Norton Canes Stadium

Norton Canes Stadium was a former greyhound racing track situated in Norton Canes, near Cannock in Staffordshire.[1]

Norton Canes Stadium
LocationNorton Canes, near Cannock in Staffordshire
Coordinates52°39′55″N 1°57′37″W
Opened1974
Closed1995

Origins

Charles Southall built the track in 1974 and chose a site east of the village of Norton Canes on the west side of the Brownhills Road. The track was dwarfed by the large Chasewater reservoir on its eastern side.[2]

Opening

Racing began under the N.G.R.C permit scheme in 1975 and races were run over the distances of 265m, 440m, 617m, 792m and 969m. Facilities included a licensed club house and there was a car park for 400 vehicles, kennels for 75 greyhounds and a glass fronted covered stand.[3]

History

The management introduced two competitions called the Norton Canes Derby and the Champion Bitch Stakes. Stephen Rea took over the lease in 1980 at a time when a rival track the Chasewater Raceway opened. In 1984 Rea sold the lease to John Preece a businessman with an engineering firm in Stourbridge. The track enjoyed a popular spell with Preece as a promoter, the attendances went up and it attracted one of the sports leading trainers Geoff De Mulder.[4]

DeMulder trained Fearless Ace when he won the Pall Mall Stakes in 1988 and in 1992 Glideaway Silver won the Scottish Greyhound Derby; The white and fawn dog was trained by Michael Compton. English Greyhound Derby final appearances followed for Cooladine Style in 1989 and Fair Hill Boy and Galtymore Lad in 1990.[5]

Other trainers included Norman Johnson, Sylvia Houlker, Melvin Baker, Russ Kinsey, Maurice Buckland and George Lightfoot and Harry Dodds trained Appleby Lisa who became the Gold Collar champion in 1991. Derek Pugh brought the Irish sales to Norton Canes for a short spell in the early nineties after selling Cradley Heath Stadium.[6]

Closure

Norton Canes came to an abrupt end on 31 July 1995[7] when Preece pulled out as promoter after struggling to keep the track profitable.[8] The track then suffered a serious fire in March 1996 effectively ending any chance of sport returning to the site.[9]

Derelict

As of 2012 the site was still derelict awaiting planning permission for a housing development.

Norton Canes Derby

[4]

Year Winner Breeding Trainer Time SP Notes
1975 InformationBright Lad – Up TwoJohn Gibbons (Private)27.64
1976 Brookhouse GentMoordyke Charlie – Alderley DuchessE Stanyer (Permit)27.8411-10f
1977 Autumn BelinKilbelin Style – High TemperatureGeoff De Mulder (Hall Green)27.854-6f
1978 ShunaItsachampion – Move SueKen Shearman (Permit)27.16
1990 Linthurst RitaBuncarrig – Tinys PetLeo Pugh (Hall Green)26.985-1
1991 Cottesloe ChampRoad Whisper – Shanavulin BlackDeardon (Norton Canes)27.357-2

Track records
Distance
metres		 Greyhound Time Date Notes
265Adam15.0107.06.1986
440Oakfield Colin26.9118.11.1983
440Larryandy26.8824.06.1991
440Mandies Supreme26.8821.10.1991=equalled
440Moral Start26.7722.11.1991
570Townview Snowy35.791987
570Lucky Lagamore35.6302.12.1991
617Slaneyside Point39.6112.09.1983
617Murlens Panther39.3001.11.1989
617Lucky Lagamore39.2811.11.1991
792High July53.031980
792Shropshire Lass52.911991
969Shropshire Lass65.5324.11.1989
440 HMoreen Flamingoe28.271987
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gollark: I'm pretty sure I suggested that ages ago.

References
  1. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  2. "OS Plan (partial) 1982". old-maps.co.uk.
  3. Genders, Roy (1990). NGRC book of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. p. 49. ISBN 0-7207-1804-X.
  4. Barnes/Sellers, Julia/John (1992). Ladbrokes Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. pp. 78–79. ISBN 0-948955-22-8.
  5. Dack, Barrie (1990). Greyhound Derby, the first 60 years. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-36-8.
  6. Fry, Paul (1995). The Official NGRC Greyhound Racing Yearbook. Ringpress Books. ISBN 186054-010-4.
  7. "Remember When - March". Greyhound Star.
  8. Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. ISBN 1-904317-07-3.
  9. "Remember When series (March 2020)". Greyhound Star.
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