Reading Stadium

The first greyhound meeting was held on 10 June 1975. The first race was won by Mr T Coleman's Journeywork over 433 metres in a time of 27.84 secs.[4] The circuit was all sand surface with an 'Outside Sumner' hare system. The circumference was 385 metres with usual race distances consisting of 275, 465 and 660 metres.[5]

The stadium introduced a significant competition called the Berkshire Cup and also resurrected the Hunt Cup.[5] and attracted a good class of trainer including Terry Dartnall and Jerry Fisher, the latter won the Cesarewitch title with Jos Gamble in 1983. Fisher also trained Game Ball who he bought with owner Brian Smith for the sum of £8,000 at the end of 1982. Game Ball was put with Sean Bourke for the English Greyhound Derby and nearly fulfilled his promise being a losing favourite in the 1983 final. game Ball also won the Pall Mall Stakes before becoming a prominent sire.[6]

Daleys Gold won the 1985 Scurry Gold Cup before Mollifrend Lucky trained by Colin Packham won the 1986 Scurry and Laurels in 1986. Martyn Dore (the son of Director and General Manager Bill Dore) was Racing Manager by 1988 as the track became renowned for having a strong class of runner.[5]

In 1990 the Maldwyn Thomas trained greyhounds with the prefix ‘Trans’ began to win trophies and 1992 proved to be a very successful year starting with the announcement that a competition called the Reading Masters would take place. The race offered substantial prize money with only the English Derby and Scottish Derby able to top the £15,000 winner's prize. Poor Brian won the Oxfordshire Stakes for Ron Jeffrey (a former trainer at the old Reading track) and Bob Gilling's Skelligs Smurf became Oaks champion with Bixby (Bill Black) becoming the Puppy Derby winner.[7]

Champion trainer John 'Ginger' McGee joined the training ranks in 1993 and won the Greyhound Trainer of the Year twice as a Reading trainer in 1993 and 1994.[7] The Keith Howard 'Hedsor' prefix was next to provide the track with more success Walthamstow Stadium greyhound Palace Issue claimed a third consecutive Hunt Cup in 2001. In 1998 John McGee returned for a second spell at the track and Paul Young also arrived as a trainer.[8]

The track underwent a major change in 2002 when the BS Group/Gaming International bought the venue from Allied Presentations.[9][10] Terry Dartnall returned to the track as a trainer once again and won two Select Stakes with Cleenas Lady before retiring and handing the licence to son Matt who then won the Juvenile in 2008 with Ballymac Under.[11]

[13]

(1932-50 Blackpool), (1948–73 Reading Oxford Road), (1975-2007 Reading Bennett Road)

The track records at the time of closing[14] were -