Pelaw Grange
 The stadium circa.1980 | |
 | |
| Former names | Pelaw Grange Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Drum Road, Chester-le-Street DH3 2AF |
| Coordinates | 54°52′37.6″N 1°34′43.3″W / 54.877111°N 1.578694°W |
| Owner | Star Sports |
| Opened | 1944* |
| Tenants | |
| Greyhound racing | |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
Star Pelaw (previously Pelaw Grange Stadium) is a Greyhound Board of Great Britain regulated greyhound racing track located at North Lodge in the English county of Durham, between Chester-le-Street and Gateshead.[1] The stadium has a restaurant and a number of bars and is owned by Star Sports.
Racing takes place every Saturday evening.
Origins and opening
[edit]A greyhound track situated north of Chester-le-Street was constructed and named after Pelaw Grange a nearby country house and farm directly to the east. It was reportedly built in 1944* by a man called George Towers to the south of Drum Road and directly next to the railway with the back straight running parallel to the east side of the railway. It served the local population in the area with independent racing (unlicensed). The entire area was a hot bed of greyhound racing with links to the mining communities that lived in the county of Durham. It is also believed that there was a larger greyhound stadium just to the north in Birtley. [2]
The stadium was taken over by Joe and Joyce McKenna in January 1965, racing every Thursday and Saturday. The racing consisted of level and handicap races over distances of 241, 410 & 570 yards with an inside hare. The McKenna’s son Jeff eventually became the track promoter and he continued to offer independent racing taking the role of General and Racing Manager combined. Facilities improved over the years with the 360y circumference track becoming all-sand in the eighties. Competitions were introduced called the Newcastle Rose Bowl & Whitfield Oaks. There was computerised tote, car parking for 200 vehicles, three bars and two glass fronted stands. [3] [4]
Licensed racing
[edit]In 2005 Jeff McKenna and his wife Theresa changed over to race under rules after sixty years as an independent track. The application to the National Greyhound Racing Club was passed and the switchover took place on Monday 22 August with the first racing on the Thursday 25th 2005. [5]
The track installed Graeme Henigan as Racing Manager and there was also success from local trainers in National competitions including a National Sprint title for Clounlaheen trained by Mick Hurst. The track today runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday lunchtime with the current Racing Manager being David Gray. The track celebrated fifty years under the McKenna’s in August 2015 by hosting a Sky Sports television fixture for the first time featuring a meeting sponsored by Pin Point Recruitment. [6]
In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with ARC to race every Sunday evening.[7] In 2021, Jaguar Macie trained by Pelaw Grange attached Graham Rankin won the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby and the Northern Puppy Derby.[8][9]
In 2024, it was announced that the stadium had changed ownership with Star Sports purchasing the site from Jeff McKenna. Star Sports (owned by Ben Keith) renamed the stadium Star Pelaw.[10]
Track records
[edit]Current
[edit]| Metres | Greyhound | Time (sec) | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 245 | Forest Vic[13] | 14.33 | 26 October 2014 | |
| 435 | Blue Genisis[14] | 25.13 | 26 December 2007 | |
| 590 | Katies Vixen[15] | 35.61 | 18 June 2017 | |
| 780 | Calzaghe Lisa[16] | 47.88 | 11 August 2015 |
Former
[edit]Extended content
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References
[edit]- ^ "Track Search". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1946.
- ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, pages 295-296. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
- ^ Furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing, page 21. New Dominion House.
- ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008. page 196. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
- ^ "Racing Events 2015" (PDF). pelawgrange.co.uk.
- ^ "TRP Allocate Pelaw Schedule". Greyhound Star. 29 August 2018.
- ^ "LADBROKES PUPPY DERBY FINAL". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "Arena Racing Company Northern Puppy Derby". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ "New owners for Pelaw Grange dog track in Chester-le-Street". The Northern Echo. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ "Track records". Greyhound Data.
- ^ "British Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "14:11 Pelaw Grange OR 245m". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "E. Lloyd Hartland Boxing Day Standard Div 1". Greyhound Data. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "590 metres track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "Total Recycling Services Marathon". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.