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Pelaw Grange

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Coordinates: 54°52′37″N 1°34′44″W / 54.87708°N 1.57875°W / 54.87708; -1.57875
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Pelaw Grange Stadium
The stadium circa.1980
Map
LocationDrum Road, Chester-le-Street DH3 2AF
Coordinates54°52′37.6″N 1°34′43.3″W / 54.877111°N 1.578694°W / 54.877111; -1.578694
Opened1944*
Tenants
Greyhound racing
Website
Official website

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 has been owned by the McKenna family since January 1965.

Racing takes place every Friday and Saturday night as well as Sunday evenings.

Origins and opening

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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

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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]

The stadium in 2013

Track records

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Current

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[10][11]

Metres Greyhound Time Date Notes
245 Forest Vic[12] 14.33 26 October 2014
435 Blue Genisis[13] 25.13 26 December 2007
590 Katies Vixen[14] 35.61 18 June 2017
780 Calzaghe Lisa[15] 47.88 11 August 2015

Former

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Extended content
Distance
metres 		Greyhound Time Date Notes
245 Craan Fleece 14.78 24 March 2008
245 Mill Pearl 14.57 8 September 2008
245 Lampard 14.51 28 May 2011
260 Stouke Society 15.52 4 February 2006
435 Family Title 25.46 23 September 2006
435 Maglass Legend 25.35 10 September 2007
590 Travelyans Corn 36.48 24 March 2008
590 Malden Flight 36.05 25 August 2008
590 Malden Flight 35.86 8 September 2008
590 Droopys Freda 35.75 15 September 2008
605 Zigzag Kit 36.84 26 December 2005
605 Beren 37.51 26 December 2005
605 Amolee Classic 37.28 24 July 2006
605 Joyous Leader 37.20 28 August 2006
605 Blue Tom Cat 36.98 30 October 2006
605 Stretching Out 36.96 27 August 2007
605 Droopys Freda 36.81 26 December 2007
780 Schofield Bertie 48.46 5 May 2008

References

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  1. ^ "Track Search". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  2. ^ Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1946.
  3. ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, pages 295-296. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
  4. ^ Furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing, page 21. New Dominion House.
  5. ^ Hobbs, Jonathan (2007). Greyhound Annual 2008. page 196. Raceform. ISBN 978-1-905153-53-4.
  6. ^ "Racing Events 2015" (PDF). pelawgrange.co.uk.
  7. ^ "TRP Allocate Pelaw Schedule". Greyhound Star.
  8. ^ "LADBROKES PUPPY DERBY FINAL". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Arena Racing Company Northern Puppy Derby". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Track records". Greyhound Data.
  11. ^ "British Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  12. ^ "14:11 Pelaw Grange OR 245m". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  13. ^ "E. Lloyd Hartland Boxing Day Standard Div 1". Greyhound Data. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  14. ^ "590 metres track record result". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Total Recycling Services Marathon". Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
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54°52′37″N 1°34′44″W / 54.87708°N 1.57875°W / 54.87708; -1.57875

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