“July will be a month of celebration for the entire industry"

Celebrate the greyhound racing centenary with Arc

Centenary celebrations at the five Arc tracks -  Nottingham, Newcastle, Sunderland, Central Park and Dunstall Park - will see a month of special offers leading to a special anniversary meeting at the last-named venue on Friday, July 24.

A three-course restaurant offer of £19.26 - a figure celebrating the sport's first meeting some 100 years ago - is being offered at all five tracks in July.

Sarah Newman, marketing and communications manager for Arc's greyhound stadia, said: "2026 marks a significant milestone for the sport, celebrating 100 years since greyhound racing first arrived in the UK.

"We're keen to use this anniversary as an opportunity to not only celebrate the history and heritage of the sport but also to engage new audiences and generate positive awareness around greyhound racing today.

"For example, our restaurant offer will see guests enjoy a three-course package for just £19.26 per person, honouring the year 1926 when greyhound racing started here in the UK.

"The package includes admission, racecard, reserved restaurant seating and a commemorative centenary gift - while stocks last, I should add!"

Arc is also giving away special free passes to its five tracks, redeemable for the rest of 2026 and including 20 per cent off food and drink purchases.

"We are also staging the GBGB 100 Years On Track raceday at Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton Racecourse, on July 24.

"This will see six races - replicating the very first meeting under rules at Belle Vue, Manchester, on July 24, 1926, when six races were staged.”

Details of the racenight make-up at Dunstall Park on July 24 have already been released with prize-money for each of the six races being £1,926 to the winners and £192.60 for others.

Four distances will be used with the races as follows:

Race One: 480m Puppy (sponsored by Arc)

Race Two: 660m (sponsored by Entain)

Race Three: 270m (sponsored by Racecourse Promoters Association)

Race Four: 480m British Bred (sponsored by SIS)

Race Five: 925m (sponsored by JenningsBet)

Race Six: 480m (sponsored by Premier Greyhound Racing)

Chris Black, Dunstall Park general manager, added: “We’re proud to be hosting this truly unique evening of racing on July 24 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