Christmas is almost upon us!

It has been a little while since we last blogged, but what an exciting period it has been for us. In recent weeks we have had the pleasure of being a part of two of Wolverhampton’s biggest events on the calendar. As well as these exciting events we have also seen the last live music act of 2014 perform and the start of our Christmas party season. Looking forward, we are preparing for our popular annual Boxing Day raceday, which once gain has seen all hospitality packages sold out!  Do not worry though, Grandstand Admission and Premier Admission tickets are still available, contact our sales on team 01902 390000 to book your tickets now.

November saw us once again host the annual awards for the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, which was a massive success. The event was compared by BBC radio WM’s Phil Upton, with Chamber President, Ninder Johal also making a presentation to members of the Chamber. The evening was a lively event and we look forward to this event next year as well.

 

 

 

 

 

We also had the pleasure of hosting the annual charity gala for Promise dreams, which this year carried the theme “putting on the Ritz”. As usual the evening was a great success and guests pulled out all the stops to bring glamour and glitz to the racecourse. Patrons of the charity, Susie Perry and Steve Bull made an appearance as well as popular 80’s band Go West and the evening’s surprise guest Chloe Jasmine, from this year’s X Factor!

 

 

 

 

 

November 29^th saw our last live music act of the year, Baby Love, performing in a sold out Ringside Restaurant after racing. The last live music event of the year made way for our Christmas party season to begin the week after. We are pleased to say that they have so far been amazing festive evenings. We also have a new event this year as we are hosting a Willy Wonka themed Christmas party this Friday, which will include Willy Wonka’s Magic Chewing Gum Menu (as tasted by Violet Beauregarde) and a lively disco until late, with our very own DJ as Willy Wonka. Just a few spaces remain for this fantastic party!

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly the Racecourse is preparing for Boxing Day, which is one of the highlights of our racing calendar. This year has seen all hospitality packages once again sell out for this raceday, and we are sure that this fixture will see record crowds and be filled with festive fun!

To accompany these wonderfully festive racecourse events the action out on the track has been nothing short of highly competitive and enthralling. The All-Weather Championships has brought about three Fast-Track Qualifiers already on the Tapeta, with Godolphin runners showing superior strength by winning two and finishing a very narrow second in the other. Hidden Gold and Portamento (pictured) will both be going to Finals Day at Lingfield Park on Good Friday next year.

 

Coming into its fifth year, racegoers will be able to enjoy racing for FREE again this coming January with the Free January Racing initiative here at Wolverhampton. Upgrades are available too for Premier Admission tickets and Horizons Restaurant packages at brilliant value!

Six Tremendous Weeks

It's been over a month since we last blogged, but that's certainly not because we've been short on events and news! In the six weeks we've hosted UB40, we've staged another fabulous Ladies Evening, we've had a host of acts perform live in the Ringside Suite, we've welcomed Promise Dreams walkers across the finish line, we've held the largest UK Networking event, and somewhere in amongst all of this we've fit in over ten racing fixtures on the new Tapeta surface.

Taking you back to the final weekend in August, a capacity crowd watched a seven race evening meeting followed by international reggae stars UB40 performing live after racing. The old favourites were all played, the crowd going crazy for a spot of Red Red Wine and (I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You and a thoroughly good night was had by all. If you've not already, check out the pictures on Facebook.

We were then glad to see just a week later many of you return for the annual Ladies Evening, this year sponsored by Tile Choice. Live music was provided after racing by boy band Fate, and Derek Thompson was on hand throughout the evening bringing his Tommo TV live to the racecourse before playing MC to the Best Dressed Competition. The racegoers outfits were fantastic and it was the job of guest judge, and award winning fashion blogger, Emma Iannirilli to choose the best dressed lady and the best hat. The deserved winners were: Adele Farrell from Tamworth (Best Dressed Lady) and Cafolin Campbell from Birmingham (Best Hat).

The At The Races team were in attendance on Ladies Evening filming for a Wolverhampton Racecourse feature, keep an eye out for this on Sky Channel 415 and soon to be posted on YouTube.

It's not just off the course the crowds have been dazzled and wowed though, as racing on the new Tapeta surface has been pretty entertaining too! A few Class 2s and 3s have thrown up some very good winners and the fixtures have been attracting some big, competitive fields with some top class horses on display. Even today we have a previous Group 1 winner in our midst, Regal Parade, who won the Sprint Cup at Haydock in 2009 is engaged in the 6.20. As we near the start of another All-Weather Championship season, some of the top yards are getting their Tapeta form up to scratch, the likes of Qatar Racing and Godolphin often sending some excellent horses.

As jockeys, trainers and owners have reported, the racing has been fair and winners have been coming from the front, back, inside and out to claim victory on the new surface. We're beginning to find a few Tapeta specialists, with Fiftyshadesfreed being one in particular, racking up a hat-trick in less than a month. In his 15 starts before this the 3 year old grey had only managed 2 victories, both at Kempton Park. Now a Class 4 winner, trainer George Baker, and owning syndicate Team Fifty, must be relishing the All-Weather Championships at Wolverhampton, and a crack at some high class races with some equally impressive prize money on offer.

New bands, tribute acts and racecourse favourites have made September appearances, and we look forward to seven more live music evenings before December comes around, and the beginning of the festive season with a whole host of party nights. The full lineup can be found online here.

Two consecutive evening meetings conclude this week at the racecourse, both with eight race cards, tickets available on the gate or book your hospitality package now by calling us on 01902 390000, and Christmas parties are beginning to book up very quickly with packages already selling out, get your group together and make the booking now to avoid disappointment!

An excellent start to racing on the Tapeta

It's been just over two weeks since we opened our gates again to racegoers after those three months out of action. In the last 15 days we've staged 3 race meetings on the new Tapeta track which have been well attended and well received by all in the racing community.

Group 1 winning jockeys have been racking up the winners on the new surface with William Buick, Kieren Fallon, James Doyle, Neil Callan and George Baker just a few of the names to pick up one of the 21 races so far. It's the less decorated jockeys though that have been grabbing the headlines from the meetings with Rachael Kneller returning here, to her local track, to pick up a 20/1 winner with a fabulous ride aboard Arlecchino's Leap in the first race on Monday 18 August, this was followed later in the week by another superb female jockey performance when Amy Scott rode a double, getting 14/1 shot Dream Catcher first past the post, before notching a more comfortable victory aboard 9/2 joint second favourite Zed Candy Girl.

Although a few jockeys, owners and trainers have won a couple of races, there remains only one horse to do so. The racecourse has uncovered a Tapeta star in Low Cut Affair (pictured), ridden on both occasions by Declan Bates, the 2 year old has taken to the surface like a duck to water, winning by a combined 11 lengths in Class 6 company. Trained by David Evans, there is surely some valuable prize money to be won in handicaps by the filly during the fast approaching All-Weather Championship season.

Racing continues this evening with a seven race card beginning at 6.20pm. Ryan Moore makes his first trip to Wolverhampton in a while to ride just the one for Sir Michael Stoute. The 3 year old gelding, Freemason, carries the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing colours and will oppose 11 runners including two Godolphin runners, both trained by Charlie Appleby and a John Gosden runner, owned by Group 1 winning owner George Strawbridge, most notably known recently for Moonlight Cloud and Thought Worthy.

We're then on to our feature event of the year this Friday, and the biggest event at the racecourse for some time, when UB40 will be performing live after racing. Tickets are still available but availability is very limited, to book your tickets call the racecourse office on 01902 390000.

Click on the image to go to the fixture page on our website

Innovative Racing Gets Underway At Wolverhampton Racecourse

At 2.15pm on Monday 8 runners and riders made British history by being the first to race on a Tapeta surface in Great Britain. Five furlongs was the distance tackled by these history makers, and in a time of 1 minute and 3 seconds the very impressive Primrose Valley (pictured) was first past the post for Frederik Tylicki and Ed Vaughan, by some 6 lengths!

It was a fitting tribute to all-weather surfaces that a horse owned by Alan Pickering would win the first race. Alan is great advocate of all-weather racing, often sending his runners to Lingfield Park and Kempton Park to run on their Polytrack surfaces.

Two thousand interested racegoers turned out to witness how the track would act and the results couldn't have been more positive. Winners came from the front, from the back, up the inside running rail and around the outside of the field to finish down the middle. Little kickback was experienced all afternoon with winning first race trainer Ed Vaughan commenting, "there appeared to be virtually no kickback", and jockeys noting the surface was faultless.

James Doyle, who has been enjoying a fantastic season aboard the sublime Kingman, rode a double on the day with victories coming aboard Angels Wings in the 3.15 and Madame Mirasol in the 4.15, for Charles Hills and Kevin Ryan respectively. The jollies had a good day in Wolverhampton, winning 4 of the 7 races, including the lucky last when William Buick gave Warrigal a superb ride to bag his only winner of the day for the in form Jeremy Noseda, James Doyle was only 3/4 of a length behind on Cousin Khee but Buick's victory was never in doubt after he took the lead over a furlong out.

Tapeta inventor, Michael Dickinson, was in attendance for the afternoon and said after the fixture, "We are delighted to have helped bring Tapeta to British Racing. The track has proved fair and formful, and every jockey has reported it as a safe surface to ride on. We hope it will provide years of excellent racing at Wolverhampton. We will continue to work closely with the team at Wolverhampton to ensure the track meets the needs of horses and jockeys."

Interested to see Timeform's review of the fixture? Check it out here.

All eyes now turn to Monday evening's fixture, first race off at 6.20pm, and Primrose Valley holds an entry in the feature race in the 8.50. Join us for another fantastic fixture, tickets from just £10.

What's Happening At The Racecourse

We may be without racing fixtures at the moment as our new Tapeta track resurfacing takes places, however the racecourse is still in full operation. From auctions to exhibitions, business functions to weddings, the racecourse, and our onsite Holiday Inn, are being kept very busy through the racing-less period.

Just yesterday we hosted the Black Country Growth Hub launch, utilising our premier conferencing facilities, which saw many local manufacturers and businesses, along with Black Country Chamber of Commerce members, support local manufacturing in what looks set to be a fantastic initiative. June has been a busy month of events, and most notably, two weeks ago today we staged the Black Country Asian Business Awards. In the 13th year, it was another resoundingly successful event, check out their highlights and pictures via the BCABA website: http://bcaba.co.uk/updates.html

Not only is it all go at the racecourse, but the racecourse team are getting out and about with free raceday tickets and racecourse goodies. Over the summer, you can visit the Wolverhampton Racecourse stall at the Shrewsbury Flower Show, Wolverhampton City Show and Shugborough Good Food Show, where as well as picking up a few freebies, the racecourse team will have with them an equiciser, for all to test their jockeying skills on.

In this busy season of flat racing, keen eyes from the racecourse are on the feature meetings to watch the Wolverhampton form. Of note, Patience Alexander, who scored impressively on his debut here back in April has recorded some fantastic results at York and Ascot in Class 1 company since, and Euro Charline, twice an All-Weather Championship winner on her first two races, has since ran superbly in Group races at Newmarket and Ascot, it's only a matter of time before she puts her head in front having made the frame on a couple of occasions. We can't wait for our August fixtures to come around and potentially unearth a new star of the racing world!

Polytrack-less

Two weeks into resurfacing work and we're now without any Polytrack, the mile round track down to just the concrete base, with cleaning and amendments to the base in progress. The new Tapeta surface arrives at the racecourse on Monday and is expected to take approximately a month to lay down.

Final Wolverhampton Polytrack winner and Godolphin jockey, Silvestre De Sousa, rates the surface highly, "We love our Tapeta track at Al Quoz and the Tapeta at Meydan on World Cup night was an excellent track". The consistent safety record, durability in all conditions and easier maintenance makes the surface a popular choice among jockeys, trainers, owners and the racecourse teams.

News hit this morning that Meydan will be switching from Tapeta to a dirt surface, and so Wolverhampton's new track will be even more unique to the racing world, and will hopefully attract those top class horses that have taken to the Tapeta, picking up valuable wins at Meydan in recent years.

The first of our transferred fixtures took place on Monday with Lingfield Park staging our seven race card. David Evans and Adam Kirby paired up again to score on the card, like they have done so often before at Wolverhampton, with 1 of the 2 runners that Evans sent south for the afternoon, the other a regular at Wolverhampton, Kodafine, finished a close 3rd, unable to break her Lingfield duck.

The first meeting back is our Family Fun Day on Monday 11 August, tickets available online via our website or call us on 01902 390000 for more details and to purchase.

From Polytrack To Tapeta

After fixtures on both Monday afternoon and Tuesday evening, track resurfacing began promptly on Wednesday. From Monday 11 August we will be racing on Tapeta, which is most famously known for being the surface raced on at Meydan in Dubai, this will make Wolverhampton Racecourse the first racecourse in the UK to race on Tapeta, soon to be followed by fellow Arena Racing Company racecourse, Newcastle.

Diggers are currently pulling up the Polytrack surface and piling for sale. The mile long track will then be swept clean before the process of laying the Tapeta can commence. The construction of Tapeta is similar to Polytrack but with slightly different components, Tapeta uses a selection of specifically blended fibres, waxes, PVC and sand depth of up to 7 inches, check out the diagram below to show how the innovative all-weather surface will lie.

Many owners, trainers and jockeys are very positive about the surface, having raced on it at Meydan, Presque Isle Downs and Golden Gate Fields. All-Weather Championship winning trainer Mark Johnston explains, "In the early part of 2009 I trained on Tapeta, Polytrack and the famous Middleham High Moor turf gallops. Since June, although I still had other options, I chose to train almost exclusively on Tapeta. Our Tapeta gallop is second to none and has made a huge contribution to the year's achievement and to the health of the team."

The final winner on our Polytrack surface was Arabian Comet (pictured below), with Silvestre De Sousa aboard, trained by William Haggas and owned by Abdulla Al Mansoori. Who will be the first winner of the first Tapeta race in the UK? Join us on Monday 11 August to find out!

Our fixtures scheduled for May to July have been moved to Lingfield Park and Southwell Racecourse, click on the links to visit their websites and book your next all-weather raceday. As for us, after the first afternoon meeting on Monday 11 August, we have 4 evening meetings in August, hopefully accompanied by the glorious summer sunshine, finishing off with evening racing before UB40 live on Friday 29 August.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for up to the minute info on what's happening on the track.

All-Weather Champs Finals Day: Wolverhampton Form

Looking forward to a quality day's racing on Good Friday? Started studying the card? Recognise a few familiar names from your trip to Wolverhampton this winter? We have taken the time to pick out a few of the contenders competing on tomorrow's All-Weather Championship Finals Day card, who have racked up a win or two at Wolverhampton during the Championship period.

Race 1

The Lock Master - class 4 victor but most notably took to the Fibresand of Southwell well winning one of their Class 2's, wasn't beaten far off here either in Class 2 company.
Mica Mika - victorious in a class 5, however struggled to get his head in front when racing in a Class 4 on four occasions.

Race 2

Fashion Line (pictured below) - victorious in Class 5 and then Class 4 company, she went on to lose by under 2 lengths when competing in the Lincoln Trial. Currently favourite in the market, she could clinch this Class 2 having experienced the narrow defeat back in March.

Interception - unbeaten in both the Championships and at Wolverhampton this season, however only victorious by a short head at Kempton in a Class 4 last time out. 

Race 3

Steventon Star - just got up to win on his only Wolverhampton start in a Class 2, didn't fare so well last time out at Lingfield though against similar oppostion.

Lady Frances - winner back in February in a Class 4, having been victorious on his debut at Wolverhampton also this time last year.

Race 4

Blue Wave - won back to back Class 2's in February for Mark Johnston & Joe Fanning, who have both been in superb form during the course of the Championships.

Hunting Ground - also from the Johnston yard, Fanning rode the 4 year old to an 8 length victory over 2 miles and a furlong.

Race 5

Ballista (pictured below) - won a Class 2 on one of our feature race meetings of the year, Boxing Day. This however, proved to be the only AWC victory to the horse's name.

Even Stevens - also a Class 2 winner here, having pulled out a big performance at a big price in February. This is Scott Dixon's only runner for the day.

Race 6

Chookie Royale - Mightily impressive at Wolverhampton this year, twice kicking on the bend under Tom Eaves to draw readily clear, winning by very comfortable margins in both a Class 1 & Class 2. Didn't perform on the turf in the Lincoln but now returning to Polytrack he has a fantastic chance at glory.

Grey Mirage - 3rd in the opening race of the Championships, but has gone from strength to strength during the Championships and is unbeaten in 2014.

Race 7

Solar Deity - winner of the 2013 Lady Wulfruna Stakes, Champs opening race 2nd (ahead of Grey Mirage) and a Class 2 winner, before losing narrowly to Marshgate Lane and then competing at Meydan through the Dubai World Cup Carnival.

Marshgate Lane - one run at Wolverhampton, beating Solar Deity in a Class 2 in December.

We'll be cheering on another finish like Marshgate Lane & Solar Deity battled out back in December to close the Championships at Lingfield Park tomorrow on a fantastic day of racing!

All-Weather Champs Highlights

After over 5 months of All-Weather Championship action, we concluded their residency here for the season on Saturday evening. We have seen over 70 All-Weather Championship fixtures at the racecourse since the launch meeting was held here back on October 26th, with horses, trainers, jockeys and owners battling it out for a share of the £2 million prize fund that ARC put up for this fantastic initiative.

Some fantastic horses have graced the Polytrack here, including most notably, Toast Of New York (pictured below), who after his All-Weather Champs win, went on to claim a UAE Derby victory on Dubai World Cup Day at Meydan. Adam Kirby, who leads the jockey's league table from All-Weather Champs ambassador Luke Morris, rode him on his only All-Weather Champs run, and won by an impressive 16 lengths! It was after this that Jamie Osborne, who has been tremendously successful of late, realised how special a horse he had on his hands and took him straight to Dubai, with a view to now competing at the Derby.

The All-Weather Champs have brought a host of Class 2's to Wolverhampton with some top class colts, fillies, geldings and mares taking some very valuable prizes. Our most valuable races, worth over a staggering £40,000 each, were won by; Chookie Royale (pictured left), Even Stevens, Whispering Warrior, Solar Deity and Marshgate Lane (pictured below). The latter two both trained by Mark Johnston, who also trained multiple Class 2 victor here, Blue Wave. Mark's set an unassailable lead at the top of the trainer's league table, creating a very comfortable margin over second place, Michael  Appleby, as the season has progressed.

The Championship fixtures have been accompanied by some brilliant entertainment, including live music acts, pro/am darts challenges and family activities, and through January, attendance for all 14 All-Weather Champs fixtures was free of charge!

The Championships conclude this Friday at Lingfield Park Racecourse, on what will be the first Good Friday race meeting, with Lingfield beginning proceedings on the day at 1.45pm. Our annual members can attend this fixture free thanks to the fantastic ARC benefits with every ARC racecourse annual membership. Tickets can be bought from the Lingfield website for a day of top notch all-weather racing, worth £1 million, please follow the link to their fixture page: http://www.lingfieldpark.co.uk/fixtures/all-weather-championship-finals-day/

Looking to follow the Wolverhampton form on Finals Day this week? Watch this blog for a post later in the week when the declarations are out, which may steer you to your Good Friday selections. After all, Lingfield also race on a left handed Polytrack based track, and we have seen a number of winners here go down south to pick up a touch more of that ARC funded prize money at the Surrey racecourse.

Racecourse Debutants

Not one, not two, but THREE bands make their Wolverhampton Racecourse debut in April, all performing after all-weather evening meetings for hospitality guests and entertainment ticket holders to enjoy.

Envy - Saturday 5 April
Based in the North East, this superb boy band perform the greatest hits from legendary boy bands Take That and Westlife. Having been together for 14 years, the Wolverhampton date will be one of their last before going their separate ways! Check out their cover of Westlife's 'When You're Looking Like That'.

Heart Of Glass (Blondie Tribute) - Saturday 12 April
A Tribfest regular, Denise Danielle leads her five piece Blondie Tribute in a magnificent show, performing Blondie's classics from the past four decades, famous for chart toppers including "Maria", "Call Me", "One Way Or Another" and many more. Check out Denise and the band in action on YouTube.

Wham Bam Duran: 80's Night - Saturday 26 April
You requested those 80's power hits, and we've booked Wham Bam Duran to perform them for you! Classics from Duran Duran, Wham, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Wet Wet Wet and the Pet Shop Boys are all on the agenda, and of course, Rick Astley. If you've got 3 minutes and 33 seconds to spare, revel in the glory days of the 1980's (1987 to be exact) and watch this!

Packages start from £31.95 for a three course meal, racecourse admission, table for the evening and access to the fantastic post racing entertainment as listed above. Book your package online now (www.wolverhampton-racecourse.co.uk) or call us on 01902 390000.

Lincoln Trial Family Day

It was another fantastic Lincoln Trial Day on Saturday, with 1,400 visitors turning out in the wonderful spring sunshine to witness top notch racing and enjoy a day of family entertainment.

The first race of the day was the Class 1 Lady Wulfruna Stakes, and was won comfortably by Chookie Royale (pictured). Tom Eaves guided the Keith Dagleish trained 6 year old home in front, kicking on the turn of the home straight, in exactly the same fashion as when he won here a month ago. Chookie Royale has won by an impressive combined 10 and a half lengths over two top class races here.

The Lincoln Trial Handicap followed, a £50,000 Class 2, which didn't disappoint racecourse visitors and Channel 4 racing viewers alike. The 11/2 shot Whispering Warrior took the race under Jim Crowley by half a length, the next 6 finishers separated by just over 2 lengths. Chookie Royale will now go to Lingfield Park to contend for the All-Weather Championships mile division title, and Whispering Warrior has an entry in the Lincoln at Doncaster Racecourse later this month.

Not just an exciting afternoon of racing, the kids enjoyed their day at the races with some fantastic Ringside activities, as well as face painting and crafts provided by Dudley Zoo, and appearances from Dudley Zoo and racecourse mascots, Jambi and Freddie Furlong. Our next Family Fun Day is on Monday 11 August, and features popular children's TV characters Mike the Knight and his sister Evie.

Freddie is also rumoured to be in action for Sport Relief coming up next weekend  (Friday 21 - Sunday 23 March), watch this space for video clips of his fundraising events. £1 from all advance bookings for our evening meeting (and darts event on the same night) on Friday 21 March will go to Sport Relief, join the racecourse in helping a brilliant cause and book your tickets now: http://www.wolverhampton-racecourse.co.uk/whats-on/fixture/21-march-2014/

50 Days Of All-Weather Championship Racing Remain

Today marks the 50 day countdown to the All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, April 18. It was four months ago today, on Saturday 26 October, that we hosted the opening day of the Championships. Of the 7 winners that day, one has gone on to run creditably in Dubai at the carnival, one went hurdling for the winner (winning one race and coming second in her other), three haven't run since their victories and the other two have run here without putting another All-Weather Champs victory to their name. The most notable of the runners from that day though is the Marco Botti trained Grey Mirage, who since finishing third in the opening race, has gone on to win three Class 2's and come second in another and is now top of the "Horse of the Year" league table with £58,598.50 in prize money.

The most valuable day of the All-Weather Champs season here is still to come though, with over £130,000 in prize money up for grabs on our Lincoln Trial Family Day. The day features two £45,000 races with the winner of the Lincoln Trial (Class 2) and Lady Wulfruna Stakes (Class 1) also going on to compete for further valuable prizes at Doncaster and Lingfield respectively.

Click on the image for the website fixture page

All leaderboards and league tables are updated every Tuesday and can be seen online here. The table the punter's are keeping an eye on in particular though are the jockeys standings, Luke Morris and Adam Kirby have been separated by only a few winners all season, both seen around the four tracks driving home favourites and outsiders alike. As the All-Weather Championships ambassador, Luke "the sniper" Morris writes a blog for the competition which gives a great insight into the Championships from the jockey's perspective, and is a real must read for all of you all-weather racing followers; http://www.awchampionships.co.uk/blog/

The Season Of Spring Live Music Is Upon Us

On a wet and blustery evening last Saturday a few loyal racegoers and many entertainment seekers turned out to watch our first 8 race card of 2014, followed by a superb live music performance, and disco, from ABBA Tribute, Swede Dreamz. On the track we saw Caramack complete his hat trick here, despite going up in grade, the 4 year old won in the same fashion as previously coming home late to win by less than a length. A rare runner at the track for Tim Vaughan made a winning debut, Nellie The Elegant won at a massive 16/1 SP under a great ride by David Probert.

If Swedish pop isn't your cup of tea there's no need to worry as we have music to suit all tastes coming up over the next couple of months, just check out our line-up:

• Saturday 15 March - Hipster (Rock & Pop)
• Saturday 5 April - Envy (Boy Band)
• Saturday 12 April - Heart Of Glass (Blondie Tribute)
• Saturday 26 April - Wham Bam Duran (80's Power Pop)

The entertainment is thick and fast come March with our Lincoln Trial Family Day kicking off proceedings on the 8th, as well as a fantastic Pro/Am Darts Evening with a few legends of the game on Friday 21 March.

Although we're without live music for the remaining Saturdays in February, we have got Friday evening meetings for the rest of the month, including today, with the first race off at 5.05. The aptly named 'Dazzling Valentine' runs here this evening, maybe the sentimental pick in the 7.05 for our racegoers sharing the exclusive Valentine's Day Package in Horizons, for which there's still availability for all of you super late plan makers, call us now for details!

UB40!

It's the mystery act you've all been waiting for since we released our feature music evening details last year. Today we launched the news that performing on Friday 29 August at the racecourse, live after an evening race meeting will be UB40.

Founded in Moseley, and named after the form they used to fill out to collect their employment benefits, the Unemployment Benefit, form 40, the international reggae group have since gone on to have a few number 1's, including famous hits such as "I Got You Babe", "Can't Help Falling In Love" and "Red Red Wine". Worldwide the band have sold 70 million records, and so will be the biggest band to ever perform at Wolverhampton Racecourse.

Click on the image to visit the fixture page

After a cracking music evening in 2013 featuring Scouting For Girls, we hope this year's event will be even bigger and better, book your tickets now via the website or over the phone, hospitality packages are available for the evening including the fabulous Horizons Restaurant Package and excellent Ringside Restaurant Package, which so many of you enjoy on our tribute and live band nights, these are expected to sell out fast so book early to avoid disappointment!

It promises to be another fantastic evening of entertainment at the racecourse, keep an eye out on our Facebook and Twitter for latest news on the band and maybe even a competition or two.

Year of the Horse

As I type up this blog, Luke Morris is putting in a top class performance out on the track, victorious in our first three races on today's card, the Year of the Horse is looking like it could be a really lucky one for the Wolverhampton regular!

The Chinese New Year is approaching, and this year from January 31 it will be the 'Year of the Horse'. To celebrate the heart and soul of the sport of kings we've put on a competition to win a fabulous prize. The competition is one for all of you digital individuals with the week long competition taking place on Facebook and Twitter. With nearly 10,000 of you following us now we hope we'll get some cracking entries.

So, the competition, all you have to do is like, share and comment with your New Year's Resolutions on our original competition Facebook status (http://on.fb.me/1ayQlGY) or for all of you Tweeters out there, re-tweet and reply to one of our competition tweets (@WolvesRaces) with your New Year's Resolutions. It's as easy as that!

The best New Year's Resolution, as judged by our judging panel, will get a table for 4 in the stylish Horizons Restaurant, which offers the best seats in the racecourse, for a meeting of their choice before July 31 2014, and we're even throwing in a bottle of wine. Pick your meeting wisely and you may even get to see another globetrotting superstar, like Jakkalberry, who won our class 2 last Friday evening in comfortable fashion.

Get on over to our social media feeds now and get your entries in! Good Luck!

January!

It's been a week since New Year's and nearly two since our Boxing Day fixture, how the time flies. If like us you're back to work, feeling the cold snap and watching the pennies after splashing out over the festive period then we've got a little something just for you that'll get you over those holiday blues... FREE RACING!

Click on the image to go to our fixture list

Now in it's fifth year, this is the perfect opportunity to catch the All-Weather Championship action at absolutely no cost, or splash out just a little and go Premier for a fiver. We've still got 10 fixtures left this month so there's no shortage of opportunity to come down for a day at the races.

We're gearing up here for our only Sunday fixture of 2014 this coming Sunday, we hope you'll be joining us to catch the action, or better yet, join us in the Horizons Restaurant for a wonderful Sunday lunch and enjoy the racing from some of the best seats in the racecourse.You can't turn down these views at a discounted price!