Oxford Stadium

Oxford Stadium is former greyhound racing^[1] and speedway venue in Oxford, located in Sandy Lane, Cowley.

Races were held every Saturday evening with afternoon BAGS (Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service) racing on Friday and Sunday. Race evenings also included Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings at various times throughout the years.

History

The stadium was built in 1938 on the site of a 'flapping' (non regulated) track where owners could turn up and run their greyhounds around an oval on the days selected for racing. The rear wheel of a jacked up motor car was used to drive the lure around the track. A main grandstand building was erected and the stadium joined the regulatory governing body of the NGRC (National Greyhound Racing Club). The inaugural race night was on 31 March 1939 and was officially opened by Lord Denham.

The greyhound racing was held every year from 1939 with the exception of occasional breaks for bad weather and twice in 1976 and 1977 following a successful local petition against the council who wanted to sell the land for housing.

In 1986 a huge expansion took place with a multi million pound rebuild and the stadium quickly became one on the biggest provincial tracks in the country.

A further facelift resulted after the stadium was bought by the G.R.A in 1999. An extension to the restaurant to seat 350 customers and three executive suites with private facilities for 24 customers per suite were built and completed in March 2000. The stadium was awarded track of the year in the West region as voted by the British Greyhound Racing Board.

GRA were subject to a takeover by Risk Capital Partners with development partner Galliard Homes in 2005 for £52.4m. Plans for 150 houses and 75 flats were muted but the council publicly stated they were in favour of keeping the site for leisure use.^[2]

However it did not stop the site from being closed and the last greyhound meeting was held on 29 December 2012 in front of a capacity crowd with the winner being Moorstown Mystiq.

Track layout

The circumference of the track was 395 metres, with race distances of 250, 450, 595, 645 and 845 metres. Most races were run over 450 metres and the run to the first bend was around 110 metres with the sectional time recorded at 55 metres.

Stadium facilities

There was a 350 seater grandstand restaurant overlooking the track, with three executive suites and large general public areas named after Oxford's greatest greyhounds Sandwinder, Security Sam, Self Made and Perth Pat. Conference and business facilities were also available. There is now a go-karting track enclosed within the dirt track, which is popular among Oxfordshire residents.

Competitions

During the year there were five main greyhound events held at Oxford up until the end of 2012, they were -

• The prestigious Pall Mall Stakes (June - 450 m)
• The original classic race The Cesarewitch (August – 645 m)
• The Trafalgar Cup for puppies (March - 450 m)
• The Oxfordshire Stakes (Greyhounds) (November - 450 m)
• The Oxfordshire Gold Cup (August - 450 m)

The Two Year Old Produce Stakes was discontinued in 1975.

Speedway

The speedway had been run every year from 1939 up to 2008 and the team were known as the Oxford Cheetahs. The facilities remain intact.

Speedway at Oxford Stadium

Speedway at Oxford in 1981

References