If you haven’t read the first two parts of this series then you should read about Predicting The Results and The Tracks first.
Today we are going to be taking a look at the race distances in greyhound racing. Effectively there are four different distances that greyhounds race over. In the UK an abbreviated letter is always shown before the grade of the race to indicate the distance that is being run. These letters are as follows.
A – Middle distance races with four bends
D – Sprint races with two bends
E – Marathon races with eight bends or more
S – Stayers races with six bends
In England the most common racing distance is 480 metres. All of the major greyhound races are run over this distance.
There are occasionally races over D, E or S length take place where the starting traps only give the runners a short run until the first bend. These races will, more often than not, result in trouble at the first bend. This is because there is not enough room for the runners, which makes it much harder to predict the outcome of these races.
As with horse racing the distance is going to be a very strong factor in deciding which runner has a chance of winning the race and it is important to know the distances for each track before you begin to analyse the runners. It is commonly thought that you do not need to take this information into account for greyhounds, unlike horse racing. Nothing could be further from the truth. With all forms of sports predictions you want to take into account as many factors as possible.
Below you will find a guide to English tracks and their distances.
|
TRACK |
(D)Sprint |
(A)Middle |
(S)Stayers |
(E)Marathon |
|
Belle Vue |
237m – 260m |
470m |
590m – 670m |
878m |
|
Brighton & Hove |
285m |
475m – 515m |
695m – 740m |
930m – 970m |
|
Coventry – Racing Suspended 28/12/09 |
280m |
480m |
625m – 680m |
880m – 1025m – 1080m |
|
Crayford |
225m – 380m |
540m |
714m |
874m – 1048m |
|
Doncaster – (Stainforth) |
275m |
483m |
661m – 709m |
868m – 910m |
|
Hall Green |
258m |
480m |
645m |
820m – 892m |
|
Harlow |
238m |
415m |
592m |
769m – 946m |
|
Henlow |
250m – 277m |
460m – 550m |
660m – 692m |
870m |
|
Hull – Track Closed 27/06/09 |
270m |
460m |
655m |
845m |
|
Kinsley – *New Distances 07/05/10 |
268m |
462m |
650m |
844m |
|
Mildenhall |
220m – 375m |
545m |
700m |
870m – 1025m |
|
Monmore |
210m – 264m |
460m – 480m |
630m – 684m |
835m – 880m – 900m – 1104m |
|
Newcastle |
290m |
480m |
640m |
825m – 895m |
|
Nottingham |
305m |
480m – 500m |
680m – 700m – 730m |
885m – 905m – 925m |
|
Oxford |
250m |
450m |
595m – 645m |
845m – 1040m |
|
Pelaw Grange |
245m |
435m |
590m |
780m – 955m |
|
Perry Barr |
275m |
460m – 480m – 500m |
660m – 710m |
895m |
|
Peterborough |
235m |
420m |
605m |
790m – 975m |
|
Poole |
250m |
450m |
640m |
840m |
|
Portsmouth – Track Closed 27/03/10 |
256m |
438m |
610m |
792m – 964m |
|
Reading – Track Closed 18/10/08 |
275m |
465m |
660m |
850m – 1045m |
|
Romford |
225m |
400m – 575m |
715m – 750m |
925m – 1100m |
|
Rye House – Track Closed 15/11/06 |
270m – 383m |
435m – 480m |
628m – 680m |
845m – 895m |
|
Sheffield |
280m – 362m |
480m – 500m |
660m – 720m |
915m – 934m |
|
Sittingbourne |
265m |
450m – 480m – 500m |
642m – 708m |
916m |
|
Sunderland |
261m |
450m |
640m |
828m |
|
Swindon |
285m |
460m – 480m – 509m |
685m |
737m |
|
Walthamstow – Track Closed 16/08/08 |
235m |
430m – 475m |
640m |
835m – 880m – 1045m |
|
Wimbledon – *New Track Layout |
273m |
480m |
687m |
894m |
|
Yarmouth |
277m |
462m |
659m |
843m – 1041m |
|
Askern |
100m – 200m – 280m |
400m – 500m |
585m |
830m |
|
Chesterton |
280m |
480m |
670m |
870m |
|
Easington |
69m-247m |
410m |
585m |
770m |
|
Ellesmere Port – Track Closed |
100y – 310y |
525y |
xxx |
710y |
|
Highgate |
260m – 370m |
395m – 400m – 425m |
560m – 590m |
670m – 710m |
|
Hinckley |
260m |
460m |
680m |
|
|
Newton Abbot |
100m – 325m |
525m – 560m |
590m |
762m |
|
St Helens – Track Closed |
275y |
490y |
680y |
|
|
Warwick |
90m – 275m |
450m |
610m |
810m |
|
West Houghton – (Bolton) |
70y – 240y |
440y |
630y |
820y |
|
Wheatley Hill |
260m |
440m |
580m |
800m |
