A record-breaking dog trainer has said there is “too much passion” within the dog racing world for Wimbledon stadium to be torn down.

This Saturday, the stadium will again hold greyhound racing’s showpiece, the English Greyhound Derby, but there are fears it could be the last time it is run in Wimbledon and the beginning of the end for greyhound racing in the UK.

Dog racing began at Wimbledon stadium in 1928.

However site owners Galliard Homes, GRA Limited and Risk Capital Management have drawn up proposals to tear down the track and build 798 apartments as well as a multi-screen cinema, which would mark the end of great British greyhound racing in London which would no longer have a dog track.

Meanwhile Paschal Taggart, an Irish businessman, has put forward plans to build a new four-tier stadium with a capacity for 6,000 spectators which could spell a new era for greyhound racing in Wimbledon.

If either proposal is successful, it could spell the end of any hopes of the site being transformed into a football stadium to be used for AFC Wimbledon.

Dolores Ruth, who has raced greyhounds for the last 20 years, said tearing the stadium down would be a "huge loss" to Wimbledon.

She said: "Wimbledon is synonymous with sport and you have the tennis in the area, so why would you not want greyhound racing to continue.

"To have housing on it, for one thing there’s a flooding issue, so there are a lot of disadvantages to have housing and it and a huge amount of plus’ to have it as a greyhound stadium.

"It’s an area that needs a sporting venue."

She added: "I never look on the negative side of things.

"There’s too much passion there’s just to have it torn down and have houses.

"The glass is always half full rather than half empty and hopefully that won’t happen."

Dolores Ruth's dog, Razldazl Jayfkay, recently broke the Wimbledon Stadium track record running 480m in 28.08s.

He was a hot favourite to win this year's derby but dropped out at the semi-final stage last week.

The three and a half year old greyhound got his name from the hit show Chicago because his owner hoped her dogs would "put on a show", and from late president JFK because his father was American.

All of Ms Dolores’ dogs are home bred at her kennels in Essex where they enjoy a five star lifestyle.

She said: "They get the best of everything - steak, mince and salmon and chicken and the best food like manuka honey and yoghurt. "They get exercise everyday and can go on treadmills.

"They get three meals a day and can eat up to a pound and a half of steak mince a day."

The final of the 2012 William Hill.com Greyhound Derby will be held on May 26.

For more information and tickets visit lovethedogs.co.uk