Racing began in Wolverhampton in 1825 and moved to the current racecourse site in 1888. In 1994, Queen Elizabeth II re-opened the new Wolverhampton Racecourse, which was Britain's first floodlit racecourse at the time. Today, it is one of Britain’s busiest and it welcomes 120,000 visitors each year across 80 race fixtures, live music events and conferences.
Wolverhampton Racecourse hosts all-weather flat action all-year-round. Since 2014, it has used a high-performance Tapeta track.
The racecourse hosts two feature races each year. Both of these are hosted on the same day, at the start of March. The first is the Lincoln Trial, which is run over an extended mile and is open to four-year-olds and older. It’s a valuable handicap with a prize of over £30,000 for the winner. This race also serves as a preparation run for Doncaster’s long-standing Lincoln Handicap in April.
On the same afternoon, the racecourse stages the Lady Wulfruna Stakes, which is run over seven furlongs and is open to four-year-olds and upwards.
Looking for a bumper crowd and some next-level atmosphere? Visit Wolverhampton races on Boxing Day or Ladies Evening, which takes place in September.
Many seasoned race-goers will tell you that the racing at Wolverhampton is all about quantity rather than quality. However, some very useful horses have won at the course. For example, Breeders’ Cup winners Conduit and Muhannak plus Classic runner-up Toast Of New York have all claimed victory at Wolverhampton.