The stadium opened as an independent track on 25 July 1963 and was called the Groveway Greyhound Stadium.[2] The name Groveway came from the Grove Way road that passed the stadium on the north side joining the small town of Bletchley with the village of Simpson. The track had been built four years before the birth of a large new town called Milton Keynes (named after one of the 15 villages) in a planned 34 square mile area. Milton Keynes proceeded to grow at speed eventually becoming the size of city.[3]
Historyedit
Racing took place on Tuesday at 8pm and Saturday at 7.30pm and the circumference was 410 yards with an 'Inside Sumner' hare. Facilities included licensed bars, a refreshment bar and a children's playground. The promoter and Racing Manager Robert Beckett organised annual events called the Groveway Autumn Cup, Groveway Derby and Bletchley Trophy. trial day was a Sunday and six bookmakers were in attendance and race distances were 305, 440, 460, 525, 745, 900 & 965 yards.[4]
In 1972 the National Greyhound Racing Club and National Greyhound Racing Society amalgamated to form one controlling body called the National Greyhound Racing Club Ltd. Groveway Stadium joined the NGRC banner[5] and the NGRC also relaxed the rule that previously did not allow any NGRC owner or trainer to attend an independent track.[6]
In the early seventies housing estates called Bean Hill and Netherfield were built to the north of the track and the Mount Farm Industrial Estate was constructed to the south. Reg Young the former breeder and owner of 1970 English Greyhound Derby champion John Silver joined the track as a trainer. The track also changed its name to Bletchley with the 1972 Bletchley Derby now an official race in terms of being affiliated to the NGRC. In 1974 Stage Box won the BBC Television Trophy for Natalie Savva and one year later Gwen Lynds won the Greyhound Derby with Tartan Khan, the same year that Reg Young's Silver Sceptre won the Cesarewitch.[7]
In 1980 the A5 road was built nearby and Robert Beckett retired. The track reverted to independent status for a short spell but trainer Reg Young stepped in to become the new promoter with the track rejoining the NGRC under the permit scheme.[8] The stadium was now known as Milton Keynes instead of Bletchley and Robert Beckett's son David took over the Racing Manager's position.[9]
Natalie Savva's Special Account won the Scottish Greyhound Derby and trainers Theo Mentzis, Jack Coker, Peggy Cope, Ron Bicknell, Angela McClurg, Mel Bass and Derek Law all secured major open race success for Milton Keynes in the following years. Reg Young retired in 1987 but returned as General Manager in the early nineties followed by Dan McCormick before the track was sold by Milton Keynes Stadium Ltd to the BS Group who also owned the Eastville track in Bristol.[10]
David Beckett died in 1996 and Eastville closed but Toms The Best won the 1998 English Greyhound Derby. In 1999 the BS Group bought the Milton Keynes Bowl and Pachinko as the company went into the gaming business.[11] The company then purchased Reading Stadium from Allied Presentations in 2002 and Bill Johnson became Racing Manager with Sue Conway as GM in 1998. In 2004 the BS Group were renamed to Gaming International and received criticism for the failure to re-open Bristol.
Closureedit
Plans to rebuild Milton Keynes Stadium at the Elfield Park site near the Milton Keynes Bowl were unveiled in 1998 [12] and early 2005 [13] The plans failed to materialise and the Greyhound Stadium closed down on Boxing Day 2005, it became derelict and then suffered major fire which resulted in the demolition of the site before a housing estate replaced it in 2014. The position of the stadium would have been underneath the current road called Wetheringsett in Ashland.
^"Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1989) January edition". Greyhound Star.
November 29, 2023
milton, keynes, greyhound, stadium, greyhound, racing, speedway, stadium, milton, keynes, located, groveway, ashland, stadium, circa, 1975locationashland, milton, keynessurfacesandopened25, july, 1963closed26, december, 2005, contents, origins, opening, histor. Milton Keynes Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing and speedway stadium in Milton Keynes located on the Groveway in Ashland 1 Milton Keynes Greyhound StadiumThe stadium in circa 1975LocationAshland Milton KeynesSurfaceSandOpened25 July 1963Closed26 December 2005 Contents 1 Origins amp opening 2 History 3 Closure 4 Speedway 5 Competitions 5 1 Milton Keynes Derby 6 Track records 7 ReferencesOrigins amp opening edit nbsp El Ronan the 2002 Milton Keynes derby winnerThe stadium opened as an independent track on 25 July 1963 and was called the Groveway Greyhound Stadium 2 The name Groveway came from the Grove Way road that passed the stadium on the north side joining the small town of Bletchley with the village of Simpson The track had been built four years before the birth of a large new town called Milton Keynes named after one of the 15 villages in a planned 34 square mile area Milton Keynes proceeded to grow at speed eventually becoming the size of city 3 History editRacing took place on Tuesday at 8pm and Saturday at 7 30pm and the circumference was 410 yards with an Inside Sumner hare Facilities included licensed bars a refreshment bar and a children s playground The promoter and Racing Manager Robert Beckett organised annual events called the Groveway Autumn Cup Groveway Derby and Bletchley Trophy trial day was a Sunday and six bookmakers were in attendance and race distances were 305 440 460 525 745 900 amp 965 yards 4 In 1972 the National Greyhound Racing Club and National Greyhound Racing Society amalgamated to form one controlling body called the National Greyhound Racing Club Ltd Groveway Stadium joined the NGRC banner 5 and the NGRC also relaxed the rule that previously did not allow any NGRC owner or trainer to attend an independent track 6 In the early seventies housing estates called Bean Hill and Netherfield were built to the north of the track and the Mount Farm Industrial Estate was constructed to the south Reg Young the former breeder and owner of 1970 English Greyhound Derby champion John Silver joined the track as a trainer The track also changed its name to Bletchley with the 1972 Bletchley Derby now an official race in terms of being affiliated to the NGRC In 1974 Stage Box won the BBC Television Trophy for Natalie Savva and one year later Gwen Lynds won the Greyhound Derby with Tartan Khan the same year that Reg Young s Silver Sceptre won the Cesarewitch 7 In 1980 the A5 road was built nearby and Robert Beckett retired The track reverted to independent status for a short spell but trainer Reg Young stepped in to become the new promoter with the track rejoining the NGRC under the permit scheme 8 The stadium was now known as Milton Keynes instead of Bletchley and Robert Beckett s son David took over the Racing Manager s position 9 Natalie Savva s Special Account won the Scottish Greyhound Derby and trainers Theo Mentzis Jack Coker Peggy Cope Ron Bicknell Angela McClurg Mel Bass and Derek Law all secured major open race success for Milton Keynes in the following years Reg Young retired in 1987 but returned as General Manager in the early nineties followed by Dan McCormick before the track was sold by Milton Keynes Stadium Ltd to the BS Group who also owned the Eastville track in Bristol 10 David Beckett died in 1996 and Eastville closed but Toms The Best won the 1998 English Greyhound Derby In 1999 the BS Group bought the Milton Keynes Bowl and Pachinko as the company went into the gaming business 11 The company then purchased Reading Stadium from Allied Presentations in 2002 and Bill Johnson became Racing Manager with Sue Conway as GM in 1998 In 2004 the BS Group were renamed to Gaming International and received criticism for the failure to re open Bristol Closure editPlans to rebuild Milton Keynes Stadium at the Elfield Park site near the Milton Keynes Bowl were unveiled in 1998 12 and early 2005 13 The plans failed to materialise and the Greyhound Stadium closed down on Boxing Day 2005 it became derelict and then suffered major fire which resulted in the demolition of the site before a housing estate replaced it in 2014 The position of the stadium would have been underneath the current road called Wetheringsett in Ashland Speedway editMain article Milton Keynes KnightsCompetitions editMilton Keynes Derby edit Year Winner Breeding Trainer Time SP1972 Easy Investment Brandon Jungle Fallen Ribocco George Curtis Brighton 29 18 1 1f1973 Tims Blunder Reg Webb Bletchley 29 32 3 11974 Carriglawn Pet Sid Corley Bletchley 1975 Weston Oak Monalee Champion Trojan Silver Reg Young Bletchley 1976 Westmead Satin Westmead Lane Hacksaw Natalie Savva Bletchley 38 701977 Fairbourn Paddy Westmead County Prate Box E Dilley Bletchley 38 74 8 11978 Rail Fred Rail Ship Crooked Rampart Sid Corley Bletchley 38 891979 Kilmagoura Mist Yanka Boy Kilmagoura Fair Tom Johnston Jr Wembley 1998 I m Frankie Herbie Lambug Fast Flo Mick Puzey Walthamstow 26 77 9 41999 Black Head Barefoot Chief Fort Flax Lady Arthur Hitch Wimbledon 27 97 7 22000 Glowing Wave Frightful Flash Country Star Charlie Lister Private 26 85 8 12001 Whitefort Jim Larkhill Jo Whitefort Sal Cheryl Miller Sittingbourne 26 60 11 42002 El Ronan Staplers Jo Freds Flame Charlie Lister Private 26 68 5 2f2003 Setemup Joe Staplers Jo Wise Minnie Tom Foster Wimbledon 26 82 6 42004 Ardera Cross Droopys Kewell Tenthill Flash Maxine Locke Wimbledon 26 44 7 22005 Wheres Yer Man Droopys Woods Dower Beauty Peter Rich Romford 27 02 11 10fTrack records editDistance metres Greyhound Time Date Notes245 Westfield Earl 14 76 24 08 1978245 Tims Crow 14 73 23 10 2003430 Super System 26 31 26 04 1975440 Fortune King 26 72 25 09 1983440 Siroco 26 56 22 03 1984440 Dawlish Chance 26 55 11 10 1986440 Broken Quest 26 28 21 04 1998620 Countville 39 05 26 07 1975620 Weston Oak 38 19 29 04 1976620 Frame Evelyn 3 8 19 12 04 1984620 Glenowen Queen 38 11 08 08 1985 Autumn Cup semi final620 Jerpoint Diamond 14 38 08 19 01 1989620 Cushie Amazing 37 96 31 01 1998620 Farloe Bonus 37 86 22 08 1998 Summer Cup805 Silver Sceptre 51 84 29 03 1975815 Tartan Sarah 51 84 19 04 1984815 Grange Glen Sam 51 73 08 09 1984815 Spenwood Gem 51 22 24 04 1999995 Souda Bay 64 79 27 02 1997995 Gift of Gold 64 10 19 09 2000440 H Springwell Boost 27 15 21 10 1997620 H El Tenor 39 31 31 08 1998References edit Milton Keynes Speedway Groveway Defunct Speedway Retrieved 1 September 2021 Furby R 1968 Independent Greyhound Racing page 6 New Dominion House OA Plan Ashland Old Maps co uk Furby R 1968 Independent Greyhound Racing page 6 New Dominion House Remember When July 1972 Greyhound Star Genders Roy 1975 The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound page 96 Page Brothers Norwich ISBN 0 85020 0474 Genders Roy 1990 NGRC book of Greyhound Racing page 47 Pelham Books Ltd ISBN 0 7207 1804 X Remember When October 1980 Greyhound Star Genders Roy 1990 NGRC book of Greyhound Racing page 47 Pelham Books Ltd ISBN 0 7207 1804 X Genders Roy 1990 NGRC book of Greyhound Racing page 47 Pelham Books Ltd ISBN 0 7207 1804 X BS Group in 7 8 million pachinko takeover growthcompany co uk Remember When October 1998 Greyhound Star The National Bowl David Grindley Architects Monthly Greyhound Star Remember When 1989 January edition Greyhound Star Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Milton Keynes Greyhound Stadium amp oldid 1179174020, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
