Finest track in the land and a clear favourite

Published on Saturday 2 February 2008 10:03

NEWS that greyhound racing could be set to make a comeback in Edinburgh, for the first time since the closure of the track at Powderhall Stadium in 1995, has divided public opinion.

While many would welcome a return to their favourite sporting ritual, there are also a number of dissenting voices expressing concern about the treatment of the dogs involved.

Nevertheless, plans are afoot to install a new racing track around the outside of the athletics track at Meadowbank. For fans of greyhound racing this will no doubt have sparked memories of the days when Powderhall was the finest racing stadium in the land.

Powderhall opened in 1870 and originally staged athletics and cycling events. It was not until 1927 that it began hosting greyhound racing. No fewer than 10,000 spectators turned up for the first meeting, on August 3.

In 1928, Boher Ash, a greyhound kennelled at the track and trained by Tommy Johnston, won the English Derby.

The first Edinburgh Cup was staged at Powderhall in 1933 and soon became one of the top events in the sporting calendar. The Scottish Derby took place there in 1987 and 1988, while other major events held there include the Scottish St Leger and Scottish Grand National.

The stadium was modernised in 1970, when new facilities included a 100-seater restaurant. The track had undersoil heating installed in 1979 to ensure that racing could take place throughout the winter months. In 1987, a new 400,000 grandstand was unveiled to mark the track's 60th anniversary.

The same year Powderhall survived a 25,000 fire. Two years before that, it had managed to fend off a flood. The track survived another blaze in 1993, but financial difficulties proved unsurmountable and it was sold for housing redevelopment in 1995.

The news of greyhound racing's possible return is being met with opposition from several different charities set up specifically for re-housing and raising awareness of the plight of these dogs.

"Greyhound racing tracks are closing all over the UK, and a lot of that is due to welfare concerns," said Amanda Wells, chairwoman of Greyhound Action Scotland, "It would be a disaster if a new track opened in the east of Scotland."