# Brighton & Hove Greyhound Stadium

Brighton & Hove Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in the Hove Park area of the city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex. The stadium also has a restaurant and a number of bars and is owned by Entain and race meetings are held every Thursday and Saturday evening, in addition to two afternoon meetings on a Wednesday and Sunday as well as a morning meeting on a Friday.

## Competitions

* Regency (1948–present)
* Olympic (1947–present)
* Brighton Belle (1975–present)
* Sussex Cup (1972–present)

## Origins

The plans for the site on Nevill Road and adjoining Hove Park were unanimously passed by the Brighton Corporation in January 1928. Charles Wakeling, Freddie Arnold and Major Carlos Campbell instigated the construction and the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) had shares in the company called the Greyhound Racing Association (Brighton) Ltd.

## Opening

The first race to be held at the track known as the Hove Sports Stadium was the Hove Stakes and took place on 2 June 1928. 'Costs' the 7-4f won the 525 yards race for trainer Toone and won £16 for his owner W. G. Hooper, who was a solicitor by trade.

## Pre-war history

Originally the track was primitive with the hare being wound around the course by hand and it took ten years of racing before electric lighting was installed. A hand-operated tote was installed in 1932 but suffered from the government ban on tote betting the same year until the Betting and Lotteries Act 1934 reversed the ban. In 1940 the resident kennels moved to Morley Lodge, Albourne, Henfield, West Sussex. This purpose built kennel facility for over 200 hounds offered a modern brick facility and each range had its own grass paddock. Breeding kennels were set up on a farm in Sussex and rearing kennels were built in nearby Cumberland. The circuit was described as easy swinging turns of 160 yards and short straights of 85 yards and distances were 310, 525, 565 and 800 yards with an 'Inside MacWhirter Trackless' hare. Amenities included a club in both enclosures (the Nevill Road Club and the Orchard Road Club) and there were dining facilities in the Grand enclosure.

## 1945–1980

After the war the company was called the Brighton & Hove Stadium Ltd and in 1948 the stadium introduced a new event called the Regency. The Managing Director Charles Wakeling who was also the chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. died leaving the stadium in the hands of Major Carlos Campbell. Campbell died in 1958 leaving the controlling interest of the shares in the hands of the GRA. They brought in Gerard Kealey as General Manager and Peter Shotton as Racing Manager (the latter replacing Tom King in 1964) and the pair went about building up the reputation of the seaside track. During the sixties racing was held on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, in addition to the restaurant there was three buffet bars and seven licensed bars. The circumference had changed to 491 yards with distances of 550, 725 and 880 yards with an 'Inside Sumner' hare. The track trainers consisted of Fred Lugg, Arthur Hancock, Birch & Gunner (Charles George) Smith. Gunner Smith steered Luxury Liner through to 1961 English Greyhound Derby Derby final.
George Curtis represented Brighton in two consecutive Greyhound Derby finals with Hard Held in 1969 and Sirius in 1970.
Brighton introduced travelling payments for open race trainers to encourage entries to travel south, and the Sussex Cup was inaugurated in 1972, followed by the Brighton Belle for bitches in 1975. In 1976 a significant deal was struck in when Coral Leisure purchasing Brighton and Romford. Des Nichols was brought in as Racing Manager from sister track Romford when Shotton moved to Wembley in 1978. Jim Layton succeeded him a few years later. A fourth major race called the Olympic was introduced in 1979

## 1981–1999

George Curtis became a three times Greyhound Trainer of the Year winning the title in 1983, 1984 and 1986. Brighton greyhound Ballyregan Bob trained by Curtis became a household name after breaking the world record in 1986 by winning 32 consecutive races. One year later the stadium became the last course in Britain to remove their turf surface changing to all-sand. Gerard Kealey died in 1989 and Peter Shotton became general manager (he had returned to Brighton from Wembley).
In 1991 Coral announced that their greyhound tracks would be sold to fund the purchase of 73 bingo halls from Granada Theatre Ltd, but, despite the deal being struck and subsequent birth of Gala Bingo, the tracks remained under the ownership of Coral. However, Coral did lose a court case around the same time to the Alliance & Leicester, forcing them to relinquish land where the Orchard Road enclosure stood. A new generation of trainers arrived at Hove in the 1990s. Brian Clemenson was three times champion trainer, and his assistant Alan (Claude) Gardiner replaced Bill Masters when he retired. Peter Miller replaced Jim Layton as racing manager in 1994.

## 2000–present

Brian Clemenson was three times champion trainer in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The track remains one of the premier venues in the country and attracts some of the best trainers in the country including recent acquisitions Seamus Cahill and Norah McEllistrim. In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with SIS to race every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon, and every Thursday and Saturday evening.
In 2019 the track created new race distance of 500 metres; the track had previously raced over that distance in the 1970s. The 515 distance was retained for open races.
In 2022, Entain signed a long term deal with the Arena Racing Company for media rights, starting in January 2024.

## Track records
### Current records

| Metres | Greyhound | Time | Date | Notes |
| 285 | Jimmy Lollie | 15.89 | 7 October 2010 | |
| 285 | Target Harris | 15.89 | 12 June 2014 | |
| 475 | Southfield Jock | 27.42 | 22 October 2015 | |
| 475 | Forest Con | 27.42 | 3 May 2017 | |
| 500 | Queen Joni | 28.81 | 4 May 2024 | Trainers' Judgement Night |
| 515 | Barnfield On Air | 29.20 | 31 July 2007 | Sussex Cup final |
| 695 | Caloona Striker | 40.73 | 21 June 2005 | |
| 740 | Form of Magic | 43.59 | 30 March 2002 | |
| 945 | Aayamza Royale | 57.90 | 12 December 2020 | TV Trophy heats |
| 955 | Space Jet | 58.35 | 2 April 2022 | TV Trophy semi final |
| 500 H | Droopys Chaser | 29.67 | 29 July 2023 | Springbok final |

### Former records

| Metres | Greyhound | Time | Date | Notes |
| 285 | Fell Swoop | 16.55 | 1987+ | grass |
| 285 | Ard Boxer | 16.48 | 1988+ | sand |
| 285 | I Will Whisper | 16.38 | 1989+ | |
| 285 | Ravage Again | 16.35 | 30 August 1990 | Etherington Sprint heats |
| 285 | Ravage Again | 16.27 | 4 September 1990 | Etherington Sprint final |
| 285 | Escort Captain | 16.11 | 11 July 2000 | |
| 285 | Smoking Jonesey | 16.29 | 2002+ | |
| 285 | Setemup Joe | 16.20 | 22 March 2003 | |
| 285 | Tims Crow | 16.05 | 22 May 2003 | |
| 285 | Jimmy Lollie | 16.02 | 13 August 2009 | |
| 285 | Jimmy Lollie | 15.94 | 17 July 2010 | |
| 475 | Droopys Candice | 27.67 | 24 July 2001 | |
| 475 | Swift Star | 27.47 | 1 August 2002 | |
| 475 | Cash the Deal | 27.47 | 26 July 2003 | |
| 490 | Droopys Gold | 28.38 | 27 December 2018 | |
| 490 | Trade Fudge | 28.24 | 31 January 2019 | |
| 500 | Linacre | 28.99 | 1976+ | National record |
| 500 | Balliniska Band | 28.99 | 1977+ | |
| 500 | Mondays Bran | 28.96 | 1979+ | Sussex Cup final & world record |
| 500 | Antigua Romeo | 28.86 | 23 January 2020 | |
| 515 | Glen Miner | 29.62 | 4 May 1982 | grass & Olympic Final |
| 515 | John Doe | 30.14 | 1988+ | sand |
| 515 | Hit The Lid | 29.73 | 30 July 1988 | |
| 515 | Iceman Joey | 29.46 | 19 July 2002 | |
| 515 | Buy the Mystery | 29.41 | 21 August 2003 | |
| 515 | Ballybrazil Hero | 29.27 | 20 July 2004 | Sussex Cup Heats |
| 670 | Westmead Champ | 39.78 | 1976+ | Regency Final |
| 680 | Fair Reward | 40.30 | 1980+ | |
| 680 | Glin Bridge | 39.94 | 1976+ | |
| 695 | Ballyregan Bob | 41.13 | 2 November 1985 | grass |
| 695 | Ballyregan Bob | 42.04 | 9 December 1986 | sand |
| 695 | Olivers Wish | 41.57 | August 1988 | |
| 695 | Waltham Abbey | 41.21 | 31 August 1989 | |
| 695 | Killeacle Phoebe | 41.10 | 21 April 2001 | |
| 695 | Form of Magic | 40.82 | 26 March 2002 | Trainers Championship |
| 695 | Centour Corker | 40.74 | 8 May 2003 | |
| 725 | Glin Fane | | 1978 | |
| 725 | Princess Glin | 43.22 | 1979 | |
| 740 | Paradise Lost | 44.65 | March 1982 | Regency final |
| 740 | Sundridge Bet | 44.42 | 8 July 1982 | |
| 740 | Apache Warrior | 44.15 | 1987 | grass |
| 740 | Ballyregan Bob | 44.62 | 1988 | sand |
| 740 | Life Policy | 44.35 | 1988+ | |
| 740 | Sail On Valerie | 44.29 | 5 May 1990 | |
| 740 | Mobile Magic | 44.24 | 1992+ | |
| 740 | Lady Flyaway | 44.20 | 21 August 1997 | |
| 930 | Kegans Gold | 56.88 | 24 July 2001 | |
| 930 | Centour Corker | 56.29 | 3 June 2003 | |
| 930 | Greenacre Lin | 56.20 | 8 June 2004 | |
| 930 | Roxholme Magic | 56.18 | 30 July 2015 | |
| 955 | Langford Dacoit | 58.46 | 1978+ | grass |
| 955 | Antigua Lava | 58.60 | 31 July 2021 | |
| 955 | Blueberry Bullet | 58.60 | 2 April 2022 | TV Trophy semi final |
| 970 | Sandy Lane | 59.66 | 20 August 1983 | |
| 970 | Huntsmans Nippy | 59.59 | 1987+ | grass |
| 970 | Comeragh Larch | 61.20 | 1988+ | sand |
| 970 | Saquita | 59.99 | 27 July 1989 | |
| 970 | Marys Gem | 59.56 | 14 September 1997 | |
| 500 H | Wotch It Buster | 29.71 | 1978+ | |
| 515 H | Sir Winston | 30.47 | 1987+ | grass |
| 515 H | Ozarks Warrior | 30.89 | 1988+ | sand |
| 515 H | Lord Westlands | 30.49 | 5 November 1988 | |
| 515 H | Group Tycoon | 30.78 | 24 July 2001 | |
| 515 H | Group Tycoon | 30.39 | 15 September 2001 | |
| 515 H | Greenacre George | 30.08 | 1 August 2002 | |
| 515 H | Junior Mac | 29.83 | 27 July 2010 | |
| 680 H | Across The Miles | 41.43 | 1979+ | |
| 695 H | August Monday | 42.86 | 1987+ | grass |
| 695 H | Mixer Mick | 44.06 | 1988+ | sand |
| 695 H | Mixer Mick | 43.13 | 1988+ | |
| 695 H | Razmac Dancer | 42.95 | 1989+ | |
+ Record holder during year

### Pre Metric

| Yards | Greyhound | Time | Date | Notes |
| 310 | Four-Mile Bridge | 17.14 | 9 June 1937 | |
| 525 | Jesmond Cutlet | 29.36 | 10 July 1938 | |
| 525 | Good Worker | 29.31 | 1948 | |
| 525 | Kings Signature | 29.24 | 05.1949 | Regency final |
| 525 | Trabolgan Star | 29.11 | 1956 | |
| 525 | Kans | 28.71 | 14 September 1963 | |
| 525 | Carry on Hasty | 28.32 | 1973+ | |
| 525 | Easy Investment | 28.17 | 30 June 1973 | World and National record |
| 550 | Woodvilles Fury | 30.09 | 20 September 1965 | |
| 550 | Noble Pride | | 21 April 1966 | |
| 550 | Hard Held | 29.77 | 1970 | |
| 565 | Bella | 31.82 | April 1934 | |
| 565 | Roving Spring | 31.61 | 14 September 1936 | |
| 565 | Raths Record | 31.50 | 1949 | |
| 725 | Ballyhandy Cedar | 40.48 | 15 September 1965 | |
| 725 | Deneholme Flash | 40.20 | 12 July 1969 | |
| 800 | Grosvenor Edwin | 46.35 | 15 August 1938 | |
| 880 | Joyful C | 50.70 | 12 April 1961 | |
| 880 | Spectre II | 50.09 | 25 April 1967 | Sportsview Television Trophy |
| 1041 | Hi There Snow | 60.19 | 1970 | |
| 310 H | Nakomis II | 18.11 | 23 October 1937 | |
| 500 H | Conna Chief | 30.99 | 1970+ | |
| 525 H | Wooteys Kingmaker | 30.39 | 12 August 1938 | |
| 535 H | Athea Lad | 30.34 | 21 July 1948 | |
| 550 H | Blue Sprite | 31.14 | 25 August 1965 | |
| 565 H | Sammys Adventure | 32.61 | 29 August 1931 | |