Situated just to the southeast of London, Crayford Dogs offers an enticing mix of great racing and a range of food and drink packages that combine to create a night out to remember.
If you want top-flight racing look out for the Gold Collar, the Golden Jacket and the Guys and Dolls meetings and try out the Heathview Restaurant if you want the full three-course, table service treatment.
What’s On Offer at Crayford?
Racing takes place on Tuesday and Saturday evenings, Wednesday and Saturday mornings and Thursday and Friday afternoons. Big meetings include the Golden Jacket in February, the Guys and Dolls night in July and the Gold Collar and the Cesarewitch, which are normally held in late November
Crayford offers a range of experiences to suit different budgets. General Admission is £7 for adults, £5 for children under 18 and under threes get in free. If there is a group of you, consider the party park which is £12 per person and includes entry, a race card, a snack bar meal and one drink.
Heathview Restaurant
On Tuesdays and Saturdays, you can try the Heathview Restaurant. This offers panoramic views of the track plus it has TVs available for any areas where views are restricted. Tuesday is the time to go for a more chilled-out experience and you can get a three-course dinner with full table service which sounds like a lovely mid-week treat! It will cost £25 for an adult and one child gets in free with every paying adult. Additional children will cost £17.50.
Saturday Options
On Saturdays the restaurant offer two sittings. You can kick off your weekend at the brunch sitting where you will get a full English breakfast for £11.95 (£6.95 for three to 12 years olds) or the evening sitting offers a three-course meal which is £35 for adults, £17.50 for children under 18 and free for under threes.
Summer Afternoon Tea
Over the summer the track has also been offering Afternoon Teas on the last Friday of each month. This costs £20 for adults and £10 for children. The menu is wide-ranging and usually offers steak, pork belly, Caeser salad and a couple of vegetarian options. The children’s menu includes pizza, chicken and chips and pasta bake.
Celebration Packages
There are also a number of celebration packages if you are going for a special occasion. The Bronze package costs £49.99 and gets you a shout-out, a race name in the race card, and the chance to present the trophy to the winning dog. There are three other celebrations options going up to the Platinum Package, priced at £159.99, where you also get an engraved trophy, flowers, Champagne and a cake for eight people.
How to Get There
The stadium address is Crayford Greyhound Track, Stadium Way, Dartford, DA1 4HR and is located just off the A2: parking is free. By public transport it is a five-minute walk from Crayford Train Station plus bus routes 96, 428 and 492 stop a similar distance away from the track.
How to Get in Touch?
- Tel: – 01322 557836
- Email: – info@crayford.com
- Twitter: – @Crayforddogs
What Else Do I Need to Know?
Crayford is a relatively new greyhound stadium compared to others. It was opened on the 1st of September, 1986 after the previous Crayford and Bexleyheath Stadium was demolished and redeveloped after 50 years of dog and speedway racing.
Three Grand National Winners
Despite its relatively recent history, the track still has a long legacy of top-class dogs. There have been three Grand National winners: Breeks Rocket in 1988, Dynamic Display in 1996 and Plane Daddy in 2010. Bubbly Prince and Lady Jean won consecutive Cesarewitch’s in 1999 and 2000, and Haughty Ted won the 2001 Gold Cup.
Perhaps most famous of all, however, was Spiridon Louis. Trained by Lorraine Sams, this black and white dog won the TV Trophy, the St Leger and the Regency on the way to becoming the 2007 Greyhound of the Year!
Well-Known Races
As well as high-class dogs, the track hosts a number of well-known races including the Golden Jacket, the Gold Collar, and the Guys and Dolls. The Golden Jacket is raced over a distance of 714 metres and was first raced at Harringay Stadium. The Gold Collar was first run in 1933 but was discontinued for several years until it returned at Catford in 2015.
The Guys and Dolls was resurrected at the same time and unusually features bitches and dogs racing in separate heats before running together in a mixed final. It was won by Icaals Rocco at odds of 3/1 in 2022 and in recent years has seen winners coming in at 11/1 and 20/1, so there may be a bit of value available to punters who do their research.