Racing League racegoers open their hearts to retired greyhounds ahead of Dunstall Park launch

Racing League racegoers open their hearts to retired greyhounds ahead of Dunstall Park launch

Hundreds of horse racing enthusiasts were invited to the launch of Dunstall Park Greyhound Stadium as part of the venue’s popular Racing League race night, broadcast live on ITV.

The Wolverhampton venue welcomed one of its biggest crowds of the year ahead of the introduction of greyhound racing next month with the first customer fixture scheduled for Friday, September 19.

Crowds gathered for the second round of Racing League – a team-based competition spanning six evenings, 42 races and more than £2m in prize money.

Dunstall Park Greyhound Stadium’s senior leadership team were onsite to hand out flyers, chat to racegoers about the upcoming launch and showcase how greyhounds make wonderful pets in retirement.

The evening formed part of the track’s push to engage more people with greyhound racing ahead its launch which will mark the first brand-new UK greyhound track to open in more than a decade.

Sarah Newman, Marketing and Communications Manager at Arena Racing Company, said: “It was great to showcase our sport to a wide audience of people as part of the Racing League.

“We have the full support of the existing team at Dunstall Park and are working closely with our colleagues across the horse racing industry to make the launch of our greyhound operation a huge success"

“Already, the venue has taken on a new look with fresh branding installed across the board and regular notices pointing racegoers and visitors to our feature race nights and homing partners who we’re proud to work with"

“We were delighted with racegoers’ responses and look forward to seeing them on September 19.”

Grand National winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald, 80s football icon Mick Quinn and Sky Sports Racing presenters Alex Hammond and Josh Apiafi were among those to meet a group of retired greyhounds from midlands-based volunteer run homing charity Home Run Hounds.

The charity is one of three homing partners to team up with Dunstall Park Greyhound Stadium ahead of its launch to help find greyhounds recently retired from racing their perfect, forever, home.

Other centres include Walsall-based Bark Inn Kennels and Solihull-based Daybreaks Trust.

Tracey Parbery, Co-Trustee of Home Run Hounds, added: “Greyhounds have the most wonderful temperaments, and are a fantastic addition to almost all environments.

“We home greyhounds to houses, flats, boats, caravans, and people of all ages because they are so versatile"

“It was great to discuss this with racegoers at Dunstall Park’s Racing League fixture and we thank Arena Racing Company for their continued support of our work, where every penny raised goes to the greyhounds in our care.”

Further information about homing a retired greyhound is available online via www.withagreyhound.org.uk or via the individual homing centres.

Racegoers can book their FREE admission ticket to the 2025 Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks finals night at Dunstall Park on Friday, October 24, by clicking here.