International horse racing guide
Horse racing is a sport that is enjoyed in many places across the world. In this guide, we will run you through some of the biggest events on the international horse racing calendar.
Horse racing by country
Due to its history and tradition, horse racing and horse racing betting have the biggest following in the UK and Ireland. However, there are now some huge races in other countries. Let's have a look at international horse racing by country in more detail.
Horse racing in Australia
The most famous race in Australia is the Melbourne Cup, also known as “The Race which stops a Nation”. It is run annually in November at Flemington Racecourse. It is a handicap contest over 2m, which means it attracts some of the leading stayers on the Flat.
In mid-October, the Caulfield Cup is a prestigious Grade One contest in Australia. This race is run over 1m4f at the Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne. It attracts some of the leading middle-distance horses in the Southern Hemisphere.
Also run in October, the Cox Plate is a race that many of the leading trainers target. This is a Group One contest that takes place over 1m2f. It is run at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne.
Horse racing in France
France is home to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, one of the biggest horse races in the world. It takes place annually in early October at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. This 1m4f contest attracts horses from the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Japan. The winners of this race tend to go on to have an impressive breeding career.
The Prix du Jockey Club, run at Chantilly Racecourse in early June, is the French Derby. Unlike the Derby at Epsom, this contest takes place over a shorter trip of 1m2½f. UK and Irish-trained three-year-olds often feature in this race.
Also run at Chantilly Racecourse is the Prix de Diane (French Oaks). Open solely to three-year-old fillies, it is run over 1m2½f in June.
Horse racing in the US
The feature meeting in the US each year is the Breeders’ Cup. It is known in North America as the World Championship meeting in the sport. Horses from around the world travel across for this meeting in late October/early November. The feature race is the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a dirt contest over 1m2f.
Like in the UK and Ireland, the three-year-old campaign is very important in horse racing in the US. They have the US Triple Crown, featuring the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. If any horse wins those three races, they go down in history as a Triple Crown winner.
One of the richest races in the US is the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park. This is an invitational race where the organizers look to attract the best dirt horses in North America. It takes place over a distance of 1m1f in late January.
Horse racing in Germany
The Deutsches Derby is one of the biggest races in Germany. This Group One contest is their equivalent of the Derby. It is open to three-year-olds, and it is run over 1m4f in July at Hamburg-Horn Racecourse.
The Preis der Diana is the German equivalent of the Oaks. Like the race at Epsom, it is open solely to three-year-old fillies. It takes place over 1m3f at Dusseldorf Racecourse in early August.
Open to three-year-olds and above, the Grosser Preis von Baden is the leading race for older horses. The distance in this contest is 1m4f, and it is hosted by Baden-Baden Racecourse in September.
Horse racing in Japan
The Japan Cup is the biggest race of the year in Japan. This 1m4f contest takes place on turf in November and attracts some of the best horses from around the world to the Tokyo Racecourse.
The Arima Kinen is one of the two “All-Star” races in Japan. This race takes place at Nakayama Racecourse in December. Run over a distance of 1m4½f, it also attracts horses from Europe and Australia.
Earlier in the year, the Tokyo Yushun was run at Tokyo Racecourse in May over 1m4f. It is the Japanese Derby and is open to the best three-year-olds of their generation.
Horse racing in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong International is one of the major international events in horse racing. It takes place in December, with the feature race being the Hong Kong Cup, a contest over 1m2f on turf at Sha Tin Racecourse.
The Hong Kong Mile and the Hong Kong Vase are two other big races at the Hong Kong International. They take place over 1m and 1 m4f respectively.
Sha Tin hosts the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, a race over 1m2f, in April. The turf race is a Grade One contest open to three-year-olds and above.
Biggest horse races in the world
A question often asked about horse racing is: what is the biggest horse race in the world? There are different ways of measuring this. The Saudi Cup is now the richest race in the world. This takes place in February at Riyadh Racecourse on dirt.
The Dubai World Cup, a race inaugurated in 1996 to attract the best horses in the world, continues to thrive. It now takes place at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in late March.
As for the question, "What is the biggest horse race in Europe?" That is the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The open-age contest takes place at Longchamp in early October, and it attracts a huge crowd. Many British and Irish racing fans travel across to Paris for the race.
World horse racing calendar
Major horse racing events now take place throughout the year. Here is a look at the international horse racing calendar for those races:
- January – Pegasus World Cup
- February – Saudi Cup
- March - Dubai World Cup
- May – Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes
- June – Belmont Stakes
- October – Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
- November – Breeders’ Cup, Melbourne Cup
- December – Hong Kong International
If you're a horse racing fan, at LeoVegas you'll find odds for all the major events throughout the year.
FAQs
Q. In which country is horse racing most popular?
A. Horse racing has a big following in the UK and Ireland, as the sport goes back hundreds of years in both countries. Outside of the UK and Ireland, horse racing is popular in the US, across Europe, and in the Middle East.
Q. Which is the richest horse racing in the world?
A. The Saudi Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is the richest horse race in the world. It takes place annually in February on dirt over a distance of 1m1f. The total purse for this race is $20,000,000, with the winner scooping $12,000,000.
Q. What is the hardest horse race?
A. Arguably the most difficult race to win in the world is the Grand National at Aintree, as it is a unique contest run over the marathon trip of 4m2½f. Outside of the UK, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is a difficult race to win as it features the best middle-distance horses from around the world.
Q. What is the fastest horse ever?
A. Winning Brew holds the Guinness World Record for being the fastest horse ever recorded. This horse reached 70.76 km/h over a two-furlong distance in 2008.