Monmore Green Stadium is a greyhound racing and former motorcycle speedway stadium located in Wolverhampton. The stadium has private suites, a restaurant and a number of bars. The venue is owned and operated by Entain Group.
Speedway
Motorcycle speedway was raced on Monday nights with the Wolverhampton Wolves competing in the top division of the sport.Wolverhampton Wolves website The speedway track at Monmore Green is long.Wolverhampton Wolves club and track information
Greyhound racing Matinée races take place on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays with evening race meetings on Thursday and Saturday nights. The track hosts several major races including the Ladbrokes Gold Cup, Ladbrokes Puppy Derby, Ladbrokes Festival 630's, Ladbrokes Summer Cup and from 2015 the prestigious puppy competition the Trafalgar Cup.
The track features prominently in the song "Monmore, Hare's Running" on the 1997 album Voyage to the Bottom of the Road by the band Half Man Half Biscuit.
History
20th Century Monmore opened in 1928 south-east of Wolverhampton and south of the Sutherland Road between the Great Western Railway line and East Park (a large sculptured park and gardens). The official opening night was Wednesday 11 January 1928 organised by a company called the Midland Greyhound Racing Association. A 10,000 strong crowd witnessed the seven races including two hurdle events and the first greyhound to win a race was Arrow Tranby winning one of the 500 yards races in a time of 32.08 secs at odds of 6-1 when winning the Shirley Stakes.
In 1935, the large resident Monmore kennels were split into two sections and also served Willenhall Greyhound Stadium. Unlike many tracks Monmore remained open during the majority of the war and introduced the Midland Puppy Championship in 1943, which would become the Midland Puppy Derby and then the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby (not to be confused with the more prestigious Puppy Derby held at Wimbledon Stadium). The company ran a policy of having joint Racing Managers covering both Monmore and Willenhall. In the fifties Peter Cartwright left his position as Racing Manager to join the National Greyhound Racing Club and was replaced by Bob Harwood. Further competitions were introduced at the track that included the Midland St Leger, Midland Classic Potential, Pride of the Midlands and Staffordshire Knot.
In 1963, a devastating fire swept through the main grandstand resulting in the closure of the track for a considerable period whilst repairs were made. The annual Midland Puppy Championship had to be switched to Willenhall. The fire instigated a major change with the grandstand undergoing significant investment in the mid-sixties to include an ultra-modern glass fronted restaurant with tiered viewing and waitress service. It brought the facilities up to date and attracted outside interest from the Totalisators and Greyhound Holdings (TGH). In 1970 TGH purchased Willenhall and Monmore from the Midland Greyhound Racing Co Ltd to add to the existing tracks of Crayford & Bexleyheath, Gosforth, Leeds and Brough Park that they already owned. Four years later in 1974 Ladbrokes bought out TGH and added another racetrack Perry Barr. Arthur Aldridge became Racing Director for Ladbrokes and following the 1981 decimation of horse racing fixtures due to bad weather the track held BAGS (Bookmakers’ Afternoon Greyhound Service) fixtures for the first time.
The track's resident kennels were demolished in the late eighties making way for the contract trainer system and Jim Woods arrived from Nottingham Greyhound Stadium to take over as Racing Manager with Bob Harwood General Manager. The stadium hosted the Golden Jacket classic race in 1986 before it moved to Crayford Stadium and a pre-war event the Midland Gold Cup returned in 1994. The stadium underwent changes in 1996 including a change of hare system from a Sumner to a Swaffham and a major track redesign creating new race distances.
21st Century 2011 was a very successful year for the track when they won the BAGS National Track Championship and trainer Chris Allsopp became champion trainer. In 2013, Jim Woods retired after a 31-year career handing the reigns to Tony Williamson who had served for twenty years as Wood's assistant. The prestigious Trafalgar Cup competition was held for the first time in 2015.
In 2018 the stadium signed a deal with SIS to race every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon and every Thursday and Saturday evening. Leading trainer Kevin Hutton joined the track in August 2018.
In 2022, Entain signed a long term deal with the Arena Racing Company for media rights, starting in January 2024. In 2023, the stadium owners announced that speedway would cease after the 2023 season.
Major competitions Ladbrokes Gold Cup Ladbrokes Puppy Derby Trafalgar Cup Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic
Track records
Current Metres Greyhound Time Date Notes210 Crossfield Larry 12.349 September 2023264 Jetharts Here 14.958 September 2007416 Southfield Jock24.014 December 2015480 Ballymac Eske27.4828 June 2012630 Iceman Brutus 37.0720 August 2007Ladbrokes Gold Cup heats684 Mongys Wild40.4117 May 2025TV Trophy Final835 Slick Strauss 51.0017 August 2017
Previous (post-metric)
Metres Greyhound Time Date Notes210 Cry Havoc 12.6420 March 1997210 Andlyns Asabat 12.458 May 2014264Parliament Act15.32 28 August 2001 264 Boher Chief 15.30 27 May 2004 264 La Galga 15.24 11 August 2005 264 La Galga15.23 26 August 2005 264 Winnies Dancer15.22 8 October 2005 264 Ningbo Jack 15.09 12 June 2006 264 Paid Boss15.08 24 August 2007 277 Cross Bar16.66 19 April 1984 277 Fearless Champ 16.349 November 1985416 Devitos Chance24.96 10 December 1997416 Moynies Cash24.57 3 July 2004 416 Woodcroft Jo 24.51 4 September 2004 416 Belindas Company24.33 23 September 2006416 Funtime Chunky24.33 24 August 2007 416 Last Mohican 24.30 5 July 2008 416 Loughbeag Roopy24.22 26 June 2010 416 Guinness Sky 24.2124 June 2013460 Larkhill Jo 27.15 10 April 1997462 Hume Silver28.15 14 April 1984 462 Fearless Champ 28.12 18 January 1986480 Larkhill Jo 27.95 7 July 1997 Midland Gold Cup semi-final480 Knocktoosh Queen27.93 9 August 2003 480 Express Hancho 27.91 23 August 2003 Ladbrokes Gold Cup semi-finals480 Westmead Eagle27.85 17 March 2005 480 Ballymac Pires27.82 17 March 2005 Ladbrokes Puppy Derby final480 Blonde Dino27.81 8 September 2007 480 Ballymac Ruso27.79 6 December 2008 480 Bandicoot Tipoki 27.76 12 March 2009 Ladbrokes Puppy Derby heats480 Farloe Lee=27.76 12 March 2009 Ladbrokes Puppy Derby heats480 Target Classic27.717 December 2009 480 Farley Blitz 27.60 13 February 2010 484 Duke of Avon29.22 5 July 1979484 Keen Mint 29.55 11 October 1982 484 Fearless Power29.26 8 November 1986 484 Darragh Commet 29.08 11 February 1989484 Heres Andy 29.00 5 July 1996last 484 record630 Spring Rose 37.90 10 May 1997 630 Slippy Elite37.81 28 November 1998 630 Form of Magic37.56 16 May 2002 Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic heats630 Marmions37.42 20 May 2004 Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic semi630 Westmead Hawk 37.08 20 May 2005 647 Telecomm Tiger 40.42 18 October 1986 647 Catunda Flame 40.33 8 July 1989 647 Easy Bimbo 40.18 13 July 1991 647 Highmoor Glen 40.10 10 July 1993684 True Honcho 41.03 14 April 2001 692 Desert Fame 43.41 25 April 1984 692 Miss Bluebird 43.37 29 October 1985815 Lizzies Girl 52.16 23 April 1975 BBC TV Trophy Final 815 Scurlogue Champ 51.80 15 May 1985 BBC TV Trophy heats815 Scurlogue Champ 51.64 22 May 1985 BBC TV Trophy final835 Spenwood Gem52.09 17 September 1998 835 Knappogue Oak52.09 28 August 2001 835 Minglers Moth52.01 15 August 2002 835 Hesley Gale 51.95 27 May 2004 835 Head Iton Tonge51.60 21 June 2007 835 Flying Winner 51.26 29 August 2009 880 Thornfield Pride 54.7919 July 1997900 Make It Not 58.055 November 1983900 Angelas Girl April 1983900 Lilac Wonder 57.83 5 December 1992 900 Ladys Storm 57.02 9 July 1998900 Aayamza Royale55.9527 February 2021900 Aayamza Royale55.0022 May 2021TV Trophy final1067 Belladare 70.749 May 1987 1067 Coverall 70.34 29 October 19901104 Travel Now 72.6625 March 2000460 H James Wish 28.19 1998480 H Brave Ruler 28.88 26 July 1999 484 H Distant Echo 30.54 18 July 1987 484 H Nifty Kid 30.32 28 November 1988 484 H Run On King 30.09 10 April 1991 647 H Tebroc Heathen 42.60 20 April 1989
Previous (pre-metric)
Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes300 General Radiance 17.22 27 May 1937 300 Hurry Kitty 17.17 8 November 1945 475 Neidins Bunty 27.53 23 March 1939 475 Coynes Castle 27.14 8 August 1946 500 Rushton Mac 1954500 Lucky Joan28.10 October 1962525 Kilpeacon Bride 30.09 5 February 1944 525 Red Captain 29.34 April 1965525 Aughrim Glen 29.19 1970650 Derry Fame 37.04 June 1964650 Hogans Express 37.04 1970=equalled700 Half Term 40.79 14 October 1944700 Clahane Girl 40.05 September 1962 700 Forward King 39.82 September 1967 Steward's Cup final880 Chantilly Lace 51.80 April 1960 880 Old Irish 51.10 1970525 H Baytown Express 30.90 29 October 1944 525 H Coast Raider 30.60 September 1957
References