Wrexham Tennis Tournament Links Up With Bangor Racing 2026

Key Points

• A collaboration was formed between the Lexus Wrexham Open and Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse.
• Through the collaboration, the Lexus Wrexham Open Steeplechase was formed.
• The steeplechase was set for the North Wales Business Day fixture of Bangor-on-Dee on 4th September 2026.
• The collaboration was an example of a coming together of a major women’s tennis competition and a well-known North Wales racing circuit.
• Dave Courteen, the promoter of the Lexus Wrexham Open, said that all sports facilities in North Wales should collaborate in order to market their respective sporting competitions.
• The Lexus Wrexham Open is to return to the Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre between 18th and 25th October 2026.
• The organizers referred to the event as a first for a UK tennis competition.

Wrexham (Wales Times) September 30, 2026 — uk/local/bangor/">Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse hosted the Lexus Wrexham Open Steeplechase as part of its North Wales Business Day fixture, creating a new link between the international women’s tennis tournament and horse racing in North Wales.

The race was announced as part of a partnership between the Lexus Wrexham Open and Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse. According to reports by the Herald.Wales and Love Wrexham, the collaboration gave the tennis tournament its own named horse race during the racecourse’s September fixture.

The Lexus Wrexham Open Steeplechase was scheduled for Friday, 4 September, at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse. The event formed part of North Wales Business Day, a fixture intended to bring together racing, business networking and regional sporting activity.

The partnership also placed the Lexus Wrexham Open beyond its main setting at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre. While the tournament is played on indoor tennis courts, its association with Bangor-on-Dee introduced the event to a different sporting audience through a race day.

Why was the Lexus Wrexham Open Steeplechase created?

The new race was created through a partnership between the Lexus Wrexham Open and Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse. The reported aim was to encourage greater cooperation between sporting venues and organisations across North Wales.

Dave Courteen, promoter of the Lexus Wrexham Open, said the partnership reflected the importance of sporting venues working together. As reported by Herald.Wales, Courteen said:

“We believe it’s important that sporting venues across North Wales work together to promote what they do.”

He added that the arrangement could represent a first for British tennis. Courteen said organisers believed the Lexus Wrexham Open would become the first tennis tournament in the UK to have a horse race named after it.

The comments positioned the race as more than a sponsorship arrangement. They presented it as an example of two different sports using their existing audiences and venues to increase awareness of events held in the same region.

The partnership also connected the profile of the Lexus Wrexham Open with Bangor-on-Dee’s business-focused race fixture. The racecourse’s North Wales Business Day included a competitive seven-race card in September 2026, according to information published by Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse. One of the listed races was the Goffs Yorton Sale 10th September Handicap Steeplechase, a Class 2 race over 3 miles and 30 yards with prize money of £22,500.

What happened at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse?

The Lexus Wrexham Open Steeplechase was included in Bangor-on-Dee’s North Wales Business Day programme. The fixture combined horse racing with a business and networking focus, providing an opportunity for local companies and racegoers to attend the same event.

The arrangement gave the Lexus Wrexham Open a presence at a venue that attracts horse-racing supporters, business representatives and visitors from across the region. It also allowed Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse to associate itself with a tennis tournament that has developed an international profile through the ITF World Tennis Tour.

Love Wrexham reported that the partnership brought tennis and horse racing together and described the race as a new development for the tournament. The report also stated that the Lexus Wrexham Open was the biggest women’s tennis tournament in the UK outside the grass-court season in 2026.

The significance of the race was therefore linked to the shared regional identity of the two events. Bangor-on-Dee provided the racing venue, while the Lexus Wrexham Open contributed the tournament brand and its growing connection with Wrexham and North Wales.

What is the Lexus Wrexham Open?

The Lexus Wrexham Open is an ITF World Tennis Tour event held at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre. The 2026 tournament is scheduled to take place from 18 to 25 October on the venue’s indoor courts.

The Lawn Tennis Association said tickets for the 2026 tournament went on sale in May. It described the event as a major women’s tennis tournament returning to North Wales and confirmed the October dates.

The tournament previously took place in Shrewsbury before moving to Wrexham. Its relocation has helped establish Wrexham as a host city for international women’s tennis. The event includes professional players competing in an official tournament environment, alongside business, community and promotional activities connected with the week.

The Lexus Wrexham Open’s 2026 return was announced after the success of the previous tournament. According to the tournament’s official website, the event was due to return to Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre between 18 and 25 October.

The tournament has also attracted support from businesses in Wrexham and the surrounding area. Earlier coverage reported that local sponsors had backed networking events and other activities linked to the competition. A 2026 business leaders event attracted more than 100 business representatives, according to Wrexham.com.

How does the race support regional sport?

The partnership gives two established sporting venues an opportunity to promote their events to audiences that may not normally attend both sports.

Horse racing and tennis have different competition formats, seasons and spectator traditions. However, both can support tourism, hospitality, sponsorship and local business activity. A joint initiative allows each organisation to benefit from additional publicity while maintaining the identity of its own event.

For Bangor-on-Dee, the named race added a connection with one of Wrexham’s most prominent international sporting events. For the Lexus Wrexham Open, the race created an additional point of contact with the public before the October tennis tournament.

Courteen’s comments, reported by Herald.Wales and Love Wrexham, placed the partnership within a wider effort to encourage cooperation among sporting venues in North Wales. The development was not presented as a change to the tennis tournament itself, but as an additional promotional and regional engagement activity.

The initiative also reflects the wider role of sporting events in regional development. Large fixtures can attract visitors, create opportunities for local businesses and give communities a shared event calendar. The effect depends on attendance, publicity and continued cooperation, but the partnership provides a structure for those activities.

What did organisers say about the partnership?

Dave Courteen said the collaboration was important because sporting venues across North Wales should work together to promote their activities.

As reported by Herald.Wales, Courteen stated:

“We believe it’s important that sporting venues across North Wales work together to promote what they do.”

He also said:

“We think we will become the first tennis tournament in the UK to have a horse race named after it.”

Those comments were attributed to Courteen in coverage published by Herald.Wales. Love Wrexham also reported his support for the collaboration and described the event as a partnership between the Lexus Wrexham Open and Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse.

The statement did not indicate that the race would replace any part of the tennis tournament. Instead, the steeplechase was presented as a separate event connected through branding and promotion.

What is planned for the 2026 tennis tournament?

The Lexus Wrexham Open is scheduled to return to the indoor courts at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre from 18 to 25 October 2026.

The Lawn Tennis Association reported that the tournament would bring professional women’s tennis back to North Wales. The event is expected to include matches involving British and international players, although the final player field can change before the tournament begins.

Organisers have also continued to develop activities outside the tennis matches. In May, coverage of the tournament’s launch stated that more than 130 guests attended an event at the Ramada Plaza in Wrexham. The 2026 programme was expected to include additional off-court events intended to broaden participation and engagement during tournament week.

A separate business leaders breakfast was also arranged as part of the tournament’s wider programme. The event was designed to examine links between sport and business, with speakers discussing how sporting lessons could apply in professional settings. Wrexham.com reported that more than 100 business leaders attended the previous breakfast event.

The Bangor-on-Dee steeplechase therefore formed part of a wider approach in which the tournament combines professional sport with business, community and regional promotional activities.

Why is this development important for North Wales?

The race strengthens the relationship between two high-profile venues in the region. Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse is associated with National Hunt racing, while Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre hosts an international tennis competition. Linking the two events creates a shared promotional opportunity without merging their sporting programmes.

For Wrexham and surrounding communities, the partnership may help increase awareness of the tennis tournament among people who regularly attend horse racing. It may also introduce Bangor-on-Dee’s fixture to supporters, sponsors and business contacts linked to the Lexus Wrexham Open.

The development is also relevant to North Wales’s efforts to promote itself through sport. The Lexus Wrexham Open has attracted international players and business support, while Bangor-on-Dee has continued to stage race meetings that bring visitors to the area.

However, the available reports do not provide confirmed figures for the direct economic impact of the named race. Attendance, spending and future sponsorship results would need to be assessed separately rather than assumed from the partnership announcement.

Background: How did the Lexus Wrexham Open develop?

The Lexus Wrexham Open was formerly held in Shrewsbury before moving to Wrexham. The event is part of the ITF World Tennis Tour and is staged at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre.

The tournament’s organisers have promoted it as one of the most significant women’s tennis events in the UK outside the grass-court season. The Lawn Tennis Association has reported on its return to North Wales and confirmed the 2026 dates of 18 to 25 October.

The event has received backing from Tennis Wales, the Lawn Tennis Association, Wrexham Council, business sponsors and the team at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre. A previous Lawn Tennis Association feature credited cooperation between those organisations and the tournament’s promoter, Dave Courteen.

The 2026 edition has also included business networking events and additional activities alongside the tennis matches. The steeplechase at Bangor-on-Dee added a separate racing connection to the tournament’s promotional programme.

Prediction: How could the development affect tennis and racing audiences?

For tennis supporters, the partnership could increase awareness of the Lexus Wrexham Open before its October tournament. People who attended Bangor-on-Dee’s business and racing fixtures may become more familiar with the Wrexham event, particularly if the cross-promotion continues.

For horse-racing audiences, the named race may provide an introduction to a major tennis competition taking place nearby. The effect is likely to be strongest among local spectators and businesses already interested in regional sporting events.

The development could also encourage other North Wales venues to explore joint promotions. If the partnership produces strong attendance or business engagement, organisers may consider repeating similar links in future years. Any long-term effect will depend on audience response, sponsorship arrangements and whether the collaboration continues beyond the 2026 fixture.

At this stage, the confirmed development is the creation of the Lexus Wrexham Open Steeplechase at Bangor-on-Dee. The wider impact on attendance, tourism and commercial partnerships remains to be measured.