Clonmel Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland.
Racing takes place every Friday and Sunday evening and the facilities include a grandstand restaurant, fast food facilities, a number of bars, totalisator betting and seating.
Race distances are 300, 525, 550, 575, 790 and 1,015 yards and the feature competition at the track is the National Produce Stakes.
Competitions current and former National Produce Stakes Oaks St Leger
History Opening The first race held at Clonmel took place on 20 March 1931. The track is situated on the Old Waterford Road just off Davis Road and is also the headquarters of the Irish Coursing Club (ICC). The ICC moved into the town of Clonmel in 1921 and the secretary Tom Morris became the first managing director of the greyhound racecourse. In 1931 the Horse Show Society agreed with the Greyhound Racing Club of Clonmel to lease the grounds for £250 per year. The Racing Manager was Tim Rice and the circuit was 480 yards in circumference running the standard main distance of 525 yards.
The Oaks was held here in 1932 and the Clonmel public were lucky to see the magnificent bitch Queen of the Suir win the race. The following year the track was selected to host both the Oaks and St Leger. The running of the Irish St Leger was the one and only time at the track and resulted in a victory for the legendary Brilliant Bob. The May 1931 whelp was introduced to track racing in 1933 and after finishing runner-up in the Easter Cup won the St Leger over 550 yards in 31.53.
The premier racing event to be held at Clonmel would be the National Sapling Stakes (which would become the National Breeders Produce Stakes). The first running was in 1939 and was claimed by Sporting Fancy. A year later in 1940 Tanist became the first greyhound to break 30 seconds at Clonmel recording 29.85 over 525 yards. The track renamed the National Sapling Stakes to the National Puppy Cup before it became the National Breeders Produce Stakes in 1947.
Post War The next milestone came in 1946 when in the second round of the National Puppy Cup a greyhound called Quare Times clocked an amazing 29.75sec to set a new track record. In 1947 the ICC moved into new headquarters so that they could administer the sport in addition to housing 'The Sporting Press' a newspaper owned by the ICC. The struggling racecourse known as Powerstown Park had also been acquired by the ICC which used the venue for coursing inside the horse racing circuit. They retained some horse racing meetings maintaining the Park as a going concern.
The track would come under the control of the Bord na gCon in 1960 that purchased the track from the Morris family. There were no major developments over the next couple of decades except for the introduction of a new event called the Munster Cup and the 1979 retirement of Christy Mulcahy the Racing Manager. One event that was not welcome was the regular flooding of the track from the nearby River Suir.
In 1986, the track was closed to allow a complete renovation with the re-opening in spring 1987, the track underwent major changes as well going all-sand and introducing the controversial Australian Noel Bramwich hare. The track improvements changed the expected times recorded and Balalika set a new track record of 28.68 over 525 yards on a circumference of 593 yards.
The lease for Clonmel was bought out by the Clonmel Leisure Group from the Bord na gCon in 1991 but the track closed down in 1998 following an ongoing dispute over the lease and freehold agreements between the Clonmel Leisure Group and the Clonmel Agricultural Show.
Recent history In 2000 it was hoped that a new track could be constructed at Powerstown Park. Meetings were held between the Irish Coursing Club (tenants at Powerstown Park), the Irish Greyhound Board, the Tipperary County Council, Government Minister Noel Davern, and Clonmel's Mayor, Tom Ambrose but the problems continued and a solution was not found. Eventually it was agreed that the greyhound track section of the showgrounds would be sold to the Davis Road Greyhound Racing Company.
Before re-opening in 2003 the stadium was upgraded and modernised signalling a new start with Red Mills becoming sponsors of the National Produce Stakes and Barry Coleman becoming Racing Manager. The former Racing Manager Gus Ryan retired in 2009 after 42 years in racing.
In 2012, Clonmel earned contributions from Greyhound Racing Ireland and received a €1 million investment allowing the owners to knock down the old stand and rebuild a new modern grandstand.
In 2023, the stadium announced a contract agreement (as part of the GRI) with S.I.S regarding the broadcasting rights of the racing.
Track records Current
Yards Greyhound Time (sec) Date Notes/ref300 Calling Spice 15.81 1 February 2011525 Clares Rocket 27.87 1 May 2016550 Ardera Freya 29.5823 June 2024 575 Compass Smash 31.03 5 October 2008750 Kiltrea Kev 41.10 29 August 2010790 Volcano 43.66 7 February 20151015 Ferdia Bound 57.78 10 October 2010
Former
1937 track record holder Monarch Of All was sold for a record price at the time of 350 guineas at the Harold's Cross Stadium sales. Yards Greyhound Time (sec) Date Notes/ref300 Quiet Spring 16.50 14 May 1970 300 Im Game 16.54* 27 April 1987 300 Greenpark Fox =16.34January 1989 300 Greenpark Fox 16.121 February 1989300 Marshals Music 16.25* 7 August 2003300 Derwent Storm 16.21 18 January 2004300 Droopys Hughes 16.15 5 February 2004300 Run for Alice 16.08 1 May 2005 300 Rising Fire 16.04 16 July 2006300 Rising Fire 16.01 24 August 2006 300 Unique Option 15.95 12 November 2006 300 Toms Zorro 15.94 14 January 2007 300 Four Dubs 15.94 1 April 2007300 Rising Fire 15.89 22 April 2007300 Rising Fire 15.85 29 April 2007330Brilliant Tulip 18.30 1950500 Odd Venture 28.25 18 May 1961525 Tanist 29.85 1940 525 Quare Times 29.75 1946 525 Barna Derg 29.65 1950 525 The Grand Fire 29.40 25 April 1957525 The Potman 29.34 September 1979525 Game Ball 29.22 April 1983Produce Stakes semi-final525 Balalika 28.68* 8 April 1987525 Arrancourt Duke 28.38 13 April 1989Produce Stake semi-final525 Vintage Prince 28.55* 29 May 1995 525 College Prime 28.60 6 April 2003 525 Velvet Cash 28.54 17 March 2004525 Charity Jack 28.36 5 March 2006 525 St Louis Spirit 28.33 5 April 2009 Produce Stakes first round525 Ardera Power 28.29 12 April 2009 Produce Stakes second round525 Shaneboy Lee 28.24 12 April 2009 Produce Stakes second round525 Colorful Champ 28.23 25 October 2009525 Amazing Dude =28.23 31 May 2015 550 Flighty Rover 31.30 1950 550 Mad Mac 30.50* 15 June 1987 550 Fiddlers Wish 30.04 31 January 1989550 Meet Me Halfway 29.80 1 August 1989550 Man of Lamancha 30.02* 4 February 2003550 Toms Little Jo 29.88 3 June 2004550 Swahili Eile 29.85 16 February 2007550 Off the Fags 29.81 6 July 2007550 Leahs Boss 29.81 8 October 2008550 Mardocs Heinze 29.63 12 October 2008550 Mahogany Rumble 29.63 12 July 2009550 Carib King 29.63 26 July 2009550 Movealong Tony 29.6217 July 2011550 Cabra Buck 29.60 24 January 2013550 Clonbrien Swift 29.59 24 March 2019 575 Silver Shout 31.23 27 April 2003575 Charity Jack 31.15 24 October 2003575 Lucky Lindsey 31.05 23 August 2007700Lady Bon 40.40 18 May 1961730 Manx Sky 41.52*9 November 1987730 Crohane Lucy 41.16 1 February 1989730 Benedine Rose 41.16 1 February 1989730Mid Clare Lass 40.88 3 February 1990750 Just George 41.281988750 Top Award 41.90 17 April 2003750 Brave Legend 41.82 24 August 2006750 Musical Beauty 41.49 29 October 2006750 Dromana Blue 41.47 15 November 2007750 Flying Winner 41.26 22 November 2007 790 Able Queen 45.06 17 July 2003 790 Smooth Slippy 44.73 22 August 2004790 Lady Norma 44.72 22 August 2004790 Five Gold Bars 44.50 23 March 2008 790 Thatll Do Jack 44.41 25 January 2011790 Freedom Marconi 44.14 14 August 2011790 Kerryroad Baba 44.24 14 August 2011790 Usual Story 44.06 26 August 2012790 Razldazl Marilyn 44.00 17 January 2013 1000 Tokio Lady 58.99 19881015 Original Charm 58.15 27 July 2003 1025 Cute Way 59.34 30 January 1989 1025 Fairy Surprise 59.26 7 November 1991500 H Knockdrina Ranger 29.95 2 May 1957525 HFair King 31.00 1950525 HJerrys Wonder 30.90 11 May 1963 525 HUnguarded Moment =30.90 16 May 1963 525 HMars Mist 30.12 1988550 HQuarter Cross 32.55 1950
References