30-721: The Monmore Puppy Derby also known as the Premier Greyhound Racing Puppy Derby for sponsorship purposes, is a greyhound competition held at Monmore Green Stadium . It was inaugurated in 1943 and is also known as the Midland Puppy Championship , the Midland Puppy Derby and the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby . In 1963, the event switched to Willenhall Greyhound Stadium , following the fire that destroyed
60-539: A 31-year career handing the reigns to Tony Williamson who had served for twenty years as Wood's assistant. The prestigious Trafalgar Cup competition was held for the first time in 2015. In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with SIS to race every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon and every Thursday and Saturday evening. Leading trainer Kevin Hutton joined the track in August 2018. In 2022, Entain signed
90-926: A double success in 2010 when Target Classic picked up the William Hill Classic and England Expects lifted the William Hill Grand Prix on the same evening. Elwick Chris trained by Michael Walsh won the Laurels in 2010 and Droopys Hester won the Champion Stakes one year later. In 2012 Newcastle won the BAGS/SIS Track Championship. In May 2017 the Arena Racing Company (ARC) acquired both Sunderland Greyhound Stadium and Newcastle Greyhound Stadium from William Hill. The stadium gained one of
120-535: A football team called Newcastle City had played on the site from 1912 to 1914. The stadium plot had previously contained garden allotments and the north section of the football ground. The stadium was constructed just south of the Fossway, east of Tunstall Avenue and west of the large garden allotments that ran alongside Roman Way. The transfer of the lease to the Greyhound Racing Association
150-507: A long term deal with the Arena Racing Company for media rights, starting in January 2024. In 2023, the stadium owners announced that speedway would cease after the 2023 season. Newcastle Stadium Newcastle Stadium is a greyhound racing and former motorcycle speedway stadium, located on The Fossway, Byker , Newcastle . Racing at the stadium takes place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The circumference of
180-635: A policy of having joint Racing Managers covering both Monmore and Willenhall. In the fifties Peter Cartwright left his position as Racing Manager to join the National Greyhound Racing Club and was replaced by Bob Harwood. Further competitions were introduced at the track that included the Midland St Leger, Midland Classic Potential, Pride of the Midlands and Staffordshire Knot. In 1963, a devastating fire swept through
210-670: A smaller stand on the back straight, also with licensed club facilities. In addition to the stands there were several tote buildings located on the home straight and between bends three and four next to the tote indicator and coffee bar. Brough Park became the second greyhound stadium in Newcastle because the Tyneside Sports Stadium Ltd opened a track to the south of Scotswood Bridge called the White City Stadium just 28 days previous. The opening night
240-793: Is a greyhound racing and former motorcycle speedway stadium located in Wolverhampton . The stadium has private suites, a restaurant and a number of bars. The venue is owned and operated by the Ladbrokes Coral group. Motorcycle speedway was raced on Monday nights with the Wolverhampton Wolves competing in the top division of the sport. The speedway track at Monmore Green is 264 metres (289 yards) long. Matinée races take place on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays with evening race meetings on Thursday and Saturday nights. The track hosts several major races including
270-643: The Golden Jacket classic race in 1986 before it moved to Crayford Stadium and a pre-war event the Midland Gold Cup returned in 1994. The stadium underwent changes in 1996 including a change of hare system from a Sumner to a Swaffham. 2011 was a very successful year for the track when they won the BAGS National Track Championship and trainer Chris Allsopp became champion trainer. In 2013, Jim Woods retired after
300-752: The Television trophy title . In 1969 Shady Begonia won the Regency . In 1971 Ramdeen Stuart (trained by Oliver) won the classic races the St Leger and Gold Collar ; other successes were the Stewards Cup , Ben Truman Stakes and Scottish St Leger . Trainer Bill Raggatt steered Cute Caddie to a Stow Marathon victory in 1973 and Norman Oliver was voted Greyhound Trainer of the Year in 1973 but Patricias Hope stopped Ramdeen Stuart from taking Greyhound of
330-407: The 1981 decimation of horse racing fixtures due to bad weather the track held BAGS (Bookmakers’ Afternoon Greyhound Service) fixtures for the first time. The tracks resident kennels were demolished in the late eighties making way for the contract trainer system and Jim Woods arrived from Nottingham Greyhound Stadium to take over as Racing Manager with Bob Harwood General Manager. The stadium hosted
SECTION 10
#1732793872061360-410: The 1986 Television Trophy at the track. Jubilee Rebecca won the 1994 Television Trophy for trainer Gordon Rooks. A major milestone and turning point for the track arrived in 2003. William Hill bookmakers purchased the track which then underwent major investment similar to that of Sunderland Greyhound Stadium whom William Hill had acquired the year before. A rebranding took place in 2007 and because
390-596: The Great Western Railway line and East Park (a large sculptured park and gardens). The official opening night was Wednesday 11 January 1928 organised by a company called the Midland Greyhound Racing Association. A 10,000 strong crowd witnessed the seven races including two hurdle events and the first greyhound to win a race was Arrow Tranby winning one of the 500 yards races in a time of 32.08 secs at odds of 6-1 when winning
420-720: The Ladbrokes Gold Cup, Ladbrokes Puppy Derby, Ladbrokes Festival 630's, Ladbrokes Summer Cup and from 2015 the prestigious puppy competition the Trafalgar Cup . The track features prominently in the song "Monmore, Hare's Running" on the 1997 album Voyage to the Bottom of the Road by the band Half Man Half Biscuit . Monmore opened in 1928 south-east of Wolverhampton and south of the Sutherland Road between
450-666: The Shirley Stakes. In 1935, the large resident Monmore kennels were split into two sections and also served Willenhall Greyhound Stadium . Unlike many tracks Monmore remained open during the majority of the war and introduced the Midland Puppy Championship in 1943, which would become the Midland Puppy Derby and then the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby (not to be confused with the more prestigious Puppy Derby held at Wimbledon Stadium ). The company ran
480-567: The Totalisators and Greyhound Holdings (TGH). In 1970 TGH purchased Willenhall and Monmore from the Midland Greyhound Racing Co Ltd to add to the existing tracks of Crayford & Bexleyheath , Gosforth , Leeds and Brough Park that they already owned. Four years later in 1974 Ladbrokes bought out TGH and added another racetrack Perry Barr . Arthur Aldridge became Racing Director for Ladbrokes and following
510-448: The Year . 1974 brought about new owners to Brough Park as the TGH which included Crayford & Bexleyheath , Gosforth and Leeds was taken over by Ladbrokes . New joint Racing Managers were Tony Smith and Paul Richardson and the new director of racing for Ladbrokes was Arthur Aldridge. The stadium underwent improvements with a new restaurant. Three years later in 1977 a new competition
540-722: The company was headed by James Glass father of trainer Jane Glass. The kennels were sold for redevelopment into the Brough Park trading estate and soon after in 1984 the track changed hands from Glassedin Greyhounds Ltd to Bernard and Joan Neesham. Just two years later Kevin Wilde headed a management team that leased the track and then he bought the track from the Neeshams in September 1986. The legendary Scurlogue Champ won
570-662: The final. During the fifties the Racing Manager was Mr Greeves and he officiated during the period when greyhounds such as Endless Gossip and Just Fame claimed victory in the All England Cup. As the sixties arrived the track underwent considerable changes including new ownership and management. In 1964 the Totalisators and Greyhound Holdings (TGH) became owners of stadium followed by a new general manager in Dan McCormick and Racing Manager Mr R Slater. The hare
600-463: The greyhound track is 415 metres. From 1929 until mid-2022, speedway racing took place at the stadium. The stadium used to be known as Brough Park until it changed its name to Newcastle Stadium and is now owned by the Arena Racing Company . In 1927 an area of land in Byker was selected for a new greyhound stadium. The site had previously been a racecourse for trotting, that had been laid out 1899 and
630-457: The main grandstand resulting in the closure of the track for a considerable period whilst repairs were made. The annual Midland Puppy Championship had to be switched to Willenhall. The fire instigated a major change with the grandstand undergoing significant investment in the mid-sixties to include an ultra-modern glass fronted restaurant with tiered viewing and waitress service. It brought the facilities up to date and attracted outside interest from
SECTION 20
#1732793872061660-402: The main stand and restaurant at Monmore. In 2022, the event was sponsored by Premier Greyhound Racing and £20,000 was awarded to the winner, which was double the amount that the traditional and long running competition The Puppy Derby offered. Former competitions Former competitions Current competitions Former competitions Monmore Green Stadium Monmore Green Stadium
690-565: The sports most prestigious competitions the Laurels in 2017 from the GRA . There is now renewed hope that the competition may regain its category 1 status and increase its prize fund. In 2017 Angela Harrison took over the trainer's licence and Newcastle contract from Jimmy Wright and in 2018 the stadium signed a deal with their parent company ARC to race every Wednesday lunchtime, Thursday evening and every Friday and Saturday afternoon. Droopys Verve trained by Angela Harrison finished runner-up in
720-486: The track was the only one left in Newcastle the decision was made to rename the stadium from Brough Park to Newcastle. The investment in the new facilities and track was rewarded with selection as the host of the Television Trophy in 2009 and Newcastle under Operations Manager Ian Walton and Racing Manager Paul Twinn have seen the standard of greyhounds become one of the best in the country. Jimmy Wright scored
750-527: The unique situation where during the 1946 running of the All England Cup all four national Derby champions competed. The English Greyhound Derby champion Mondays News, Irish Greyhound Derby winner Lilac Luck, Scottish Greyhound Derby winner Lattin Pearl and Welsh Greyhound Derby champion Negro's Lad all lined up for the event. The hope that all four would progress to the final failed to materialise but Mondays News and Lattin Pearl did finish first and second in
780-479: Was arranged in June 1927. The resident kennels were constructed right next to the Fossway and sat directly on the route of Hadrian's Wall . The kennels were very large and accommodated the greyhounds that would supply both Brough Park and Gosforth in later years. On the south side of these kennels was the tracks third and fourth bends. The stadium had a main stand on the home straight with licensed club facilities and
810-541: Was described as a good grass track, 430 yards in circumference with distances of 295, 500 & 520 yards with an inside Sledge-Trackless hare. The 500 yard distance had recently replaced 480 yards and a rarely seen centre green hare controller was in operation (the vast majority of tracks drove the hare from a home straight position). Two more competitions called the Northumberland Stakes and Northumberland Cup were introduced. In 1946 Brough Park experienced
840-515: Was inaugurated and was called the Trainers Championship , this involved a series races with greyhounds from the top six trainers in the country. Brough Park was chosen as the very first venue that saw a tie between Natalie Savva and Geoff De Mulder. In 1980 the track changed from grass to sand and Bill Hughes became Racing Manager. The future became uncertain when Ladbrokes decide to sell the track in 1983 to Glassedin Greyhounds Ltd;
870-492: Was on 23 June 1928 with the first ever race being won by a greyhound called Marvin at odds of 3-1. In 1938 the All England Cup was introduced and the significant prize money attracted many of the top greyhounds from London and the south. The competition worth £1,100, replaced the Northumberland Stakes as the primary event at the stadium. As with many tracks the war soon interrupted the regular racing. The surface
900-411: Was switched to an outside Navan type with racing held on Thursday and Saturday evenings. Distances were 525, 650, 700, 750 and 880 yards including hurdles over 525 yards. In 1967 Norman Oliver secured the 1967 Scottish Greyhound Derby with Hi Ho Silver. This started a great run of form for the kennels as Shady Begonia reached the 1968 English Greyhound Derby final one year later as well as securing
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