Kingdom Greyhound Stadium
![]() The stadium entrance in 2016 | |
Location | Brewery Road, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland |
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Coordinates | 52°16'29.9"N 9°42'00.0"W |
Operated by | Greyhound Racing Ireland |
Date opened | 1930 |
Race type | greyhound racing |
Official website |
Kingdom Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland.[1] It has been known as Oakview Park and the Tralee Greyhound Stadium previously.
Racing takes place every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evening and the facilities include a grandstand restaurant, fast food facilities, a number of bars, totalisator betting and seating. It also has a large car park around the stadium.[2]
Race distances are 500, 525, 550, 570, and 750 yards and the feature competitions at the track are the Juvenile Classic and the Race of Champions.[3]
History
A track known as the Ardfert Greyhound track in Ardfert opened in August 1929 but unfortunately closed the same year as a result of a larger track arriving in Oakview Village nearer to the Tralee town centre. The first meeting was held on 9 April 1930 at Oakview Park and the circumference was 476 yards making for a nice comfortable course for the greyhounds.[4]
The great Ballyhennessy Seal made his debut here in 1943 followed by Spanish Battleship, Ballymac Ball, Priceless Border and Patricias Hope, a quite remarkable list of greyhounds that graced the track over the years. In addition a series of competitions have been introduced over the years providing the Tralee public with regular annual events. The events were the Bloom 500, Harp Lager Stakes, Rose of Tralee, Clarke Cup, Kingdom Puppy Cup, Monalee Hiker Stakes and the MJ Hannafin Memorial Cup. The last mentioned event the MJ Hannafin Memorial Cup was named in memory of the Racing Manager at the track when it opened in 1930. His brothers to Jerry and Dennis Hannafin were two highly respected trainers in the industry.[4]
MJ Hannafin was Racing Manager until 1950 and then the hot seat was taken up by Kevin Laide for over thirty years before John Ward took over.[5]
At the turn of the 21st century, many Irish tracks received a boost from Greyhound Racing Ireland with refurbishment on the agenda. Tralee was no exception and underwent a major refit with the stadium redesigned for the new Millennium under the ownership of the Board.
Two new competitions the Juvenile Classic and Race of Champions have been introduced and they have quickly established themselves as leading feature events in the Irish racing calendar despite the fact that they have only been inaugurated in recent years.[6] The stadium underwent further upgrading in 2012 following extra investment by Greyhound Racing Ireland.
In December 2023, the stadium renewed the contract agreement (as part of the GRI) with S.I.S for 2024.[7]
Competitions
- Juvenile Classic
- Race of Champions
Track records
Current track records
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Former track records
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[13][14][15]
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References
- ^ "Kingdom Greyhound Stadium". Kerry Tourism.
- ^ "Kingdom Greyhound Stadium". Greyhound Racing Ireland.
- ^ "Tralee". Greyhound Data.
- ^ a b Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
- ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
- ^ "Greyhound Racing Ireland Has published the classic and feature events calendar for 2016". Greyhound Racing Ireland.
- ^ "SIS GRA 2024 Agreement". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ^ "Irish Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Lee Strand 325". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ^ "2023 Eric Browne Memorial Kingdom Derby Round 1". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ^ "Race record". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ "All Greyhound Supplies at G&PW 570". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ^ "Track records". Greyhound Data.
- ^ "Track records". Greyhound Star.
- ^ "Newbridge Track records". Greyhound Star.
- ^ "Kerry Coaches 325". Greyhound Racing Ireland.
- ^ "A new course record at Tralee". Vol. 16, no. 4. Greyhound Star. 4 April 1998.
- ^ "Con & Annie Kirby Memorial Trial Stake". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Kerry G.A.A.Supporters Race of Champions Semi-Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
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