Arena Racing Company will celebrate greyhound racing’s centenary in the UK next month with a sparkling calendar of events and special offers for racegoers to take advantage of.
The UK’s largest racecourse operator - responsible for Central Park, Dunstall Park, Nottingham, Newcastle and Sunderland - has announced several initiatives to lure crowds trackside building up to the sport’s milestone anniversary on July 24.
One hundred lucky racegoers will unlock free admission at their local track for the remainder of the year, with ARC giving away 100 Greyhound Rewards Club passes as part of its 100 Years of Greyhound Racing prize draw.
All restaurant packages – which include admission and a three-course meal - at each venue have been slashed to £19.26 per person for the entire month too, to form part of the centenary celebrations.
Two Category One competitions will take centre stage as well, with Dunstall Park hosting the BGBF British Bred Puppy Cup for the first time while the 89th renewal of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Northern Flat takes centre stage at Newcastle on Thursday, July 23 – one day before the anniversary.
Sarah Newman, Marketing and Communications Manager at Arena Racing Company, encouraged racegoers to make the most of the one-off trackside deals.
“July signals a historic moment for greyhound racing, and we are anticipating a bumper month for our five venues,” said Sarah.
“While our sport – and other pursuits in life – have undergone significant change in the last century, greyhound racing’s fundamentals remain the same with the dogs at the heart of everything we do.
“Our racing operation touches millions of people worldwide every week.
“But July presents a perfect opportunity for racegoers to get themselves trackside and experience the thrill of the chase in person.
“Our £19.26 restaurant offer at all our venues represents tremendous value in the current climate, and guarantees a fantastic, family friendly, night out people of all ages can enjoy.”
Enthusiasts of greyhound racing will reflect fondly on some of the sport’s most iconic moments hosted at ARC’s tracks over the years.
A crowd of 8,000 watched Scurlogue Champ become the first greyhound to defend the TV Trophy at Newcastle in 1986, an achievement which has only been repeated twice since by Midway Skipper (2009-2010) and Aayamza Royale (2020-2021).
More recently, Dunstall Park became the first brand-new track to be built in more than a decade following ARC’s multi-million-pound investment into the site which saw greyhound racing establish a new home in September 2025.
And celebrations will peak at the Wolverhampton venue as it turns the clock back 100 years by hosting a six-race card on Friday, July 24 - mirroring Britain’s first-ever race meeting held at Belle Vue 100 years earlier.
Prize money for each race has been set at £1,926 for each winner, with all runners receiving £192.60. The evening will include 1920s themed entertainment too.
Chris Black, General Manager at Dunstall Park Greyhound Stadium, added: “We’re proud to be hosting this truly unique evening of racing to celebrate our sport’s centenary.
“We’ve inherited outstanding facilities from our colleagues behind Dunstall Park’s horse racing operation and are proud to work in partnership to bring new audiences to our sport.
“July will be a month of celebration for the entire industry, and we hope to see plenty of faces – old and new – trackside at our Saturday and Wednesday evening fixtures.”
Full details for each of ARC’s greyhound stadia and their admission and hospitality offers through July to celebrate greyhound racing’s centenary can be viewed online via www.lovethedogs.co.uk.
