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.