Stamford Bridge Greyhounds was the greyhound racing operation held at Stamford Bridge in London, England.
Origins During 1933, Stamford Bridge Ltd, a subsidiary of parent company Greyhound Racing Association (GRA), took over the athletics track belonging to the London Athletic Club and forced them to leave because they wished to construct a greyhound track around the football pitch. The speedway team Stamford Bridge Pensioners were also forced to leave.
Opening The first night of racing was held on 31 July 1933 The track circumference as was 434 yards and it was described as a fast, average sized course with short 80-yard straights and banked bends of wide radius. Railers showed a slight advantage and the greyhounds were supplied by the famous GRA Hook Estate and Kennels in Northaw. The hare system was an outside McKee Cable hare.
History The Charlie Ashley trained Shove Halfpenny won the 1935 Pall Mall Stakes and Joe Harmon won the 1938 running of the same competition with Roeside Creamery. Events at Stamford Bridge included the Chelsea Cup, won by Creamery Border in 1936, who set a then a new world record of 28.01 seconds for 500 yards. In addition to the Chelsea Cup the tracks premier event would be the Stamford Bridge Produce Stakes, which was inaugurated in 1936.
Albert Jonas trained Return Fare II to Berkeley Cup success and the same trainer trained Roving Youth to the 1940 English Greyhound Derby final. In 1944 Stamford Bridge maintained its reputation for being an extremely fast track when Ballyhennessy Seal clocked 27.64 seconds for the 500 yards course, another world and national record.
In 1946, the Stamford Bridge totalisator turnover surpassed £5 million, to put this in perspective to football and Chelsea F.C. at the time, the British transfer record at the same time in 1946 was £14,500.
Jonas continued to train big race winners winning the Springbok with Kids Delight in 1947. During the fifties Kenneth Obee was Racing Manager before switching to sister track Harringay replaced by F A Branscombe. Assistant Racing Managers at this time included Sidney Wood and Jeff Jeffcoate. The resident trainers in 1965 consisted of Hancox, Ivor Morse, Forster, Sid Mann, Dick Clark and Jim Singleton but the GRA forced former trainer Albert Jonas and Dick Clark to leave the Northaw kennels.
With the formation of the Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) in 1967 the National Greyhound Racing Society named Stamford Bridge as one of the tracks to host the service. This meant racing was changed to Thursday afternoons at 2.30pm, with just one evening meeting remaining on Saturday at 6.15pm.
Closure On 1 August 1968, the GRA closed Stamford Bridge to greyhound racing, quoting the fact that Stamford Bridge was forced to race on the same days as the White City.
Competitions Stamford Bridge Produce Stakes +YearWinnerBreedingTrainerTimeSP1936 Bellas Jim Maidens Boy – Walthams Bella Stanley Biss (West Ham) 28.56 7-21937 Junior Classic Beef Cutlet – Lady Eleanor Joe Harmon (Wimbledon) 28.00 1-3f1946 Trev's HarlequinRock Callan – Wotta Gem Fred Trevillion (Private) 28.30 7-11947 Trev's Idol Trev's Despatch – G R Bexhill Fred Trevillion (Private) 28.60 7-21948 Kids Shop Paddy Fortune (Wimbledon) 28.09 100-71949 Denver Agent Stanley Biss (Clapton) 28.57 20-11950 Hunsdon Stoat Tom Smith (Clapton) 28.52 20–11951 Moreton Ann Grand Hussar – Moreton Lily Jack Harvey (Wembley) 28.25 10-11f1952 Kensington PerfectionBlack Invasion – Lambourn FireflyBill Higgins (Oxford) 28.28 11–41953 Prince Lionel Tom Lightfoot (White City) 28.04 1-1f1954 Ramsey Clipper Slaney Record – Sally Gap Paddy McEvoy (Private) 28.05 8-13f1955Marazion MillpoolDangerous Prince – Marazion MinnieJoe Pickering (New Cross)28.31 100–71956 Highwood Spot Westbourne – Pretty Miss AmberTom Smith (Clapton) 27.78 4-7f1957 Tams Tamarisk Imperial Dancer – Wonderful Jimmy Jowett (Clapton) 28.08 100-81958 Tams Torness Prince Chancer – Tams Trasna Jimmy Jowett (Clapton) 27.87 2-5f1959 Kensington PioneerKensington Prince – Ann DellMarjorie Phipps (Oxford) 27.64 15–81960 Luxury Liner Northern King – Brazen Hussy Gunner Smith (Brighton) 27.86 4-6f1961 Beaverwood FlashChurchtown Ben – Stans DaughterFrank Sanderson (Private) 27.731962 Tripaway Low Pressure – High Flight Vivien Pateman (Private) 27.831963 Hebes AmbassadorRialto Crown – Dream Car Joe Pickering (White City) 28.02 1964 Marvellous City Ballymac Sailor - Alone Frank Conlon (Private) 27.94 3–11965Caledonian Jet Prairie Flash – Caledonian OpalGeorge Carrigill (Private) 27.86
Other Winter Stayers Trophy Chelsea Cup May Stakes
Track records Distance (yards) Greyhound Time Date Notes500Creamery Border 28.01 1936+ World & National Record500 Ballyhennessy Seal27.64 20 May 1944 World & National Record500Mighty Hassan 27.24 04 July 1959500Oregon Prince 27.15 27 July 1961700Kampion Sailor 39.96 09 May 1946700Dunmore Rocco 39.25 16 May 1959700Ballymurn Prince 39.08 11 August 1962880Maddalena 51.05 05 November 1959880Strolling Girl 50.28 15 September 1960934Magic Brooklyn 54.21 30 May 1959934Hard Pressed Again53.81 11 August 1962500 hurdlesBealtaine 28.27 15 September 1938 National Record500 hurdlesBus Stop 28.18 30 May 1959 500 hurdlesCrimson Wave28.13 27 August 1964700 hurdlesSpeedway Rebel41.30 29 June 1939 National Record700 hurdlesOlly's Playboy40.46 13 June 1959700 hurdlesAll Alone 40.42 11 June 1960500 ChaseChange That 28.44 13 June 1961
Tote Returns
Tote ReturnsYear£ 19381,475,62419411,819,70819421,220,6801943980,73819441,271,82219453,680,96619465,749,59219473,787,382
Tote ReturnsYear£ 19482,688,31019492,373,26319502,015,52519511,856,63019521,750,34919531,577,00019541,561,00019621,320,316
Tote ReturnsYear£ 19631,225,67019641,124,29819651,275,36819661,249,30119671,383,7941968703,205+
+closed during the year
References