Cork Greyhound Stadium
Cork Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium on Western Road in Cork, Munster.[1] It is not to be confused with Curraheen Park.
| |
| Location | Western Road, Cork, Munster |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°53′35.1″N 8°30′00.3″W |
| Opened | 1936 |
| Closed | 2000 |
Origins
The first greyhound track in Cork was known as The Show Grounds Greyhound Track and ran from 1928-1935 but closed on 20 September 1935 following the decision to relocate to a site nearer the city centre. The site chosen was between Western Road and the north bank of the River Lee near the Wellington Bridge.[2]
Opening
Less than one year after the closure of the circuit at the Showgrounds the second Cork track opened for business on 13 June 1936. Pat O’Brien was installed as the manager.[3]
History
The Irish provincial tracks pressured the Irish Coursing Club for the right to stage Ireland's premier event, the Irish Greyhound Derby which had been exclusively run in Dublin. During a vote in 1939 the club agreed to let Limerick host the race followed by Cork in 1941 but due to the Foot-and-mouth disease in 1941 racing had ceased and when the ban on racing was lifted Cork unfortunately ruled themselves out from being able to host the event at such short notice.[4][5]
In 1942 the chance to hold the Derby was taken despite the fact that Cork could not match the prize money offered by the Dublin tracks. Record crowds attended the event won by Uacterlainn Riac. Cork never hosted the Derby again but in 1944 the Laurels was inaugurated at the track over 500 yards and would soon become a classic race.[6]
The Oaks was held at the track twice in 1939 and 1943 and a competition originally named the Pegasus Cup was also introduced. The Pegasus Cup was renamed the Perpetual Challenge Trophy and later the Guinness Trophy. The Bord na gCon installed a new totalisator system at four tracks including Cork in 1960 and one year later the Laurels switched to the slightly longer distance of 525 yards. Laurels winners included Spanish Chestnut in 1949 and 1950 and the legendary Spanish Battleship took the competition in 1955. Cork bookmakers Liam Cashman sponsored the event for many years.[3]
The Bord na gCon purchased the stadium in 1969 safeguarding the future of the track from redevelopment. The circumference of the track was 445 yards which consisted of race distances of 300, 310, 500, 525, 550, 70, 745 and 525 hurdles.
Closure
By the late 1980s the facilities were struggling to cope with the large Cork attendances and the Bord na gCon sold the site of the greyhound track in Cork in 1996 and purchased a green-field site in Curraheen on the western fringes of the city with the intention of building a brand new facility there. It took until the year 2000 for the Bord na gCon plans of a new track in Cork to come to fruition. The Western Road venue was redeveloped into the Western Gateway Building (science building of the University College Cork).[7]
Competitions
Track records
| Yards | Greyhound | Time | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | Lucky Blunder | 16.60 | 29.07.1967 | |
| 300 | Bunny Browney | 16.50 | 06.09.1973 | |
| 300 | Hidden Fortune | 16.50 | 08.09.1973 | |
| 300 | Moonshine Again | 16.45 | 13.05.1978 | |
| 300 | Odell Supreme | 16.43 | 30.08.1986 | |
| 300 | Sarahs Moth | 16.35 | 29.09.1989 | |
| 300 | Moyra Road | 16.00 | 08.11.1995 | |
| 310 | Blondsman | 17.50 | 1950 | |
| 310 | Odd Crest | 17.20 | 08.08.1975 | |
| 500 | Double Shadow | 28.82 | 1950 | |
| 500 | Spanish Battleship | 1955 | ||
| 500 | Last Lap | 28.15 | 1960 | |
| 500 | Prince of Bermuda | 27.95 | 12.09.1956 | |
| 525 | Clogher Cross | 29.96 | 1950 | |
| 525 | Socks On | 29.64 | May 1957 | |
| 525 | Kilcaskin Kern | 29.45 | May 1957 | |
| 525 | Dark Baby | 29.40 | 1962 | |
| 525 | Tanyard Heather | 29.20 | 1964 | |
| 525 | Wandering Sailor | =29.20 | 1970 | |
| 525 | Ivy Hall Flash | 29.10 | 29.10.1971 | |
| 525 | Kilbracken Style | 29.10 | 08.09.1973 | |
| 525 | Allemaine | 29.05 | 30.10.1978 | |
| 525 | Knockrour Slave | 29.00 | 30.08.1980 | |
| 525 | The Stranger [8] | 28.95 | 04.09.1982 | Irish Laurels Final |
| 525 | Airmount Grand | 28.82 | 1989 | Irish Laurels Final |
| 525 | Adraville Bridge | 28.78 | 14.07.1990 | Irish Laurels Final |
| 525 | Live Contender | 28.50 | 17.11.1990 | |
| 550 | Gorriencoona Border | 31.40 | Pre 1949 | |
| 550 | Spanish Lad | 31.00 | 07.10.1949 | |
| 700 | Muskerry Cream | 40.85 | 1950 | |
| 700 | Lucky Break | 40.00 | 30.05.1964 | |
| 700 | Anner Duke | 39.80 | 15.05.1982 | |
| 700 | Kilcommon Cross | 39.70 | 14.07.1990 | |
| 745 | Pure Hand | 43.00 | 19.05.1962 | |
| 745 | Wings of the Morning | 43.00 | 23.06.1962 | =equalled |
| 745 | Dempseys Glory | 42.95 | 15.09.1973 | |
| 745 | Experience | 42.80 | 05.09.1981 | |
| 525 H | Deputy Lieutenant | 30.74 | 1950 | |
| 525 H | Ashgrove Look | 30.15 | 11.07.1966 | |
| 525 H | Race Riot | 29.75 | 07.07.1973 |
References
- Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
- "Cork". Irish maps. Archived from the original on 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
- Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
- Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
- Fortune, Michael. The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby. Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN 0709-0609.
- Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
- Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. ISBN 1-904317-07-3.
- "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1982) September edition". Greyhound Star.