Kingdom Greyhound Stadium

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.

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

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
325Ballymac Sexton [9]17.1727.05.2016
500Beaming Mark26.8415.06.2012
525Curious Boy28.0506.05.2016
550Good News29.3409.06.2017
570Raparee Polly30.6217.02.2009
570Toms Brett30.6230.06.2012
750Zulu Ella41.6017.07.2009
525 hurdlesCashen Zig28.8824.07.2009

Former [10]

Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes
315Annaghs Pride17.651950
315Lemond Laddie17.4508.05.1958
315Ballyard Dick=17.4508.05.1958
325Upourdat17.9520.05.1968
325Rosslyn Raider17.9008.03.1974
325Glamour Hobo17.8615.08.1984
325True Gold17.841988
325Beau Amie17.761988
325Mistreamer17.72Sep 1990
325Michigan Maurice17.5230.08.1991
325Pineapple Mandy17.4623.04.1999
325Cashen Malouda17.4030.06.2012
325Leeview Dave17.3618.06.2013
325Leeview Dave17.2421.06.2013
325Holborn Junior17.2317.05.2014
500Sugar Prince28.5522.07.1958
500Long Charlie27.4515.03.2002
500Annamore Derry27.3324.09.2004
500Scarty Lad27.1404.05.2007
500Mossend Ronnie27.1412.11.2010
500Hernandez27.0726.07.2011
500Characterbuildin26.8415.06.2012
525Roman Emperor30.201950
525Pouleen Boy30.201950
525Hobos Choice30.201950
525Tellus29.1202.09.1964
525Up Early29.1229.04.1977
525Gina Girl29.111978
525Court Rain28.9017.08.1984
525Castleland Mac28.6926.09.1991
525Rocking Bob28.4129.08.1997
525Mountleader Rolf28.2729.11.2002
525Deerfield Mover28.1414.09.2004
525Deerfield Sings28.1101.07.2011
525Mind the Net28.0913.12.2003
525Quietly28.0813.06.2014
550Another High Jack31.1016.05.1960
550Footless31.1016.05.1960=equalled
550Harpist 30.7616.07.1976
550Orange Prince30.721979
550Attractive Lad1980
550Killaclug Jet30.521980
550Realtins Best30.4029.04.1983
550Ardfert Sean30.1802.12.1988
550Cape Prince29.7828.07.1995
550Annamore Billy29.7030.07.2002
550Goldstar Premier29.6420.05.2005
550Melodys Pat29.6206.06.2008
550Dromore Dazzler29.6108.10.2010
550Deerfield Music29.5217.06.2011
550Farloe Trent29.4321.06.2013Race of Champions
570Sirius31.3408.04.1969
570Wise Commander31.1426.09.1996
570Three Hells Bells30.8817.06.2003
570Green Heat30.7530.08.2008
600Glittering Smack33.651960
750Slow Motion42.4029.05.1981
750Easter Tidings42.1525.05.1999
750I'm Only Sal42.0610.12.2004
750Sahara Abbey42.0304.06.2005
750Iflookscouldkill41.8808.12.2006
750Iflookscouldkill41.7921.07.2007
750Shakira Live41.7002.01.2009
812Kertogue Sarah45.9022.07.1983
525 HNervy Peggy30.6830.06.1961
525 HBallyard Hurdler29.8518.08.1973
525 HKeen Captain29.3216.09.2003
525 HQueen Christine29.2104.06.2005

References

  1. "Kingdom Greyhound Stadium". Kerry Tourism.
  2. "Kingdom Greyhound Stadium". Irish Greyhound Board.
  3. "Tralee". Greyhound Data.
  4. 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.

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