Henlow Stadium

Henlow Stadium is a greyhound track located at Stondon, in the English county of Bedfordshire, slightly to the north of Hitchin.[1] The stadium has a restaurant, a number of bars and a bistro.

Henlow Stadium
LocationBedford Road, Lower Stondon, Henlow SG16 6EA
Coordinates51°46′19″N 0°03′49″E
Opened1927
Tenants
Greyhound racing

Racing takes place every Monday and Thursday morning, Tuesday evening and Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

History

20th Century

During the boom time of greyhound racing in 1927 Henlow was one of many tracks appearing around Britain, the site at Henlow Camp was previously a straights track starting in 1923. Racing got underway on 1 August 1927 but the track was to remain independent (unlicensed) for nearly fifty years. The stadium located on the Bedford Road, Lower Stondon in an area known as Henlow Camp named after the First World War RAF Henlow but now a civilian settlement. In the early days of racing the hare was a drag lure driven by a lorry wheel and racing was watched from the Ickleford side of the track. There were issues in the early thirties when due to the popularity of Sunday racing the crowds unintentionally but continually blocked the main road when frequenting the track. In 1935 the track licence changed hands from H.E Day to A.A Furr.[2]

Henlow remained a popular flapping track and had a capacity of just 1,000 spectators after the Second World War following a switch of viewing facilities to the other side of the track still used today. In the late fifties the Smith family took over the running of the track and in the late sixties racing was held on Monday and Friday evenings at 7.45pm over distances of 350, 530 and 880 yards. The circumference was 470 yards and the principal event was the Henlow Derby. There was an inside Sumner hare on an all sand track with seven bookmakers on site. Totalisator and photo finish had also been installed.[3]

In 1974 Come on Wonder (full litter brother to Dolores Rocket) broke track records at West Ham Stadium and Crayford & Bexleyheath Stadium before being disqualified and going on to race on the independent circuits winning the Henlow Derby. It was not until 1976 that the opportunity arose to race under the National Greyhound Racing Club permit rules, SW Smith was the General Manager and Dave Smith was the Racing Manager. Track changes resulted in the circumference being made considerably smaller, the 412 circumference hosted distances of 318, 484, 730 and 890 metres, the third and fourth bends retained a rather odd shape in the process.[4]

In January 1994 Jock McNaughton a Strathclyde man bought the track from the Smith family, McNaughton had previously been a permit trainer at Rye House Stadium and Henlow and as a boy had raced at Blantyre. The track changed again when Tony McDonnell bought the lease under the name of Henlow Racing Ltd. McDonnell would be General Manager and he bring in an ex-trainer Keith Mellor as the Racing Manager. McDonnell continued to run the track but changes were made on the management front, Keith Woolsey became General Manager and Paul Mellor (son of Keith) Racing Manager.[5]

21st Century

In 2006 a new restaurant was constructed in the stadium, at a cost of £464,000.[6] Businessman Bob Morton (known for owning Westmead Hawk) purchased the track from Tony McDonnell in 2008 along with Kevin Boothby who took a half share. Morton and Boothby had saved the track from potential development but Morton moved back to the Channel Islands in 2012 leaving Kevin Boothby in sole control.[7]

In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with SIS to race every Monday morning, Tuesday evening, Thursday morning and Sunday afternoon.[8] Leading trainer Mark Wallis joined the track during August 2018.[9]

Achievements

Competitions

Track records

Current
Distance
metres		 Greyhound Time Date Notes
277Queen Anna [13]16.2329.10.2017
428Queen Adele [14]25.1524.06.2018
460Forest Chunk [15]26.9803.12.2017
460 hurdlesBomber Bailey28.2023.07.2009
550Roswell Romanov [16]32.8625.03.2018
692Dazzle Special42.0208.03.2010
842King Kane52.6624.08.2014
870Midway Skipper54.9313.08.2009

Previous
Distance
metres		 Greyhound Time Date Notes
250Night Trooper15.2523.11.1998
250Night Breeze15.101999
250Gamble It14.9601.05.2000
250Quivers Ace14.9207.06.2007
277Second Option16.6504.04.2008
277Minnies Tyrana16.5221.05.2009
277Droopys Bocelli16.2617.12.2009
318Ecins Best19.0108.09.1980
318Chin No Nose18.9712.04.1991
428Bush Standard25.5608.11.2012
428Boher Chieftain25.8204.10.2012
428Aero Babooshka25.5322.03.2015
428Saffrons Anna [17]25.5020.03.2016
428Queen Adele [18]25.3310.06.2018
428Queen Adele [19]25.2617.06.2018
460Trade Congress27.6519.06.1998
460Couriers Dream27.4318.09.1998
460Fear Khan27.2825.09.2005
460Westmead Osprey27.2516.09.2010
460Westmead Osprey27.2107.10.2010Henlow Derby heats
460Taylors Sky27.2113.10.2011Henlow Derby heats
460Taylors Sky27.0820.10.2011Henlow Derby semi-finals
460Mays King27.0501.06.2014
460Rio Quattro=27.0519.10.2014
484Raheen Rudie29.1203.1986
484Westmead Call29.1210.10.1986Henlow Derby final
484Cannongrand29.0825.10.1989
550Westmead Baron33.3518.05.2001
550Little Honcho33.3025.04.2005
550Westmead Liz33.2502.01.2006
550Questhouse Ellie33.1024.04.2006
550Westmead Bolt33.0720.10.2011
550Airport Captain32.9421.07.2013
550Jet Stream Sound [20]32.8716.08.2015
680Snow Shoes42.1425.11.1991
680Shebas Lass42.8729.10.1990
680Snow Shoes42.6020.11.1991
680Fortunate Man42.5120.11.1991
680Snow Shoes42.1425.11.1991
660Lobo40.2115.10.1999
692Ard Beauty42.3123.04.2009
730Chicita Banana44.9613.06.1990
730Blue Shirt45.5018.06.1984
730Tarnwood Snowdrop45.221988
730Chicita Banana44.9613.06.1990
870Tiptree Poker55.3127.10.1997
870Betathan Pebbles54.9530.10.2005
890Clydes Dolores57.2022.02.1988
890Cregagh Prince57.291987
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References
  1. "Track Search". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  2. Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing, pages 29-30. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
  3. furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing. New Dominion House.
  4. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing, page 55. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  5. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 188. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  6. "Remember When - April 2006". Greyhound Star.
  7. "Morton buys in at Henlow". The Racing Post.
  8. "SIS announces schedule for SIS British Greyhound Service for 2018". SIS.
  9. "Wallis Joins Henlow". Greyhound Star.
  10. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 92. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  11. Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008, page 83. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  12. "Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  13. "Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  14. "Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  15. "Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  16. "2018 track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  17. "Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  18. "Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  19. "Result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.
  20. "2015 result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain.

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