Belle Vue Stadium

[5] In 1925, Charles A. Munn, an American businessman, made a deal with Smith and Sawyer for the rights to promote greyhound racing in Britain.[12] In 1927, Bonzo, handled by Belle Vue trainer Jack Buck, was the first winner of the Grand National, known as the Champion Hurdle at the time.[13] In 1930, Belle Vue had an English Greyhound Derby finalist when Dresden trained by Eddie Wright finished fourth to none other than Mick the Miller.Belle Vue had 320 heated kennels housing both track's greyhounds and Wild Woolley won the Northern Flat in a world record time and the Laurels the following year before returning to Rimmer.[15] In 1957, Cyril Beamount's Ballypatrick took the Scottish Greyhound Derby title and during June 1964 Belle Vue won the Greyhound Derby for the first time, Hack Up Chieftain trained by Percy Stagg and owned by S.Donohue had won a minor open at Belle Vue when watched by Brigadier General Critchley a GRA Director.[17] In 1961, the GRA introduced under track heating systems at Belle Vue, Harringay and White City following a successful trial in Scotland.It was in the seventies that Belle Vue underwent a £500,000 facelift, the previously mentioned Mistley stand was built and the track was able to offer a state of the art restaurant and tote facilities.[16] During the Silver Jubilee year of 1977 Balliniska Band trained by Eddie Moore claimed a second Greyhound Derby crown for Belle Vue and owner Raphael Bacci.[24] In October 2019 GRA Acquisition sold the lease to the Arena Racing Company[25][26] and just two months later on 19 December housing planning permission was passed resulting in a probable closure in 2020.[27] The imminent closure came following an announcement on 1 August 2020, with the last race being run on 6 June, won by Rockmount Buster (trained by Gary Griffiths).[29] Formerly the Northern 700 1937-74 (700 yards), 1975–90 (647 metres) Post-metric Pre-metric In 2008, the Sunday Times revealed that Belle Vue greyhounds had been sent for research at Liverpool Veterinary School by Charles Pickering.The Greyhound Board of Great Britain Disciplinary Committee found Pickering in breach of nine rules of racing and ordered that he be made a Warned Off person and fined the sum of £5,000.