The race itself would be transferred to Portsmouth for three years after the closure of Clapton Stadium. In 1972 the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA) bought the track from the Nationwide Leisure Company for the sole purpose of selling it as a lucrative commercial property under there GRA Property Trust Company. However the property bubble burst in 1973 leaving the south coast venue with a lifeline. Reading had not been so lucky and closed under the GRA which resulted in trainer Ron Jeffrey arriving at Portsmouth. Bill Francis became General Manager and oversaw two Racing Managers spells, Jim Layton and Stuart Strachan both filled the position before Dave Stow settled in the role. Walstone reached the 1985 English Greyhound Derby final for trainer John Copplestone and in 1990 the track replaced the grass straights to go to all sand. The same year Jo Burridge won the Hunt Cup with Coloured Panther. Copplestone had another English Derby finalist in 1991 when Summerhill Super finished fifth and another Copplestone greyhound called Murlens Abbey won the Greyhound of the Year after wins that included the Arc, East Anglian Derby and Edinburgh Cup. In 1992 Wembley plc announced significant losses leading to cost-cutting exercises and Portsmouth suffered as a result despite the fact that the GRA had pledged a new state-of-the-art Portsmouth stadium previously. Lee McAlpine replaced Dave Stow as racing manager before Eric Graham took over and in 1998 Jim Snowden left Catford Stadium to take over as general manager from the retiring Bill Francis. During 2006 the track's 'Inside Sumner' hare system was replaced by the 'Swaffham'  In 2008 it was announced that Portsmouth City Council's long-term lease was nearing its end, and they were considering selling the site for redevelopment. Lease holders GRA offloaded the track to a new company, registered in March 2008, called PGS Ltd headed by general manager Eric Graham. It was agreed that PGS Ltd could pay the council a peppercorn rent of £1,000 per year because there was no value in redeveloping the land at that time. Graham attempted to renew the lease two years later in 2010, but it was rejected by the Tipner Regeneration Company and South East England Development Agency. Within weeks the company was wound up with immediate effect, and liquidators were appointed, with staff and trainers left unpaid. Racing manager Paul Clark was suspended by Graham for comments made over the GRA's and Grahams role in the closure.