Horse racing

Modern Thoroughbred racing had its origins in 16th-century Britain. During that century, the rules began to be codified, and it gained immense popularity among the British royalty and nobility. The term Thoroughbred refers to a specific breed of horse that was bred for speed, which traces its origins to Middle Eastern horses that were brought back to Britain from the Crusades by English knights, and allowed to breed with local English horses. Thoroughbred racing would subsequently spread to the rest of the world with the advent of colonialism.

Distances of races vary, with distances under a mile being given in furlongs (¹⁄₈ of a mile). In the UK, jump races are called National Hunt, while in the U.S.A. they are called steeplechase.

Information for all Indian tracks can be found at the racing world website

🌍 Mahalaxhmi Race Course in Mumbai, built in 1883, is home to four of the five Indian Classics, modeled after the British Classics, the most prestigious of which is the Indian Derby. It is modelled after Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia.

Horse racing was introduced to Hong Kong by the British in colonial times, and remains hugely popular among its citizens today. Although gambling, including horse racing, is illegal in mainland China, it continues to be legal in Hong Kong under the auspices of the "One Country, Two Systems" arrangement. The web-site of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has a complete schedule of races held both racecourses.

🌍 Happy Valley Racecourse is a historic racecourse and tourist attraction in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island. Although the races themselves are generally of lower quality than at Sha Tin, Happy Valley is widely regarded as being far more atmospheric, and is also known for its unique location surrounded by high-rise buildings. Races are held here on Wednesday nights, with the weekly event being dubbed Happy Wednesday. The International Jockeys' Championship, in which jockeys compete in four races and score points based on their placements in each race, is the highlight of Happy Valley's racing calendar.

🌍 Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories is the newer and larger of Hong Kong's two racecourses. The Hong Kong International Races, an event consisting of Hong Kong's four most prestigious horse races, is held here every year in December.

Japan has two horseracing organizations. Japan Racing Association (JRA) is the nation-wide operator running 10 racecourses including four majors listed below. National Association of Racing (NAR) is an umbrella organization for smaller local operators with 15 courses in total. Check the websites for their racecourses and schedules.

🌍 Hanshin Racecourse in Takarazuka is home to the Takarazuka Kinen, one of Japan's two "All-Star" races.

🌍 Kyoto Racecourse in Fushimi district is the main racecourse of the Kansai region, and hosts several major races in the Japanese racing calendar, the most notable being the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Mile Championship.

🌍 Nakayama Racecourse in Funabashi is known for its versatility, being able to hold both flat and steeplechase races. Nakayama Daishogai has been held bi-annually since 1934 – since 1999 one of the events was turned into Nakayama Grand Jump, Japan's top steeplechase race. The venue's signature flat race is the Arima Kinen, one of Japan's two "All-Star" races, which draws more betting interest than any other race in the world by a very wide margin.

🌍 Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu is Japan's most famous racecourse and home to the Japan Cup, one of the world's most prestigious races. Other notable races held here include the Tokyo Yushun (Japan Derby) and Yushun Himba (Oaks).

The Malayan Racing Association (MRA) is the regulatory body for horse racing in Peninsular Malaysia, with its jurisdiction also extending to neighbouring Singapore. In East Malaysia, there is no umbrella organisation regulating horse racing; they are regulated by the individual horse racing clubs.

🌍 Penang Turf Club is located in Jelutong.

🌍 Perak Turf Club is located in Ipoh.

🌍 Selangor Turf Club is located in Seri Kembangan, located just south of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur.

Horse riding is a central element in the Mongolian identity.

🌍 Naadam is the most famous festival in Mongolia, held in Ulaanbaatar yearly in July. It consists of competitions in the three traditional Mongolian sports, including horse racing.

🌍 Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club in Al Rayyan is home to the HH Amir Sword, a race for purebred Arabian horses and Qatar's most prestigious race. As gambling is illegal in Qatar, there are no on-site betting facilities.

🌍 King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh is the site of the Saudi Cup, the richest horse race in the world with a total purse of US$20 million. As gambling is illegal in Saudi Arabia, there are no on-site betting facilities.

The Malayan Racing Association (MRA) is the regulatory body for horse racing in Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia, and has a complete schedule of races in Singapore and the three racecourses in Peninsular Malaysia.

🌍 Singapore Turf Club in the suburb of Kranji is one of the premier horse racing venues in Southeast Asia. Its flagship races are the Singapore Gold Cup and Singapore Derby. Night races are held here on Fridays. It was announced the racecourse would be closed in October 2024.

The web-site of the Emirates Racing Authority has a complete list of racecourses and races in the UAE.

🌍 Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club in Abu Dhabi is home to the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown, the richest purebred Arabian horse race in the world in terms of prize money.

🌍 Meydan Racecourse in Dubai hosts the Dubai World Cup, one of the world's richest horse races in terms of prize money, and the showpiece horse racing event in the Middle East. A gleaming, modern facility that boasts the world's longest grandstand at over a mile in length, a luxury hotel overlooking the track, a racing museum, and numerous other entertainment options including many bars and restaurants. Particularly spectacular when lit up for night races. As gambling is illegal in the United Arab Emirates, there are no on-site betting facilities.

Although less illustrious than the "Big Three" of the United Kingdom, Ireland and France, horse racing in the Czech Republic also has a long tradition. Horse racing is regulated by Jockey Club České republiky, which has a list of all races in the Czech Republic.

🌍 Pardubice Racecourse hosts the Velká pardubická, a famous steeplechase race that is widely regarded to be the toughest and most dangerous in Europe.

Harness racing. There are several racing tracks around the country. Warm-blooded and cold-blooded (domestic) horses race separately. Generally no formal-like dress code.

🌍 Seinäjoki Racetrack The venue in Seinäjoki is one of the largest horse racing tracks in Finland.

🌍 Vermo Horse Racing Track Vermo in Espoo is Finland's premier horse racing track. It features races every Wednesday and some Saturdays. It also hosts the annual Finlandia-Ajo event, part of the UET Masters Series.

The web-site of France Galop has a complete list of racecourses and horse racing events in France.

🌍 Auteil Racecourse in the Bois de Boulogne, a large park in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, is France's premier steeplechase racing venue. Its flagship event is the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

🌍 Chantilly Racecourse is located in France's main horse training area, with the track passing right next to the majestic Grandes Écuries (Great Stables) of the historic Château de Chantilly. It hosts two of France's premier races, the Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de Diane. The Musée Vivant du Cheval (Living Museum of the Horse) is housed inside the Grandes Écuries.

🌍 ParisLongchamp Racecourse, also in the Bois de Boulogne, hosts the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Europe's most prestigious horse race.

Like many other sports, horse racing is governed on an all-Ireland basis. The web-site of Horse Racing Ireland has a complete list of racecourses and racing events in both the Republic and Northern Ireland.

🌍 Curragh Racecourse, near Kildare, in County Kildare is the premier racing venue in Ireland and hosts all five Irish Classics, namely the Irish 1000 Guineas, Irish 2000 Guineas, Irish Derby, Irish Oaks and Irish St. Leger.

🌍 Fairyhouse Racecourse, near Ashbourne in County Meath hosts the Irish Grand National, one of the premier races in the Irish jump racing calendar.

🌍 Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin hosts the Irish Champion Stakes, whose winners have regularly gone on to win other high profile races all over the world. The Leopardstown Christmas Festival features both flat and steeplechase racing at the highest level, and is a major event on Dublin's social calendar, with spectators often dressed in the best of Irish high fashion.

🌍 Punchestown Racecourse, near Naas, in County Kildare is the spiritual home of National Hunt racing in Ireland, and hosts the annual Punchestown Festival, the grand finale of the Irish jumps racing season.

Tracks for harness racing (trav) can be found in many Swedish towns. 🌍 Solvalla At Stockholm's hippodrome Solvalla you can watch trotters compete in harness racing, and place some bets. Races are held Wednesday nights and many weekends. The biggest event is the prestigious Elitloppet race at the end of May every year.

There is a fuller list of racing venues on the UK mainland on the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) website along with a list of meetings. The jurisdiction of the BHA does not extend to Northern Ireland, which is covered by Horse Racing Ireland.

🌍 Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool is home to the Grand National, the world's most prestigious jumps race.

🌍 Ascot Racecourse is known for being home to the Royal Ascot, a race meeting held over five days in the third week of June which is attended by the King and other members of the royal family, and one of the few remaining events that require attendees to be dressed in traditional morning dress. The Gold Cup on the third day of the meet is the most prestigious of the Royal Ascot races. An arguably more prestigious race is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, named after the parents of the late Queen Elizabeth II, during the July meet. Additionally, Ascot hosts British Champions Day in October, the country's equivalent to the Breeders' Cup races in the US.

🌍 Cheltenham Racecourse is one of the most celebrated National Hunt racecourses, and hosts the annual Cheltenham Festival. Some of the more notable races of the festival include the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers' Hurdle and the most prestigious of them all, the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the final day.

🌍 Chester Racecourse is recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest continually operating racecourse in the world. Although it does not host any top-level international races, the races here are significant events on the local social calendar, and regularly count celebrities among their attendees. Some of the more notable events include Roman Day, a child-friendly Roman-themed event that celebrates the city's Roman heritage, and the season-opening May Festival.

🌍 Doncaster Racecourse hosts the St Leger Stakes, the oldest and longest of the five British Classics, and one of the oldest races in the world.

🌍 Epsom Downs is known for being home to the Derby Stakes for three-year-old horses of either sex excluding geldings, the original "Derby" race that all other similarly named races take their name after. The Oaks Stakes, for three-year-old fillies, is another important race held here, and lends its name to many other races for female horses of that age. The Oaks and the aforementioned Derby Stakes are two of the five British Classic races.

🌍 Goodwood Racecourse in Chichester, owned by the Duke of Richmond and located on the grounds of Goodwood House, is known for its beautiful setting against the backdrop of the English countryside, as well as its unique and unusual layout. Its flagship event is known as Glorious Goodwood, and is held every year in the summer. Besides the horse racing track, the property is also home to two golf courses, a motorsports racing track and a flying school.

🌍 Kempton Park Racecourse, with its hunt and jump races just outside of London, this place has earned much fame in the years. The King George VI Chase is held here every year on Boxing Day (26th December).

🌍 Newmarket Racecourses is widely regarded to be the headquarters of British horse racing, and is home to the National Horseracing Museum. It hosts two of the United Kingdom's five Classic Races, namely the 1000 Guineas and the 2000 Guineas. Nearby Tattersalls is the largest racing horse auctioneer in Europe, and the oldest in the world.

🌍 Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher hosts the Eclipse Stakes, named after a celebrated 18th-century racehorse, and contested by high-quality fields since its inception in 1886.

🌍 York Racecourse hosts the Ebor Festival, of which the Ebor Handicap is one of the richest flat handicap races in Europe. It hosted the Royal Ascot in 2005 when Ascot Racecourse was under renovation.

🌍 People's Stadium Racetrack One of the few courses in Central America, this unconventional Belize-based grass course has many events with a local flavor. Also home to the Triple crown race and Castleton cub

Horse racing in Canada is regulated at the provincial level. The Jockey Club of Canada maintains a list of all of Canada's graded stakes races and their venues, with links to the relevant provincial racing authorities.

🌍 Fort Erie Race Track hosts the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second race in the Canadian Triple Crown.

🌍 Woodbine Racetrack is Toronto's most notable course, and is home to the country's racing Hall of Fame. The Queen's Plate, Canada's premier horse race and the first race in the Canadian Triple Crown, is held here every year. Other notable races include the Breeders' Stakes, the final race in the Canadian Triple Crown, and the Canadian International Stakes.

Horse racing in the United States is generally regulated at the state level. America's Best Racing, a website run by The Jockey Club has a calendar of all the major races for Thoroughbreds in the United States.

🌍 Belmont Park in Elmont just outside New York City hosts the Belmont Stakes, the final race of the American Triple Crown. However, the track wiol be closed for much of 2024 and 2025 while the old grandstand is being replaced by a completely new structure. The Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga (see below) in 2024 and possibly in 2025. The racing meets normally held at Belmont Park will be moved to Saratoga or to Aqueduct, located in Queens, during construction. After completion, plans are to close Aqueduct and move its race meets to Belmont Park.

🌍 Churchill Downs in Louisville is quite famously known for the Kentucky Derby, the biggest event on the American horse racing calendar and the first of the three races in the American Triple Crown; a nearly 150-year-old tradition where top jockeys from all over the world compete at this "Super Bowl" of racing.

🌍 Del Mar Racetrack, located in the Del Mar Fairgrounds near San Diego, was built by a partnership that included the late Hollywood legend Bing Crosby, who was a regular at the races here. Its richest and most prestigious race is the Pacific Classic. The fairgrounds also hosts the San Diego County Fair, the largest county fair in the United States.

🌍 Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida is an entertainment complex home to a casino, a racecourse, and numerous shopping and dining options. It hosts several important events on the American racing calendar including the Florida Derby, the Sunshine Millions and the richest race in North America, the Pegasus World Cup.

🌍 Keeneland Race Course is located in Lexington, Kentucky, which is known as the "Horse Capital of the World". It hosts the Blue Grass Stakes and Ashland Stakes, both prep races for the Kentucky Derby, as well as the Fall Stars Weekend, which includes several prep races for the Breeders' Cup. It is also home to the largest Thoroughbred auction house in the world.

🌍 Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey is home to the Haskell Invitational, a major event on the American racing calendar. Spectators at the Haskell International receive a complimentary commemorative baseball cap while stocks last.

🌍 Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Arkansas, about a mile south of the city's national park, is home to the Arkansas Derby, a major prep race for the Kentucky Derby.

🌍 Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore hosts the Preakness Stakes, the second of the American Triple Crown races, and the second most prestigious race in the United States after the Kentucky Derby.

🌍 Ruidoso Downs Race Track is the spiritual home of the American Quarter Horse, being home to many of the most important races for the breed. The flagship event is the All American Futurity, which is billed as the "World’s Richest Quarter Horse Race" with a winner's purse of US$1.5 million.

🌍 Santa Anita Park in Arcadia near Los Angeles hosts several important races on the American horse racing calendar such as the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Handicap. It is known for having the nearby San Gabriel Mountains serving as a scenic backdrop to the racetrack, as well as its Art Deco grandstand.

🌍 Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York is one of the oldest and most celebrated racecourses in the United States, and hosts both flat and steeplechase races. The flagship event of the racecourse is the Travers Stakes.

The Breeders' Cup and three Triple Crown races are considered to be the pinnacle of American horse racing. Unlike the other major races, the Breeders' Cup does not have a fixed venue, and rotates among the major racecourses in the United States (except for one year when it was held in Canada) every year.

Horse racing in Australia is generally regulated at the state level, and organised by individual racecourses. Nevertheless, Racing Australia maintains a calendar of all professional horse races in Australia, as well as links to the individual state racing authorities.

🌍 Ascot Racecourse is the premier horse racing venue is Perth, Western Australia. Its flagship race is the Perth Cup, and it also plays host to other top-tier handicap races such as the Kingston Town Classic, Railway Stakes and Winterbottom Stakes.

🌍 Birdsville Race Club is known for its remote and sparsely-populated location in the vast Australian Outback. It hosts the famed annual Birdsville Races in the spring, during which the town's population temporarily swells from about 100 to 7000 for the two-day event. Part of the proceeds from the races are donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

🌍 Caulfield Racecourse is Melbourne's second major horse racing venues that hosts multiple top quality races every year, with its flagship event being the Caulfield Cup.

🌍 Eagle Farm Racecourse is Brisbane's premier horse racing venue, known for its Winter Racing Carnival whose flagship race is the Stradbroke Handicap.

🌍 Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne is Australia's premier horse racing venue and hosts the Melbourne Cup, one of the world's most coveted races and the showpiece event on the Australian horse racing calendar. As a testament to the importance of horse racing in Australian culture, the day of the Melbourne Cup is a public holiday in the state of Victoria.

🌍 Moonee Valley Racecourse, marketed as The Valley, in Melbourne is home to the W.S. Cox Plate, Australia's richest weight-for-age race. The only racecourse in Melbourne to have night races.

🌍 Royal Randwick Racecourse is the premier racecourse in Sydney. It hosts a two-day event in April known as The Championships, which includes some of Australia's most coveted races such as the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Australian Derby and Doncaster Mile. Since 2017, it has held The Everest, the richest race in Australia and the richest race on turf in the world, with a purse of A$15 million.

🌍 Rosehill Gardens Racecourse is Sydney's second major racecourse, and is best known for being home to the Golden Slipper Stakes.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing coordinates the rules for horse racing in New Zealand, and has a complete list of all horse races in New Zealand.

🌍 Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland is New Zealand's premier racecourse and hosts the Auckland Cup, New Zealand Derby and Karaka Millions, the main events on New Zealand's horse racing calendar. The world's first automatic totalisator was installed here in 1913.

🌍 Hawke's Bay Racecourse in Hastings hosts the Spring Classic, New Zealand's most prestigious weight-for-age handicap race.

🌍 Riccarton Park Racecourse in Christchurch is the most important racecourse in South Island, and hosts the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas, the New Zealand 2,000 Guineas and the New Zealand Cup.

🌍 Trentham Racecourse in Wellington hosts several important races including the New Zealand Oaks and the Wellington Cup.

• 🌍 National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, 191 Union Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA, ☏ +1 518 584-0400. W-Su 9AM-5PM. Next to the Saratoga racecourse, get a tour and step back in time, as the memorabilia provides a look into the past of horse racing. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, 555 Rexdale Boulevard, Toronto Etobicoke, ON, Canada (At west entrance of Woodbine Racetrack near Pearson Airport), ☏ +1 416 417-9404, admin@horseracinghalloffame.com. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 Kentucky Derby Museum, 704 Central Ave, Louisville, KY USA, ☏ +1 502 637-1111. 8–5 M-Sat, 11–5 Sun. Located on the Churchill Downs grounds, this museum is similar to the National Museum of Racing, but focused more on the Kentucky Derby. The signature features are a "time machine" that allows visitors to watch replays of every Kentucky Derby since 1918, and a cemetery where five Derby winners are buried. A sixth Derby winner is buried outside the main gate, with his gravesite marked by a life-size statue. Extra-cost tours of Churchill Downs are also offered. (updated Feb 2022)
• 🌍 Palace House (UK National Horse Racing Museum), 1-9 Palace Avenue, Newmarket, UK, ☏ +44 1638 667314. 10AM-5PM everyday. A heritage center for the country where the sport began. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 Hong Kong Racing Museum, 2/F, Happy Valley Stand, Happy Valley Racecourse, Hong Kong, ☏ +852 2966-8065. Noon-7pm Everyday. Artificats and some of the largest exhibits in the world next to the track of the Happy Valley Racecourse. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 JRA Racing Museum, Tokyo Racecourse 1-1, Hiyoshi-cho, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo 183-8550, Japan, ☏ +81 42-314-5800. 10am-5pm on race days, 10am-4pm otherwise. Located next to the Tokyo Racecourse. Has exhibitions about the history of horse racing in Japan and around the world. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 Australian Racing Museum, National Sports Museum, Gate 3, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Inner east Melbourne, ☏ +61 3 9258-4269, +61 3 9258-4832, contact@racingmuseum.com.au. 10am-5pm daily. A museum dedicated to the history of horse racing in Australia. (updated May 2019)
• 🌍 Finnish Horse Racing Museum (Suomen Hevosurheilumuseo) (Ypäjä near Jokioinen), ☏ +358 2 5480005. Though humble, there is a large history inside, with a show and the attraction of a cavalry exhibit. (updated Jan 2021)

• 🌍 Alshaquab Racing Academy, ☏ +974 4454 1992. This is where horses and riders are trained in Qatar; visitors have a great opportunity to see how it's done. (updated May 2019)

Perhaps one of the common activities that accompanies horse racing is gambling. Many tracks have on-site betting areas where you can wager some cash on the results of each race. In some areas, you can even find many off-track betting sites.

Expect to find betting at all tracks, so off-site betting may be unnecessary.

The procedure for placing bets and receiving winnings differs significantly from venue to venue. In some countries, such as Japan, the process is entirely automated, while in others, you will need to actually speak to staff at a counter.

Even in countries where gambling is otherwise illegal, exceptions are often made for horse racing. Countries without such exceptions include the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, which bar all forms of gambling with no exceptions, meaning that you will not be able to place bets at the races.

Placing a bet on a horse in the UK is typically done either on course, or via off-track bookmakers. These include chains such as Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and William Hill.

A form of parimutuel betting, wherein the pool of bets taken are shared amongst winners, is also available on some races and at some courses. Until 2018 this was the sole preserve of a single provider "The Tote", but other bookmakers may now offer 'tote' or 'parimutuel' options.