Brighton & Hove Racing

MAIN ENTRANCE AT CORAL BRIGHTON & HOVE STADIUM: The track first opened its doors to the public on June 2, 1928.

THE Greyhound Racing Association of West Blatchington staged its first greyhound race meeting on June 2, 1928, and the first race – the ‘Hove Stakes’ – was won by the aptly-named Costs, owned by Mr W. Graham Hooper, a well-known local solicitor.

The Evening Argus, the local newspaper, reported that the fixture attracted nearly 7,000 spectators and the events of the inaugural fixture pointed to a highly successful future.

Following a smooth liquidation the ‘Hove Greyhound Stadium’ company was formed and their first race, run on June 12 the following year, resulted in a dead-heat between Ginnett’s Lass and Pollardstown Rover.

The famous Honeyman’s Last established a long-standing track record of 30.34sec for the 525 yards course, while the most well-known owner in the early history of the stadium was Mr Leonard Lucas, who was still very active in greyhound ownership thirty years later.

Among the original bookmakers were Jim Ford, partner in the well-known firm of Berresford and Ford and ‘Chubby’ Gunn, while on the “popular side” was the much-respected Charles Pierce, who actually held a pitch until the end of the 1970s.

In May, 1932, a hand-operated Totalisator was installed, but in December that year it was declared illegal. The Betting and Lotteries Act, 1934, provided for the present Totalisator the following year with special days approved for racing approved by the licensing authority at Lewes.

Three years later, the government enforced a restriction whereby all greyhound stadia in the British Isles were restricted to 104 racedays per annum and this legislation restricted growth within the industry.

In 1938 gas lighting was superseded by electricity and the stands plus accommodation were improved and enlarged to cope with the sport’s ever-increasing popularity and bumper crowds.

Hove Greyhound Stadium can duly be proud of what it achieved during the wartime era (circa 1939-45), as it provided facilities embracing every type of sport and social activity.

The greatest one-day shows ever organised in Sussex were a series called “The Big Show” – the first was held on August Bank Holiday, 1943, and included a horse show, jumping, gymkhana, dog show, sheepdog trials and an athletics meeting.

The first item of the programme was scheduled for 10am and the last 12 hours later – thanks to the extra two hours summertime and the event was voted an overwhelming success by the local community.

During a period of ten years – 1938-48 – Brighton & Hove Stadium raised nearly £100,000 for charity and half the equipment in the nearby Hove General Hospital had been installed through the generosity of the track.

HOVE GENERAL HOSPITAL: Brighton & Hove Stadium raised nearly £100,000 for charity and the generosity of the track supplied half the equipment in the nearby Hove General Hospital.

When the Second World War commenced in 1939, a ban was inflicted on floodlit racing and the severely disrupted programme was only able to take place in the afternoon.

And it was during the Second World War that the stadium inaugurated a trust fund to help people who, through no fault of their own, found themselves in unfortunate circumstances.

The sport’s fortunes were again drastically hit in February, 1947, when a fuel crisis prompted that greyhound racing nationwide was suspended for five weeks.

In the 1950s Brighton & Hove Stadium was only one of three provincial tracks that consistently aided the sport through the medium of a ‘Produce Stakes’ and the aptly-named Brighton “Regency” Two-Year-Old Produce Stakes, which subsequently became an all-aged Stayers’ feature in 1966, has been the track’s showpiece event since 1948.

The greatest winners of the “Regency” in its guise as a Produce Stakes were probably Bear Hug and Bargain Hunter, who later enjoyed the distinction of being elected “Bitch of the Year”.

THE CORAL REGENCY BOARD FOR THE PREVIOUS WINNERS: This fantastic list of the previous list of winners takes pride of place opposite the reception kiosk at the entrance to the stadium.

The electric McWhirter hare was in use for 20 years and was replaced with the Sumner version in 1956, while in contrast to many NGRC stadia, Hove survived the threat of opening of betting shops in 1961, which effectively sparked wholesale track closures.

HRH Queen Elizabeth visited the track with Prince Philip on July 16, 1962 and, in fact, the Duke of Edinburgh owned a top-class stayer that was trained at Hove by the late Gordon Hodson in 1978-79. Playfield Royal ran a very worthwhile charity, namely the National Playing Fields Association.

ROYAL PATRONAGE: HRH The Queen visited the stadium with Prince Philip in 1962 and more than 10,000 people passed through the turnstiles for this famous occasion in Nevill Road.

Gerard Keeley, who joined Hove in 1937 and became Managing Director in 1964, was one of the most influential figures behind the development of the track and his efforts deserve a special niche in Hove Stadium’s colourful history.

Peter Shotton, born in Staffordshire in 1932, initially worked as a journalist for the local Express and Star before securing a position with the Greyhound Express – a hugely successful daily newspaper that solely covered greyhound racing – was employed by several racing offices in the midlands area prior to his association with Hove.

Shotton, universally acclaimed as one of greyhound racing’s leading administrators and creator of ‘Formbank’, was appointed racing manager at Hove in 1964 and eventually became Wembley’s executive head of racing before returning to Coral as managing director of its stadia.

Shotton, at the helm to oversee Ballyregan Bob’s world record of 32 consecutive wins in the mid-1980s, died following a short illness in 2009. He was 76.

RECORD BREAKER: Ballyregan Bob creates a piece of history when setting a new British record of 21 consecutive wins at Hove in December, 1985.

George Curtis, who received a special Lifetime Achievement award from the Greyhound Writers’ Association in 2003, joined Hove in April, 1967, and remained there until his retirement on January, 3, 1987. George was champion trainer three times and sent out 10 Classic winners from his Albourne base.

GEORGE AND LILY CURTIS: The legendary trainer with his wife at the bar they named after him at Brighton & Hove Stadium.

The 1967 TV Trophy at Hove, timed for 10pm, carried a £1,000 first prize and was the centrepiece of an eight-race card that also featured open races over 550 yards (2), 725 yards (2), 880 yards, 1041 yards, 550 yards (hurdle) and 525 yards,

The meeting, one of the most prestigious of any staged nationwide throughout the season, attracted huge crowds in the respective Main Ring and Orchard Road enclosures at Hove, there was a fully-booked restaurant and a bar extension until midnight.

The runners in trap order for the 1967 TV Trophy at Hove were: 1 Jerpoint Button (New Cross), 2 Husky Crazy (Belle Vue), 3 Sonora (Wembley), 4 Spectre II (Sheffield), 5 K. P. View (West Ham), 6 Miss Taft (Wembley).

A 4/6 favourite in the ante-post lists to win the BBC TV Trophy Spectre II, subsequently runner-up to litter-brother Tric Trac in the 1967 Greyhound Derby final at White City, is one of the most cherished performers in the history of the sport and he sired future champion stayer Glin Bridge.

Hove has always been able to boast the finest canine talent and earned national acclaim when winning the old National Inter-Track Championship in 1969 & 1976.

In 1969 the ‘Mackeson National Inter-Track Trophy’ sat proudly in the Brighton & Hove Stadium racing office thanks to the deeds of two cracking performers – Greyhound Derby finalist Hard Held and Cragg’s Flier – and their trainer George Curtis.

Brighton & Hove Greyhound Stadium, who retained the trophy for twelve months, also received a cheque for £1,000, to be divided among all the greyhounds that ran for the victorious Sussex track during the competition, on a points-earned basis throughout the competition.

The conversion to metric from yards came into play at Hove’s New Year’s Day fixture in January, 1975, and the switch also coincided with Doreen Walsh, Hove’s long-serving trainer, sending out her first runners here.

Walsh, who began a long career in greyhound racing when joining Hove handler Reg Birch in 1952, eventually linked up as head girl to George Curtis in 1967 and she became the first woman trainer in the history of the stadium when taking over a position vacated by the retiring Fred Lugg on New Year’s Day, 1975.

The first greyhound to appear for Walsh on a Hove racecard was Mighty Mac over 500m and her other five runners, alongside fellow Hove trainers George Curtis, Arthur Hancock and Gunner Smith at the eight-race fixture, were Shanta Champion, Rossinrubble (won), Deneholme Champ, Deneholme Dainty and Hascombe Queen (won).

Walsh, who enjoyed a 66-year association at Hove before her retirement in 2018, received a standing ovation when the recipient of a Special Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual BGOA gala in April, 2018.

Glin Bridge (w bd d Spectre x Shore Sussie, Nov 72) burst onto the racing scene in January, 1975, and he eventually matured into the top stayer of his generation, winning 33 of his 49 starts and occupying second place on 10 occasions.

Glin Bridge was challenged by three of the best greyhounds in training around the country in match races – Dancing Dolores, Streaky Sheila and Sampson Flash – and won them all, two in track record time.

On August 21, 1975, more than £3,000 in prize-money was at stake in the star-studded Variety Club of Great Britain meeting in aid of children’s charities.

The all-sponsored card, which included six open races, attracted some of the sport’s top-notchers, including Ladbroke Hurdle winner Try It Blackie, 1000 Guineas winner My Dowry, Welsh Derby victor Baffling Bart, Sussex Cup winner Abbey Glade and Midlands champion Sun Chariot.

Coral Leisure Group purchased the stadium in the summer of 1976, and their policy of continued investment in the intervening years has given racegoers first-class facilities.

Hove, thanks mainly to the exploits of Bonzo, Pass The Buck and Reddans Walk captured the final of the 1976 National Inter-Track Championship when defeating Shawfield over two legs – they had previously beaten Derby in a two legged-affair to take the title in 1969.

“Brighton are the top dogs,” was the headline in the local newspaper - the Evening Argus – after Brighton completed a clean sweep with the first three in the two respective home legs versus Shawfield in the decider of the National Inter-Track championship for the Duke of Edinburgh Trophy.

Pass The Buck (2-1), who subsequently chased home Sindys Flame in the final of ITV’s World of Sport-televised Ladbroke Golden Jacket (660 metres) at Harringay, defeated arch rival Bonzo (8-11f) in the 725-metre leg with trackmate Hillville Master (7-1) a further five-and-a-half lengths away in third.

Brighton had an aggregate total for the home and away meetings of 47 points to Shawfield’s 33 points, as earlier the George Curtis-trained Sparks Thunder (7-1) accounted for kennelmate Reddans Walk (11-10f) and Mantovani (11-2) in the 500-metre leg, clocking 29.63sec.

Incidentally, the second leg of the National Inter-Track championship between Hove and Shawfield coincided with Derek Knight, whose Pride Of Bearna represented Shawfield in the 725-metre race, making a first visit to Hove just five weeks prior to securing a training appointment at Hove on a full-time basis following the retirement of Arthur Hancock.

DEREK KNIGHT: Hove's longest-serving trainer sent out his first runners at Hove on New Year's Day, 1977.

Alfred Blake, director of the Duke of Edingburgh award scheme, presented the trophy to Nicholas Coral, chairman of the Coral Leisure Group, and Fred Underhill, secretary of the National Greyhound Racing Club, presented Blake with a cheque for £2,000 raised by the 1976 National Inter-Track championship for the award scheme.

Meanwhile, the totalisator, the prime source of income for any greyhound track, received a massive shot-in-the-arm with the advent of a computerised version in 1978.

The completion of the modernisation of the Main Ring grandstand, which extended the restaurant to 450 covers, resulted in a move in location for the Stewards’ Box – 15 metres further along from its original position to give the winning line a central slot and the knock-on effect was a new set of race distances for the Thursday night meeting on October 23, 1980.

THE 'SKYLINE RESTAURANT': This area of the stadium underwent a major redevelopment programme in 1978 and has been continually upgraded during the intervening years and is a smash-hit with racegoers.

The Gunner Smith-trained Deenside Kid (15-2) won the ‘opener’ and the fastest times recorded at the meeting over the new distances were:

515m Fly Jetsave 30.75sec

695m Hackney Carriage 32.27sec

515mH Galaxy Elvis 31.70sec

GUNNER SMITH: The legendary Hove trainer, who passed away in the early-1990s, handled some illustrious greyhounds during his career, including Luxury Liner, Bellini, Princess Glin, Jingling Star, Westlands Steve, Seagulls, Laugh Lines and House Hunter.

The Bookmakers’ Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) was formed in 1967, but Hove was not introduced on to the betting shop roster until 1982.

Video race replays arrived in 1983 and, although some shrewd eagle-eyed punters will beg to differ, they brought a new dimension to the sport as more and more racegoers watched the racing in the bars instead of out on the terraces.

SANDY LANE: The George Curtis-trained star carved her name alongside some of the all-time greats when taking the honours in the final of the 1983 BBC TV Trophy (820 metres) at Walthamstow.

Yankee Express (bd d Pecos Jerry x Kings Comet Oct 80), the fastest middle-distance performer of his era, achieved a feat of Red Rum proportions when wining three consecutive Scurry Gold Cup titles (1982-83-84) at Slough for owners Ray Barnard, Bert Cusack and Sid Stenning.

IRENE AND BERT CUSACK: The husband-and-wife team enjoyed tremendous success in the ownership ranks with the likes of Yankee Express, Lone Wolf and Pure Gold during a golden era at the stadium.

In 1985, Hove, in common with all tracks operating under NGRC rules, celebrated a new law that enabled them to stage as many meetings as they chose and 12-race cards became commonplace two years later.

Few people would argue that wonder dog Ballyregan Bob helped put Brighton & Hove Stadium truly on the greyhound racing map. Owned by Cliff Kevern and trained here by the great George Curtis, he gained canine immortality when setting a new world record of 32 consecutive wins in the Racing Post World Challenge over 695 metres here on December 9, 1986.

The greyhound racing united in paying tribute to one of the giants of the history of Coral Brighton & Hove Stadium following the death of octogenarian Gunner Smith, undoubtedly one of the greatest trainers in the post-war era, in the early-1990s.

Albourne, where Smith was based throughout his career, went into mourning for the man who handled such top-class performers as Luxury Liner, Bellini, Princess Glin, Jingling Star, Westlands Steve, Seagulls (late Glen Eagle), Laugh Lines, Westlands Bridge, Macs Jeannie, Lulus Hero, House Hunter and Sambuca.

The actual configuration of the track (circumference 455 metres), is generally perceived as the safest of any within the NGRC portfolio and the surface was originally turf prior to sanded bends and eventually an all-sand strip.

Alan Etherington, chairman and managing director of Wingspares International, was the man responsible for sponsoring the inaugural ‘Wingspares Festival’ in 1988 and a staggering total of £26,800 – that figure equates to £68, 607.00 today with inflation – in prize-money and Hove stadium printed 3,500 souvenir racecards, each with a special commemorative cover.

Sky television covered the three major finals live – the Etherington Golden Sprint (285 metres), Wingspares Supreme Hurdles (515 metres) and Wingspares Stayers Stakes (695 metres) – and Trevor Harris fronted the coverage and betting news was provided the irrepressible Richard Thomas.

A raffle, in aid of the Adult Day Care of the new Mid-Sussex Hospital was held during a wonderful night’s racing and the Mayoress of Hove – Mrs Margaret Adams – was the guest of honour and kindly agreed to make the draw.

Brian Clemenson, who transferred to Hove from Hackney in November, 1994, enjoyed a fantastic run of success in the major open-race finals prior to his retirement in 2012 and he won the prestigious Trainers’ Championship in three consecutive years in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

BRIAN CLEMENSON: The former Hove handler won the prestigious Trainer's Championship fixture for three consecutive years in 2002-2003-2004.

Clemenson, whose record in the big races is of a similar profile to that of the legendary George Curtis, steered the likes of Restless Lass, Musical Treat, Million Percent, Micks Best Hero, Killeacle Phoebe, Form Of Magic, Cooly Pantera, Shelbourne Star, Centour Corker and Greenacre Lin to capture the sport’s most coveted prizes.

Hove won ‘Supertrack’ titles at Wembley in 1995 and 1996 when respectively beating sister-track Romford and Bristol on two unforgettable nights at Wembley Stadium.

Three months of passion, fun and pride reached its zenith as 4,000 supporters made their way into Wembley Stadium for the final in 1995 and Hove, who had defeated Walthamstow in the semi-finals, were quoted at 2-7 to take the title at the Twin Towers.

Hove, who fielded Away Duke (second), Iron Mole (third) and Hart To Mine (fifth) in the 490-metre leg and trailed Romford 14pts-13pts ahead of the crucial 655-metre encounter and the Sussex outfit lifted the trophy by 29pts-25pts following the exploits of Coolmona Road (first), Bobs Riband (third) and Sir Frederick (sixth).

To chants of ‘Seagulls, Seagulls’, Hove racing manager Peter Miller climbed the famous 39 Wembley steps up to the Royal Box to receive the ‘Supertrack’ trophy from Lord Kimball, chairman of the sponsoring British Greyhound Racing Fund.

“I’ve never known such an atmosphere at a greyhound meeting, there were balloons and champagne corks popping – everyone had the most wonderful night,” said jubiliant Hove trainer Derek Knight in the aftermath of an historic night for Brighton & Hove Stadium.

The 1996 renewal of the ‘Supertrack’ final, which was featured on a 90-minute Sky Sports transmission fronted by Jeff Stelling, resulted in a 29pts-25pts win for Hove in their showdown with Bristol at Wembley Stadium.

Peter Miller, lifting the trophy for the second successive year, described the victory as a tremendous achievement and the Sussex outfit clinched a memorable win through the performances of Astrosyn Eureka, Carriglea Jacko and Iron Mole in the 490-metre leg, while Clodeen Magic, Lorraines Wish and Musical Treat performed with distinction over 695 metres.

“To me, the win at Dundee (the first by any visiting team in ‘Supertrack’!) in the semi-finals was as exciting as the final itself and that performance proved we can do the business away from home,” added a delighted Peter Miller.

Claude Gardiner, an immensely popular personality within the greyhound racing community, created one of the most special chapters in Hove’s colourful history when giving the Sussex track its first William Hill Derby success at Wimbledon in 2002.

A thoroughly down-to-earth individual with a wonderful sense of humour, 51-year-old Gardiner had previously experienced the ups and downs of the sport during spells working alongside Terry Duggan, David Vowles, Brian Clemenson and Bill Masters.

Allen Gift’s owner Ian Brenchley, a BT engineer, is a quiet, unassuming and likeable character who will cherish this special win for the rest of his days.

A 200-1 shot in the ante-post betting, Allen Gift gave Claude Gardiner, who had only held a trainer’s license for seven months, the greatest night of his life and the Sussex flag was waving gaily in the steaming hot cauldron of SW17 that made Wimbledon Stadium in Plough Lane one of the supreme sporting locations.

In 2002, Allen Gift, representing first-season handler Claude Gardiner and owned by Ian Brenchley, provided Hove with a first-ever success in the Greyhound Derby (480m) at Wimbledon when serving up a16-1 upset in the final of an incident-packed competition.

In 2008 Seamus Cahill joined Hove following the closure of Walthamstow and, ably assisted by wife Teresa, the mercurial handler was crowned Greyhound Trainer of the Year 2010.

Jimmy Lollie, one of the greatest sprinters in the history of the sport, is undoubtedly one of the most successful top-level greyhounds Cahill has trained, while the likes of Raving Black, Droopys Oscar, Rayvin Giovanni, Loughteen Blanco, Droopys Odell, Ballymac Manix, Ballymac Brogan, Astute Missile, Sporting Dave and Droopys Gold captured a multitude of major open-race titles.

In 2017, Seamus Cahill’s Astute Missile served up a 28-1 shock result when coming home three-quarters of a length ahead of Irish star Tyrur Shay in the final of the Greyhound Derby (500m) at Towcester.

The success of any NGRC track owes much to the loyal patronage of its owners and the likes of Derek Allen, Jimmy Jupp, Roy Pook, John Keehan, John Houlihan, Brian Reeves, Cliff Kevern, Bert Cusack, Dick Smith, Nigel Wood, Dennis and Janet Jordan, Brian Marchant, Tony Matthews, Roy Osborne, Alan Green, Vinnie Jones, Roy Felmingham, John Ward, Sid and Melita Action, to name but a few have been instrumental in bringing the finest open-race performers and graded greyhounds in the country to Hove.

LOYAL OWNERS AND THE ULTIMATE ANIMAL LOVERS: Sid and Melita Acton have enjoyed more than 30 years in greyhound ownership and one of their most talented performers - Rich Melody - lined up against the legendary Toms The Best in the final of the 1997 Sussex Cup (515 metres) at Hove.

The Brighton Retired Greyhound Trust, a registered independent charity, was founded in 1978 and works alongside the National RGT and other local welfare organisations to ensure as many greyhounds as possible enjoy a happy retirement.

THE BRIGHTON & HOVE RETIRED GREYHOUND TRUST: The local branch of the RGT is very much in the heart of the stadium and regular awareness evenings are held with a fund-raising theme.

Greyhound Racing, especially in the southern region, two years ago mourned the passing of octogenarian Jenny Bunting, the esteemed founder of the Brighton & Hove Retired Greyhound Trust and animal lover supreme.

Jenny, a regular vistor to the track, annually rehomed over 100 greyhounds from her purpose-built kennels at Twineham, a village and civil parish located 5 miles to the west of Burgess Hill, in West Sussex.

Jenny tirelessly searched the pages of local newspapers to ‘rescue’ greyhounds as ‘free to a good home’ and she was deservedly the recipient of a lifetime achievement award for her outstanding commitment to greyhound welfare at the prestigious National Ceva Animal Welfare Awards in 2018.

Jenny, whose work was extensively acclaimed in the welfare sector of the sport, invariably had a runner or two on the Hove kennel strength and Derek Knight, her trainer, recently paid tribute to an extremely popular owner at Albourne.

“Jenny was an unsung hero in greyhound racing, a special lady and she was a very supportive long-term owner in the kennel,” said Derek Knight. “She put a lot of her own money and time into the sport and, to her great credit, she would always vet the potential retirement homes of an ex-racer.”

A qualified vet, Jenny was able to provide expert veterinary care to greyhounds in her kennels, thus saving thousands of pounds for the RGT in expenses and also gave considerable financial aid to the charity at some personal cost.

Brighton and Hove Greyhound Stadium - The complete history