Wolverhampton Racecourse has stood in Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton, just a mile from the city centre, since 1888. However, the racecourse has been reincarnated as an all-weather Flat racing venue in recent years, on Fibresand in 1993 and, more recently, on Polytrack in 2004 and on Tapeta in 2014.The new racecourse, which is equipped with floodlights, has the distinction of being the busiest in the country, with 110 fixtures throughout the year.
Course Characteristics
The round course at Wolverhampton is a left-handed, flat oval, less than a mile in circumference with a short, two-furlong home straight. There is no straight course; races over five, six, and seven furlongs are run around two bends, with a slight bias towards horses drawn low. The sharp bends and short straight tend to favour agile, handy types who race on, or close to, the pace.
Track Facts
The Lady Wilfruna Stakes, run over 7 furlongs in March, is the only Listed race run at Wolverhampton.
On April 29 2013, jockey Graham Gibbons rode a double at Wolverhampton, but was subsequently arrested by West Midlands Police having failed to appear at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court on a charge of being drunk and disorderly the previous week.