A bumper schedule of greyhound racing at Oxford Stadium has been confirmed this festive season, guaranteeing friends and families a fun, cost-effective, alternative night out.
Greyhound Racing had been absent from the City of Dreaming Spires for a decade before it was reintroduced in September as part of the Cowley venue’s major regeneration project.
Now, for the first time since 2012, racegoers can celebrate the festive period trackside either on the terraces, in our panoramic restaurant or stylish VIP executive suites.
We document everything you need to know about a night at the greyhounds in Oxford this Christmas below. We hope to see you soon!
Dates for your diary
Our Christmas racing schedule kicks off on Friday, December 23, when we host the £10,000 Category One bet365 Challenge Cup Final over 650-metres.
This will be an opportunity for you to be up close and personal to some of the world’s fastest greyhounds. We then host three fixtures between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve with back-to-back meetings on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd to start 2023 in style!
Full schedule:
Friday December 23rd – first race off at 6.35pm, last race 9.36pm.
Monday, December 26th – first race off at 10.17am, last race 1.09pm.
Thursday, December 29th – first race off at 10.46am, last race 1.33pm (FREE admission)
Friday, December 30th – first race off at 6.35pm, last race 9.36pm.
Sunday, January 1st – first race off at 7.10pm, last race 9.40pm.
Monday, January 2nd – first race off at 10.46am, last race 1.33pm (FREE admission)
Tuesday, January 3rd – first race off at 10.46am, last race 1.33pm (FREE admission)
Please note fixtures on December 26th and January 1st are ticket only events and no tickets can be purchased on the door.
Free parking is available via Unipart with a free shuttle coach provided. All guests in our Executive Suites can park onsite. A limited number of disabled parking spaces are available on a first come, first served, basis.
Admission
General admission
General admission for all festive fixtures can be booked on our website now for just £9 for adults – U14s go free! This grants you access to all our bars, food outlets and viewing spaces outside.
General admission for fixtures on the 29th, 2nd and 3rd is FREE for everyone.
Fab5
An upgrade on general admission, giving you the true race night experience.
Our Fab5 package costs just £19.95 for adults and includes: admission, one drink (pint, soft drink or small wine), race programme, £2 Tote bet, burger and fries.
Savana Bar and Restaurant
If you fancy upgrading and enjoying the racing in our stylish Savana Bar and Restaurant then you can for just £34.95 for adults and £10.95 for U14s. This includes a two-course Christmas meal in our glass fronted panoramic restaurant.
You can view our special Christmas menu by clicking here.
Collaborative Engineering Executive Suites
Positioned right next to the racetrack with your very own private viewing space and bar, our Executive Suites provide the luxury experience.
Bookings cost £44.95 for adults and £14.95 for U14s, a minimum of 15 people must book. The price includes a two-course meal and a close-up view of the action in a private space.
To view all New Year’s Day bookings and packages, please click here.
To view all Christmas bookings and packages, please click here.
Facilities
Only 18 months ago, Oxford Stadium was subject to 10 years of neglect.
Within eight months of being handed the keys in June 2021, our multi-purpose community hub was transformed into a modern, fit for purpose, stadium. Its new facilities include:
- The Joey Beauchamp Sports Bar
- Champs Bar
- Savana Bar and Restaurant
- OX Gin Bar
- Collaborative Engineering Executive Suites (x3)
- Tote betting facilities
- Frank Bruno Foundation centre
Greyhound Racing
Greyhound Racing has been part of the UK’s sporting landscape for almost a century and hosts over two million spectators annually, making it the sixth most-attended sport.
Typically, a meeting will comprise of a dozen races held over varying distances and conditions and last between two-and-a-half to three hours – depending on the number of races.
Providing every greyhound is cleared fit to run by our veterinary team, each greyhound race at Oxford Stadium will be contested by six dogs.
Each dog is placed into a box, known as a trap, which is released when an artificial hare passes. It is in all greyhounds’ DNA to chase. The winning dog is the one which passes the finish line first.
Races are held over a variety of distances and grades with greyhounds moving up and down the grading system depending on performance.
Welfare
At Oxford Stadium, we are committed to providing world-leading standards of care so every greyhound lives an enjoyable life before, during and after their racing careers.
Our welfare standards exceed the requirements for all domestic pet owners in the UK, and we are proud to work with a highly qualified and experienced vets who deliver our greyhounds and their trainers around the clock support.
We have invested over £250,000 in our welfare provisions and all races are strictly operated under the Greyhound Board of Great Britain’s (GBGB) Rules of Racing which comply with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations.
We also operate a #LovedInRetirement campaign to find all greyhounds a loving home when their racing careers end. Our volunteers will be parading greyhounds in search of a loving home through our festive schedule, please feel free to say hello!
