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When are the top horse racing events? Find the calendar here!

When are the top horse racing events held each year

Thousands of horse racing meetings take place worldwide every year. But when do the best meetings take place? In this post, we will take you through a timeline from January through December, which will show you the different times of year when the top horse racing meetings take place.

Remember, the vast majority of meetings' actual dates may change, but their place in the calendar remains the same. For example, the Cheltenham Festival usually takes place around St Patrick’s Day in March each year, but the actual dates of the festival will alter from year-to-year. 

You'll find a horse racing calendar at the bottom of the page, which includes most of the biggest meetings in the UK and Ireland. 

Table of contents

  1. 💡Why horce racing events are popular?
  2. 🔍Flat and Jumps Races
  3. 💰How much to attend?
  4. 📌Events throughout the year

What makes these horse racing meetings so popular?

What makes these meetings so much more popular each year than other meetings that you see almost daily in newspapers and on the internet?

The first thing is that these meetings usually attract the best runners and riders. By definition, that means the best owners and trainers are also in attendance. This, in turn, attracts plenty of sponsorship, television coverage, and a big spike in the prize money on offer. 

These meetings also host several Grade 1 races. While there may be one major race (such as the Grand National at Aintree or the St Leger at Doncaster), a number of high-quality Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 races are often also run at these meetings.

Additionally, the fact that so many of the top runners and riders will be in attendance at these events, makes them some of the most popular for punters to attend in person.

Furthermore, at many meetings now, the racecourse will put on additional entertainment once the racing has concluded. For example, several British summer meetings have gigs after the racing by famous musicians and groups. Others have high-quality meal service followed by discos and similar.

Alongside the high-quality racing, these additional items make these events some of the best attended in the world of horse racing each year.

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What are the top horse racing events that we can bet on?

The horse racing calendar is a very busy one indeed. There are top races held all over the world throughout the year. This article looks at the very best races that you can try and get winners on, whether it be over the jumps or flat racing.

Top races on the flat

Wherever you are in the world, there will be some top races run over the flat. We’re not talking abut low grade selling races on a rainy Monday at Fakenham here. Instead, we are talking about the very best horses, the ones that have had successful careers.

In the UK, the five races known as ‘the Classics’ are held every year. These are the 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas that are held for three-year-olds at Newmarket at the start of the flat season. Then there are two of the biggest races held each year, The Epsom Derby and The Oaks. The final classic is the St Leger ending another great season.

Other major flat races in the UK are held at meetings such as Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood. These two meetings take place over a number of days and feature a whole host of top races such as The Ascot Gold Cup and Sussex Stakes. Ireland has its equivalents of the classics with top races including The Irish Derby and Oaks. 

In France, there’s the French Derby but the biggest race of all is the Prix de l’arc de Triomphe. This is held towards the end of the season with top race horses from Europe and around the world taking part.

Some of the richest races in the world take place in the USA and Dubai. In America, there are top races such as the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Then there’s the lucrative Breeders’ Cup meeting. Held over two days, this has a whole series of races with millions of dollars to be won. In Dubai, the top races are held at Meydan and the highlight is the Dubai World Cup.

In South Africa, The Kenilworth race course hold several Group One (the top level of racing) including the Champion’s Challenge, traditionally held in April.

Top races over the jumps

The very best jumps racing events take place in the UK and Ireland. The annual Cheltenham Festival sees a series of fantastic races and attracts massive betting interest. Top races include The Cheltenham Gold Cup, The Queen Mother Champion Chase, and the Champion Hurdle. There are also some fiendish handicaps that can get you some great wins.

The Aintree Festival is also a major highlight of the jumps season. This features the world famous Grand National, a race even those who rarely bet on horse racing try to get the winner of. 

In Ireland, there are a number of top races held. This includes the Ryanair Gold Cup, Irish Champion Hurdle, Punchestown Gold Cup and Champions Stayers Chase.

All these top races have plenty of betting opportunities available. You can place ante-post bets on the top races, even over a year before they take place. Online sportsbooks will have special promotions for the top races with everything from enhanced odds to extra places being offered.

How much does it cost to attend one of these popular horse racing meetings?

The amount it may cost you to attend a horse racing meeting listed in this list will vary considerably depending on a number of factors. Those factors include: 

  1. How prestigious the event is.
  2. How many high-quality races will take place at the event.
  3. When and where the event is taking place.
  4. How you want to enjoy the racing and other entertainments.
  5. How many tickets are available compared to the popularity of the event. 

Obviously, the more prestige attached to a meeting, the more expensive tickets will tend to be. 

However, even at the most prestigious of events, right down to your standard daily meetings, you will find different options available for how you want to attend the event.

If you want to attend in style, with a meal, in the main stand or more expensive enclosures, then a ticket will cost a lot more than simply paying for a Tattersalls ticket to enter the cheapest area of the ground.

These cheapest tickets can cost from around £15 - £20 per adult, more expensive tickets can be considerably more often running to hundreds and for some popular events, such as Royal Ascot, thousands of pounds. 

One thing to note is that for popular events, especially higher profile meetings, there may be a dress code required for some ticketed entries. At Royal Ascot for example, full dress and a top hat is required for the Royal enclosure, but in other areas of the course, dress restrictions are less formal. 

So, if you want to attend a popular horse racing meeting, then any of those listed above are a great place to start for a beginner.

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Popular Horse Race Meetings Schedule

January

  • Late January : Pegasus World Cup Invitational Meeting (Gulfstream Park, Florida, US)

February

  • End of February : Saudi Cup Meeting (King Abdulaziz Racetrack, Saudi Arabia)

March

  • Mid-March : The Cheltenham Festival (Cheltenham Racecourse, UK) 
  • Late March : Blue Square Winter Derby (Lingfield Park, UK)
  • Final Saturday in March : Dubai World Cup Night (Meydan Racecourse, UAE)

April

  • Early April : The Grand National Meeting (Aintree Racecourse, UK)
  • Mid-April : The Scottish Grand National Meeting (Ayr Racecourse, UK)
  • Mid-April : Craven Meeting (Newmarket, UK)
  • Mid-April - The Nakayama Grand Jump (Nakayama, Japan)
  • End of April : Bet365 Gold Cup Celebration (Sandown Park, UK)

May

  • First Saturday in May : Kentucky Derby Meeting (Churchill Downs, US)
  • First Weekend in May : The Guineas Festival (Newmarket, UK)
  • Mid-May : Preakness Stakes Meeting (Pimlico Race Course, US)
  • Mid-May : Chester’s May Festival (Chester Racecourse, UK)
  • Mid-May : Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes Day (Newbury, UK)
  • Late May : Dante Meeting (York Racecourse, UK)
  • Late May/Early June : Belmont Stakes Meeting (Belmont Park, US)
  • Late May/Early June :The Epsom Oaks Meeting (Epsom, UK)

June

  • Early June : The Derby Festival (Epsom Racecourse, UK)
  • Mid-Late June : Royal Ascot (Ascot Racecourse, UK)
  • Late June : Northumberland Plate (Newcastle Racecourse, UK)

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July

  • Early July : Coral-Eclipse Meeting (Sandown Park, UK)
  • Early-Mid July : Newmarket’s July Meeting (Newmarket, UK)
  • Mid-Late July : King George Day (Ascot, UK)
  • End July/Early August : Glorious Goodwood Festival (Goodwood Racecourse, UK)

August

  • Early August : Travers Stakes Meet (Saratoga, NY, USA)
  • Mid-August : Ebor Festival (York Racecourse, UK)

September

  • Early September : William Hill Sprint Cup Meet (Haydock Park, UK)
  • Mid-September : St. Leger Meeting (Doncaster, UK)
  • Mid-September : Western Meeting (Ayr, UK)
  • Late September : Ascot’s September Festival (Ascot,  UK)

October

  • Early October : Prix de L’Arc de Triomph meeting (Longchamp Racecourse, France)
  • Early October : Totesport Cambridgeshire Meeting (Newmarket, UK)
  • Mid-October : Newmarket’s October Meeting (Newmarket, UK)
  • Early to Mid-October : British Champions Day (Ascot, UK)
  • 3rd Saturday in October : The Tab Everest Meeting (Royal Randwick Racecourse, Australia)
  • Late October : Racing Post Trophy Meeting (Doncaster, UK)

November

  • Early November : Paddy Power Open Meeting (Cheltenham, UK)
  • Mid-November : North West Masters (Aintree & Haydock Park, UK)
  • Late November : Hennessy Meeting (Newbury, UK)

December

  • Early December : Tingle Creek Meeting (Sandown Park, UK)
  • 26th & 27th December : Stan James Christmas Festival (Kempton Park, UK)
  • End December : Coral Welsh Grand National Meeting (Chepstow, UK)

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