Towcester Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located within Towcester Racecourse at Towcester in Northamptonshire, England. It has been the home of the English Greyhound Derby since 2021, having previously hosted the event from 2017 to 2018.

Opening Towcester opened on 6 December 2014 becoming the first track in Britain to open since the 1995 openings of Harlow and Sittingbourne. The idea of a track inside the horse racing course was created by Lord Hesketh the racecourse owner and Chief Executive Kevin Ackerman. Former Walthamstow Racing Manager Chris Page, Deputy Racing Manager Andy Lisemore and Steve Cale were recruited to run the operation.

Construction At a cost of £1.5 million the 420 metres circumference circuit was created by laying down 60,000 tonnes of soil so that the greyhound racing surface met the horse racing home straight at a level setting, resulting in a six-metre rise. The bends are very wide which assists the occasional eight dog race. The kennels were constructed inside unused horse stables and new trainers included five times champion trainer Mark Wallis, 2011 champion trainer Chris Allsopp, Kevin Hutton and Matt Dartnall. The distances are 260, 480, 500, 655, 686 and 906 metres and the first race was won by 4-1 shot Fairest Royal trained by Wallis. A big screen situated on the home straight was a new feature to greyhound tracks.

Achievements Trainer Kevin Hutton won the prestigious Trainers Championship in March 2015. Hutton twice retained the title in 2016 and 2017, joining a select group of trainers to win more than one title. The track was crowned the BAGS National Champions at Perry Barr Stadium in December 2015 (team manager - Andy Lisemore). Retained the BAGS National Championship in December 2016 (team manager - Simon Pearson). Awarded the Greyhound Derby after the closure of Wimbledon Stadium. Awarded the Puppy Derby in 2017 following the closure of Wimbledon Stadium. Kevin Hutton won the 2018 English Greyhound Derby In 2018 the track gained another original classic race, the Oaks, from the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA). In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with ARC to race every Saturday morning and Sunday evening. In 2021, Thorn Falcon won the Derby for Belgian born Patrick Janssens

2018 administration In August 2018 the future of Towcester racecourse was put in doubt. A statement released by the racecourse on 16 August read: "Towcester Racecourse Company Limited, proprietors of Towcester Racecourse, are currently experiencing trading difficulties and are in discussions with key stakeholders and professional advisers on the way forward. However, the directors have concluded that they have no alternative in the short term but to seek court protection and are now taking steps to place the company into administration. As a result, the last greyhound meeting was on 12 August.

On 23 August KPMG were appointed as administrators and 134 out of 137 members of staff at the racecourse were made redundant. Eight trainers joined Henlow, including Mark Wallis and Nick Savva while Kevin Hutton joined Monmore.

On 13 November it was announced by the administrators that the racecourse's assets were being sold to a company called Fermor Land LLP. This company was formed on 18 October (26 days before the sale) and is headed by Lord Hesketh's brother-in-law Mark Westropp, a trustee of the Hesketh Family trusts.

Re-opening In October 2019 Kevin Boothby, promoter of Henlow Stadium, signed a deal for a 10-year lease at Towcester, with the intention that greyhound racing would re-start in March 2020. The stadium's re-opening was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic before eventually opening on 22 May 2020. Several major competitions returned to the track including the English Greyhound Derby, Puppy Derby and Juvenile.

On 1 November 2025 an organisation called Orchestrate took over the lease from Kevin Boothby (Henlow Racing). The move started badly with the English Puppy Derby not held due to unavailability of trials.

Competitions The English Greyhound Derby The English Greyhound Derby Invitation English Puppy Derby Juvenile Blue Riband

Track records Current track records Metres Greyhound Time (sec) Date Notes/ref270Aero Sacundai15.35 29 June 2024500Lennies Desire28.3931 May 2025 712Savana Jackpot42.0221 July 2024942Mongys Wild57.4123 Mar 2025

Former (2020 onwards)

Metres Greyhound Time (sec) Date Notes270Bentley Crew15.61 29 June 2021270Bockos Jon Jo15.64 30 March 2021Northamptonshire Sprint270Shrewd Call15.64 18 May 2021270Havana Class15.45 10 July 2021270Flashing Willow15.42 11 June 2022500Priceless Jet29.11 11 May 2021500Warzone Tom29.08 18 May 2021500Bockos Belly29.03 11 June 20212021 English Greyhound Derby 2nd round500Lautaro28.84 19 May 20222022 English Greyhound Derby 1st round500Priceless Jet28.78 11 June 20222022 English Greyhound Derby quarter final500Swords Rex28.76 7 May 20232023 English Greyhound Derby trial stake500Clona Duke28.73 26 May 2023English Greyhound Derby 1st Round500Clona Duke28.69 24 June 2023English Greyhound Derby semi final500King Memphis28.66 19 November 2023Puppy Derby semi final500Romeo Command28.64 31 December 2023500Droopy Clue28.5814 April 2024 Derby trial stake500King Memphis=28.5824 May 2024 Derby heats500De Lahdedah=28.58 29 June 2024Derby first round500Barntick Bear28.5228 July 2024 500Avongate Venus=28.52 8 September 2024 500Barntick Bear28.4420 October 2024 712Blue Mischief43.4730 March 2021712Night Time Danny43.2030 March 2021712Kishlawn Shakira43.002 July 2021712Salacres Pippy42.9014 November 2021Hunt Cup final712Bockos Brandy42.8024 April 2022712Havana Lover42.7616 October 2022Hunt Cup semi final712Coonough Crow42.4322 June 2024942Aayamza Royale58.1515 August 2021

(2014–2018)

Metres Greyhound Time Date Notes260 Razldazl Banjo 15.63 6 December 2014 260 Opus Star 15.54 13 December 2014 260 Mays Teejay 15.47 20 December 2014 260 Club Notes 15.46 27 December 2014 260 Leaveittome 15.30 3 January 2015 260 Mays Teejay 15.07 22 January 2015 260 Cloudbursting 15.00 1 February 2015 480 Fairest Royal 28.556 December 2014480 King Dec 28.46 6 December 2014 480 Killglen Chief 28.446 December 2014 480 Priests Place 28.41 12 December 2014 480 Ballymac Brogan 28.30 13 December 2014 480 King Dec 28.20 13 December 2014 480 Ballymac Mossjoe28.09 22 January 2015 480 Blue Moment 27.91 22 January 2015 480 Domino Storm 27.84 2 January 2015 480 Forest Twilight 27.72 15 August 2015 Lowther Stakes heats 480 Forest Twilight 27.59 22 August 2015Lowther Stakes final500 Tyrur Shay 28.729 June 2017 2017 English Greyhound Derby 2nd round655 Billys Bullet 39.69 6 December 2014 655 Holdem Hawk 39.42 13 December 2014 655 Billys Bullet 38.90 8 February 2015686 Touch Tackle 41.91 6 December 2014 686 Vanrooney 41.55 13 December 2014 686 Black Francis 41.45 22 January 2015 686 Vanrooney 40.97 8 February 2015 686 Rubys Rascal 40.89 24 June 2017 Derby Stayers heat906 Supreme Rossie 57.09 6 December 2014 906 Supreme Rossie 56.75 6 December 2014 906 Ribble Atom 55.46 25 July 2015 TV Trophy Trial Stakes906 Ballymac Bonnie 55.298 August 2015 TV Trophy heats906 Droopys Cottage 55.17 8 August 2015 TV Trophy heats480 H Razldazlnewstalk 28.41 18 August 2015 480 H Ballymac Manix 28.38 24 June 2017 Champion Hurdle heats

References