Greyhound racing is a great opportunity to have a family day out, organise a social event with friends or simply have a little flutter on. There are 24 active registered stadiums in the UK, which are part of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB). Here is a look at five of the best to visit this year.
Belle Vue
Belle Vue in Manchester has held greyhound racing in the UK since 1926. Today, it hosts action on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you like to go to horse racing in the North West at Aintree or Haydock, it can be a great place to extend your day. It is particularly busy on the evening of the Grand National, as many racegoers plan the double header. If you are going to the most famous steeplechase in the world in April then there are a number of Grand National Free Bets offers on the big race at the Merseyside track, including sign up promotions for opening a new account before you go the meeting. Many of these sites also allow you to bet on greyhound racing, too.
Hove
There are not many finer places to visit on a summer evening than Hove’s greyhound track in Sussex. The stadium holds some of the biggest meetings on the UK calendar, including the Regency, Olympic, Brighton Belle and Sussex Cup. If you are lucky enough to attend on one of these finals nights, there is a great atmosphere at the track and you will be seeing the best dogs in the country competing for the top prize.
Newcastle
Newcastle’s greyhound stadium is one of the oldest in the UK as they have been holding racing at the North East track since 1928. The All England Cup is the biggest meeting held at Brough Park each year and that evening features a number of open races in each of the divisions in the sport. The track is also known for having some of the best A1 dogs in the country as they perform particularly well at the intertrack Trainers Championship each year.
Romford
After the closure of Wimbledon, London sadly now only has two greyhound tracks left in the boroughs of the capital: one of those is Romford, which holds 4300 in its stadium. It is one of the most popular greyhound venues in the country. Friday nights are particularly busy at Romford, who have an excellent restaurant at the track if you want to treat yourself to a nice meal on your night out. The East London track holds a number of valuable competitions including the Essex Vase, Champions Stakes, Golden Sprint, Romford Puppy Cup and Coronation Cup.
Towcester
Towcester is the new home of the Greyhound Derby, the most prestigious competition in the UK. The track opened in 2014 and has already acquired a reputation as being one of the best in the country. The Greyhound Derby begins each year in May and goes right through to July, with a series of rounds culminating in the final.
For more information on the race meetings, prices and direction to the above stadiums, check out the tracks’ websites for all the details you need. If you are planning a visit anytime soon, enjoy your night out at the dogs.
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