trainers in the industry. [4]

MJ Hannafin was Racing Manager until 1950 and then the hot seat was taken up by Kevin Laide for over thirty years before John Ward took over. [5]

Recent events

At the turn of the century many Irish tracks received a boost from the Irish Greyhound Board with refurbishment on the agenda. Tralee was no exception and underwent a major refit with the stadium redesigned for the new Millennium under the ownership of the Board.

Two new competitions the Juvenile Classic and Race of Champions have been introduced and they have quickly established themselves as leading feature events in the Irish racing calendar despite the fact that they have only been inaugurated in recent years.[6] The stadium underwent further upgrading in 2012 following extra investment by the Irish Greyhound Board.

Competitions

Track records

Current [7] [8]

Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes
325 Ballymac Sexton [9] 17.17 27.05.2016
500 Beaming Mark 26.84 15.06.2012
525 Curious Boy 28.05 06.05.2016
550 Good News 29.34 09.06.2017
570 Raparee Polly 30.62 17.02.2009
570 Toms Brett 30.62 30.06.2012
750 Zulu Ella 41.60 17.07.2009
525 hurdles Cashen Zig 28.88 24.07.2009

Former [10]

Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes
315 Annaghs Pride 17.65 1950
315 Lemond Laddie 17.45 08.05.1958
315 Ballyard Dick =17.45 08.05.1958
325 Upourdat 17.95 20.05.1968
325 Rosslyn Raider 17.90 08.03.1974
325 Glamour Hobo 17.86 15.08.1984
325 True Gold 17.84 1988
325 Beau Amie 17.76 1988
325 Mistreamer 17.72 Sep 1990
325 Michigan Maurice 17.52 30.08.1991
325 Pineapple Mandy 17.46 23.04.1999
325 Cashen Malouda 17.40 30.06.2012
325 Leeview Dave 17.36 18.06.2013
325 Leeview Dave 17.24 21.06.2013
325 Holborn Junior 17.23 17.05.2014
500 Sugar Prince 28.55 22.07.1958
500 Long Charlie 27.45 15.03.2002
500 Annamore Derry 27.33 24.09.2004
500 Scarty Lad 27.14 04.05.2007
500 Mossend Ronnie 27.14 12.11.2010
500 Hernandez 27.07 26.07.2011
500 Characterbuildin 26.84 15.06.2012
525 Roman Emperor 30.20 1950
525 Pouleen Boy 30.20 1950
525 Hobos Choice 30.20 1950
525 Tellus 29.12 02.09.1964
525 Up Early 29.12 29.04.1977
525 Gina Girl 29.11 1978
525 Court Rain 28.90 17.08.1984
525 Castleland Mac 28.69 26.09.1991
525 Rocking Bob 28.41 29.08.1997
525 Mountleader Rolf 28.27 29.11.2002
525 Deerfield Mover 28.14 14.09.2004
525 Deerfield Sings 28.11 01.07.2011
525 Mind the Net 28.09 13.12.2003
525 Quietly 28.08 13.06.2014
550 Another High Jack 31.10 16.05.1960
550 Footless 31.10 16.05.1960 =equalled
550 Harpist 30.76 16.07. 1976
550 Orange Prince 30.72 1979
550 Attractive Lad 1980
550 Killaclug Jet 30.52 1980
550 Realtins Best 30.40 29.04.1983
550 Ardfert Sean 30.18 02.12.1988
550 Cape Prince 29.78 28.07.1995
550 Annamore Billy 29.70 30.07.2002
550 Goldstar Premier 29.64 20.05.2005
550 Melodys Pat 29.62 06.06.2008
550 Dromore Dazzler 29.61 08.10.2010
550 Deerfield Music 29.52 17.06.2011
550 Farloe Trent 29.43 21.06.2013 Race of Champions
570 Sirius 31.34 08.04.1969
570 Wise Commander 31.14 26.09.1996
570 Three Hells Bells 30.88 17.06.2003
570 Green Heat 30.75 30.08.2008
600 Glittering Smack 33.65 1960
750 Slow Motion 42.40 29.05.1981
750 Easter Tidings 42.15 25.05.1999
750 I'm Only Sal 42.06 10.12.2004
750 Sahara Abbey 42.03 04.06.2005
750 Iflookscouldkill 41.88 08.12.2006
750 Iflookscouldkill 41.79 21.07.2007
750 Shakira Live 41.70 02.01.2009
812 Kertogue Sarah 45.90 22.07.1983
525 H Nervy Peggy 30.68 30.06.1961
525 H Ballyard Hurdler 29.85 18.08.1973
525 H Keen Captain 29.32 16.09.2003
525 H Queen Christine 29.21 04.06.2005

References

  1. ^ "Kingdom Greyhound Stadium". Kerry Tourism.
  2. ^ "Kingdom Greyhound Stadium". Irish Greyhound Board.
  3. ^ "Tralee". Greyhound Data.
  4. ^ a b Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  5. ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  6. ^ "Irish Greyhound Board Has published the classic and feature events calendar for 2016". Irish Greyhound Board.
  7. ^ "Track records". Greyhound Star.
  8. ^ "Newbridge Track records". Greyhound Star.
  9. ^ "Kerry Coaches 325". Irish Greyhound Board.
  10. ^ "Track records". Greyhound Data.