Swindon Stadium


Swindon Stadium, also known as the Abbey Greyhound Stadium, is a Greyhound Board of Great Britain regulated greyhound racing track and speedway track located in Blunsdon, Swindon, England. Greyhound racing takes place every Saturday evening, in addition to their three ARC fixtures and speedway normally takes place on Monday and Thursday evenings.

Speedway

The stadium is home to the Swindon Robins, who compete in the Elite League; the speedway track has a circumference of 363 metres.

Opening

The stadium opened to the public on 23 July 1949 when it hosted the Swindon Robins speedway team; greyhound racing followed three years later on 1 November 1952. Swindon had already experienced two short-lived greyhound track venues, in the village of Wroughton and near the town centre in Edinburgh Street, but both had disappeared by the mid-thirties. The stadium occupied a rural setting south of Lady Lane and was named after the Blunsdon Abbey estate in Blunsdon St Andrew, a Victorian estate which had seen its main house destroyed by fire in 1904.

History

The track initially raced as an independent with 2,000 people attending on 1 November 1952 to watch a greyhound called Don't Care win a 324 yard race in a time of 19.02 secs at odds of 6-1. The stadium came into the hands of the Bristol Greyhound Racing Association, owners of Oxford and Eastville stadiums at that time. This led to the track becoming part of the National Greyhound Racing Club during April 1968. The Silver Plume competition arrived the same year as the track's principal event. Another independent track to the northwest of Swindon opened during the sixties at Common Platt but had little effect on the business of its larger neighbour.
In 1983 ADT purchased the Abbey Stadium and used its large car park as a base for their sales. Other competitions at the track were the Grand National of the West, Pride of the West and the Jubilee Stakes. In 1997 the BS Group sold their Eastville stadium and bought Swindon from ADT. The entire Bristol operation including the racing office, bookmakers, trainers, the Western Two Year Old Produce Stakes and the BAGS contract transferred to Swindon.
The BS Group became Stadia UK and then Gaming International, and after the closure of Walthamstow stadium in 2008 the track hosted the Arc competition. In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with ARC to race a Monday, Wednesday and Friday matinée meeting every week.
Also in 2018 the Arc competition was discontinued due to expected track changes but following the sudden closure of Towcester, leading owner John Turner stepped in to save the Oaks with a late scheduling in December.

Redevelopment

The owners, Gaming International, were granted outline planning permission in 2008 to build houses on part of the site and replace the stadium with a new 'state of the art' stadium. After several revisions, outline permission was again granted in 2015, for up to 100 houses and a care home. Work began in November 2016 with construction of the stadium due to complete in June 2017. Following a significant delay the revised project was due to get underway in January 2018.
During 2019 the original plans to re-position the track were changed and the track was reduced in circumference from 463 metres by creating two new bends inside the old circumference. The 509 race distance was scrapped. The alleged prefabricated buildings that have been built to replace the existing buildings are still to be moved on site. The local council have refused any further housing additions until progress is made with replacing the existing buildings.

Competitions

British Bred Produce

The Arc

The Oaks

Silver Plume

1968-1974, 1975-1998

Track records

Current
Distance
metres		GreyhoundTimeDateNotes
285Jimmy Lollie15.9030.09.2009
460Pindi Express27.3311.02.2004
480Shaneboy Alley28.1801.05.2013Arc final
480Johnnys Star28.1805.07.2013
509Sawpit Sensation29.4301.05.2013
685Shelbourne Star40.9411.02.2004
737Ballymac Swift44.2901.05.2013
932Ballymac Swift59.1222.05.2013
480 HGreenacre George28.9303.09.2002

Former
Distance
metres		GreyhoundTimeDateNotes
275Fearless Swift16.2819.08.1985
280Mollifrend Tom16.1905.10.1988
285 Leaders Highway16.2310.06.1998
285Everton Cheetah16.2312.03.2003
460 Droopys Clay27.54 03.09.2002
476Money Matters27.8903.08.1988
480 Dave's War28.491979
480 Clonee Bill28.2618.10.1982
480 Peasedown Julie28.2609.11.1983
480 Trade Style28.8423.05.1998 Silver Plume Final
480 White Santa28.6312.06.1998
480 Three Wells28.6011.04.2001
480 Dalcash Invader28.5703.09.2002
480 Westmead Joe28.5019.07.2006 British Bred Produce Stakes semi-final
480 Rhyzome Wizard28.4421.10.2006
480 Troys Expert28.2925.07.2009 British Bred Produce Stakes final
480 Mark My Words28.2809.07.2011 British Bred Produce Stakes heats
480 Mark My Words28.2615.07.2011 British Bred Produce Stakes 2nd round
480 Sids Dream28.2024.02.2012
509 Greenfield FoxMarch 1977
509 Westmead Gold29.9801.07.1987
509 DarraghCommet29.9404.07.1988
509 Broadacres Butch29.8504.04.2001
509 Rhyzome Wizard29.7326.08.2006
509 Pine Isle29.7016.09.2009
509 Little Jig29.6530.09.2009 Pride of the West final
509 Crusty Crab29.5910.11.2010
530 Greenfield Fox 31.581977
685 Bright Cut42.381976
685 Black Port41.7218.07.1984
685 Droopys Kovac41.8631.05.2002
685 Streaky Luvs Men41.6413.07.2002
695 Miss Linsey45.4217.06.1985 Jubilee Stakes semi-final
695 Go Go Tiger45.3717.06.1985 Jubilee Stakes semi-final
695Jet Streamer45.3106.11.1987
737 Wailea Flash44.6203.08.1988
737 XamaxAyam Zaman45.1303.09.2002
737 Streaky Luvs Men45.1111.07.2003
737Wise Maldini44.8620.09.2003
943 Eternal Mist60.181980
943Tartan Sarah58.5223.07.1984
476 HGizmo Pasha29.4013.06.1990
476 HFaoides Country29.1118.09.1991

Former
Distance
yards		GreyhoundTimeDateNotes
520 Glory Newtown29.181970
520 Houghton Ryp1972
520Houghton Herald08.1973
550 Snobbish Flash31.371969
550 Buff Bauhus31.3110.1969
550 Ballybeg Flash30.7129.06.1970 Silver Plume Final
575 Legane Glory32.441970
740 Bishops Miss42.931970