Guide to Horse Racing Betting

Horse racing is a sport with a rich and long tradition. It’s known as the sport of kings and it has been around for hundreds of years. Today, it’s extremely popular in many parts of the world, attracting the interest of people from all walks of life. Racing takes place throughout the entire year, in several different countries, and many of these races draw huge audiences both to the racetrack and on television.

The sport is especially popular among those who like to bet, as betting is an integral part of horse racing. It always has been in fact. Betting on horse racing is one of the oldest forms of gambling there is, and it’s still a pastime that’s enjoyed by millions of people. For many fans of the sport, it’s the betting on races that makes watching them so exciting. The sport of horse racing relies on the prize money and sponsorship that comes from the betting industry to keep the sport alive.

In this horse racing betting guide, we’re going to teach you all about the sport and how to bet on it. If you don’t know anything about horse racing but want to learn, then this is a great place to start. We cover all the basics you need to know and provide some very useful strategies and advice. There are no guarantees that you’ll be able to make money from your betting, but we can certainly help you get on the path to success.

This guide also contains information and advice relating to online horse racing betting, including our recommendations for the best online gambling sites to use. There’s some general information on the sport too. We cover how it works in different parts of the world and provide details of all the major events and races.

Everything this guide covers is fully explained below. You can read through the page in full, or jump straight to any of the following sections that may be of particular interest.

The Basics of Horse Racing Betting

betting-on-horse-races

There are effectively two parts to this first section of our guide. One part serves as an introduction to the sport of horse racing, as it’s advisable to have at least a reasonable understanding of the sport before starting to bet on it. We’ve written about the various forms of racing that take place around the world and we also cover the different breeds of racehorses. In addition to that, we’ve explained all the jargon that’s used in the sport.

The second part of this section is all about the betting side of things. There’s an article that explains how to bet on horse racing and another that goes over all the different bets and wagers you can place. There are also articles featuring some strategies and advice that are essential reading if you want to stand a chance of making money.

We recommend that you start with this section if you know very little, or nothing at all, about horse racing and how to bet on it. The following summarizes everything it covers.

  • Types of Racing
  • Racehorse Breeds
  • Horse Racing Jargon
  • How to Bet on Horse Racing
  • Bets & Wagers
  • Strategy & Advice

It’s also worth mentioning at this point that betting on horse racing is similar in many ways to betting on any other sport. There’s a lot of information and advice in our sports betting guide that can also apply to horse racing betting, so you may also want to take a look through this.

Betting on Horse Racing Online

The basics of horse racing betting haven’t changed too much over the years, but the way in which people bet on the sport certainly has. Ever since it became possible to bet over the internet, more and more people have chosen to bet on horse racing in this way. Although the traditional methods of placing a wager are still widely used, the use of horse racing betting sites has proved to be incredibly popular.

There are several advantages to betting online, with one of the most obvious being the convenience factor. You can place your wagers at any time of the night or day, with just a computer and internet access. We must stress that it’s very important to use the right gambling sites. There are plenty of options and they aren’t all of the same standard. The following is a selection of our top recommendations.

Recommended Horse Racing Sites


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We have ranked the best sites for certain regions too. If you live in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Australia, then you might want to check out the following recommendations.

We’re adding the best sites for specific races and events, too, so that you can easily find the very best sites for exactly what you want to bet on.

In addition to recommending the best places to bet, we also have a small section that explains more about betting on horse racing over the Internet. It covers all of the following topics.

  • Advantages of Betting Online
  • How We Rank Sites
  • Advantages of Betting Online
  • How We Rank Sites
  • Choosing Where to Bet
  • Online Betting FAQ

How We Rank Sites

If you want the best possible online betting experience then you need to be using one of the top horse racing betting sites. Whether you want to use our recommendations, or research the various options for yourself and pick the best ones, you should find the following tips very useful. We look for the following qualities as part of our online gambling site reviews:

  • Types of Bets – Can you make bets such as exactas, trifectas, superfectas, futures, and others?
  • Odds – Betting odds are always changing, but what we try to do is recommend sportsbooks that routinely post the best odds. The less you risk and the more you can win, the better.
  • Races – What races can you bet on? Can you bet on the Kentucky Derby? Epsom Downs? The Everest? The more races, the better.
  • Features – There are two key features we look for, live betting and live streaming. For live streaming, we prefer sites that don’t have any requirements or minimums you must meet before you can watch a race.
  • Promotions – Our favorite horse betting promotions are free bets and rebates. Free bet offers are reimbursements on bets that you make and lose. And a rebate is a percentage of your net losses paid back to you every week.

Use a Recommended Site

Following a recommendation is perhaps the easiest way to make sure you join a quality site. That’s assuming, of course, that the recommendation can be trusted. At GamblingSites.com we have provided a selection of recommendations that you can definitely trust.

We have tested and compared a great many horse racing betting sites and ranked them based on several key factors. We have looked closely at all the important aspects and we only consider those that have proved to be reputable and trustworthy. We keep our rankings regularly updated and we can assure you that we genuinely recommend only the very best.

Check the Racing Coverage

There are some sites that have excellent racing coverage and take wagers on all kinds of racing from all over the world, while there are others that only cover certain types or certain regions. It makes sense to join somewhere that you know covers the races you are likely to be betting on. This is easy enough to check; a quick look through should tell you exactly what racing is covered. If it’s not immediately obvious, you can always send an email or use the live chat features to ask.

Compare the Odds

We point our readers toward sites that provide favorable odds and low vigorish, so our preferred betting websites offer good value for your wagering dollar. And if you make a deposit at a few different books, you can shop for odds at the different sites.

This is a major advantage, because margins are tight, and any edges that you can find will add to your profitability over time.

Look at the Banking Options

You may have certain preferences about how you like to deposit and withdraw your funds. If this is the case then check the available payment methods before you settle on a place to bet. Most betting sites have this information displayed in their help or FAQ sections so it’s not difficult to see if your preferred options are available.

The majority of places offer several options for depositing and withdrawing including:

  • Credit/Debit – Use cards with a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover logo.
  • E-wallet – Your options include PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, and others.
  • Cryptocurrency – Many betting sites accept Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and other cryptos.
  • Bank Wire – Ship a wire directly from your bank to the sportsbook’s bank.
  • Money Transfer – Ship cash via MoneyGram or Western Union.
  • InstaDebit – An option for Canadians.
  • POLi – An option for Australians.
  • WebMoney – An option for Russians.
  • UKash – Prepaid card available to bettors in various locations.

Check the Bonuses and Rewards on Offer

One of the great advantages of betting online is the bonuses and rewards on offer. Many of the leading sites are very generous in terms of the sign up bonuses they give to new customers and also the rewards they offer to existing customers. These can provide you with a fair bit of extra value so it’s definitely worth comparing what’s available at different places.

You should always bear in mind, that when it comes to bonuses, big is not always best. You might find somewhere that offers a massive sign up bonus and be really tempted, only to discover that the associated terms and conditions are really strict and the bonus actually offers very little value.

Helpful Customer Service

One attribute that can make or break a betting site is its customer service. Any time money is at stake, you of course want a customer service department that is not only quick with response time but helpful in those responses.

Types of Horse Racing Bets

When it comes to the types of bets that you can make on horse racing in the United States, there are 11 main bets. Below, we’ve provided a quick cheat sheet of the 11 types of bets. After that, we’ll go into more detail on each one so that you can gain a better understanding of what your options are at the track or sportsbook.

Type of Bet Description
Show Your selected horse must finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place.
Place Your selected horse must finish 1st or 2nd place.
Win Your selected horse must finish in 1st place.
Quinella Your selected horses must finish 1st and 2nd place in either order.
Exacta Your selected horses must finish 1st and 2nd place in exact order. Payouts for these wagers are calculated using the pari-mutuel system. This is a form of pool betting, where there are no fixed odds involved. All the Exacta stake money for a race goes into a prize pool, which is distributed among all winning tickets.
Trifecta Your selected horses must finish in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in exact order.
Superfecta Your selected horses must finish in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in exact order.
Daily Double Your selected horses must finish 1st places in two consecutive races.
Pick 3 Your selected horses must finish 1st place in three consecutive races.
Pick 4 Your selected horses must finish 1st place in four consecutive races.
Pick 6 Your selected horses must finish 1st place in six consecutive races.

The key to successful horse racing betting is in understanding the concept of value and knowing how to find good value bets.

Horse Racing Accumulators

Horse racing accumulators are widely available for fixed odds horse racing betting. They’re not very common in the United States (where they’re known as parlays), as most horse racing betting is done using the pari-mutuel system. Some bookmakers and betting sites do offer them though.

An accumulator or parlay is basically just a wager that combines multiple selections. We could pick the winner of four different races, for example, and put all those selections into an accumulator. We’d then need all four selections to be correct in order to win.

This obviously makes accumulators hard to win, but the potential payoffs can be worth the risk.

The odds for an accumulator are calculated by multiplying the odds for each individual selection. This can lead to some VERY large payouts. A great example came back in 2012, when stable lad Conor Murphy placed a five-horse accumulator at the Cheltenham Festival. All five of his selections won their races, and his wager returned a cool £1 million. Not bad for a £50 stake!

General Horse Racing Information

Although you can have plenty of fun gambling on horse races while knowing only the basics, it’s never a bad idea to expand your knowledge of the sport as much as you can. You’ll certainly want to do this if you have any ambitions of making money from your betting. To be successful when betting on horse racing, you almost need to be an expert on the sport.

In the following sections of our guide, we provide some general information on the sport that’s both interesting and useful to know. We’ve focused primarily on three regions where horse racing is particularly popular (the US, the UK, and Australia), but we’ve covered several other parts of the world as well.

Types of Horse Racing

Contrary to popular belief, the three races run in the Triple Crown are not the only important horse racing events in the calendar year. Those races aren’t the only types of horse racing, either.

Some races put an emphasis on speed, while others track endurance or specific skills. There are also horse races that feature specific types of horses or grade horses competing at a certain level.

It’s important to know which is which before you ever place money on a wager, as some types of horse racing are far more worth your time than others. Here’s a look at the most common types of horse racing:

Flat Racing

The most popular type of horse racing by far is flat racing. These types of races typically deal with Thoroughbred horses, and are run between 1-3 miles on a flat, leveled surface. In North America, the Triple Crown events (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes) are easily the most popular, but any race that is run on a flat surface without hurdles or other obstacles typically qualifies as a flat race.

Jump Racing (National Hunt)

Jump racing, referred to as National Hunt and Steeplechasing gives the horses obstacles to overcome beyond just the track length or the surrounding competition. National Hunt is the official name of jump racing overseas, where horses avoid fences, ditches, or other obstacles as they compete to win races. These races are incredibly popular in France, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

Endurance Racing

The third main type of horse racing is endurance racing, which challenges horses over longer tracks, or at least for longer periods of time. Unlike many of the popular flat and jump racing events, endurance racing tests endurance and longevity on a track. Speed isn’t as big of a factor here for bettors, as the main focus is on horses that have the ability to produce consistently and not fade over larger courses.

Harness Racing

There are also races where the horse is responsible for more than just its own weight and a jockey. In harness racing, horses pull a sulky, and race a specific trot or pace without breaking stride. Horses are penalized for galloping by being forced to slow down behind the competition.

Quarter Horse Racing

A less popular type of horse racing is quarter horse racing, which puts an extreme emphasis on speed. Quarter horse races refer to a quarter of a mile or less, which challenges faster breeds of horses to compete and win on very short tracks. The American Quarter Horse can run a quarter of a mile in as fast as 22 seconds, and are routinely faster than some of the fastest Thoroughbreds.

Maiden Racing

Maiden racing is not necessarily restricted to any one type of horse racing, but instead refers to horses that have yet to win a race. Horses remain a maiden until they notch their first win. A horse securing a victory at a maiden race isn’t overly impressive, but it gets them going in the right direction. Maiden races can be incredibly tough to gauge.

Allowance and Claiming Racing

These horse races are run for profit, and claiming races are showcased for sale. These are not popular races due to a serious lack of reliability, as well as the obvious goal of horses being purchased. Allowance races offer a much bigger purse than claiming races, and the horses aren’t actually for sale. Much like maiden races, this is a low level of horse racing, and not an ideal horse racing betting atmosphere.

Stakes Racing

Once a horse has really proven itself, it can start racing in stakes events. These are the highest level of horse races, and tend to feature huge cash prizes. Some of the best owners, trainers, jockeys, and horse racing talent are in these races, and this is the first big stepping stone to some of the biggest horse racing events. There are low level stakes races and there are higher level events that horses can use to push them into big events like the Kentucky Derby.

Graded Stakes Racing

The last type of horse racing is graded stakes racing, where the race is assigned a grade (I, II, or III) that helps detail which horses are the most competitive, as well as the quality of the field. These graded stakes can serve as measuring sticks for owners, trainers, jockeys, and horses, while the horse racing community can gauge just how good a horse is based on how they compete and finish. Graded stakes events can feature different lengths and tracks and can serve as huge stepping stones toward bigger events. These races also tend to showcase large purses, and on their own can register as big wins or placements for horses who take first, second, or third.

Horse Racing in the United States

2016 Kentucky Derby Horse Race

Horse racing in the United States is a massive spectator sport, an even bigger industry, and not surprisingly an even bigger gambling business. The origins of horse racing in the United States go back to 1665 in New York State. Since then, it has grown into a massive industry with race track grandstands topping out at more than 100,000 seats.

Major Races in the US

While there are tons of horse races every year in the United States, there are really four major races that nearly everyone needs to know about today. The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes all combine to make up the Triple Crown Series. The fourth important horse race in the United States is the Breeder’s Cup which is held at the end of every year.

The Triple Crown Series

The Triple Crown is considered to be the most coveted award in all of US horse racing. In order to earn this honor, a single horse must win all three Triple Crown races in a single year. The three races are the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. It is quite the rare feat and has only happened a dozen times in the last 98 years.

The Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is perhaps the most well-known horse race in the United States. It is the first race of the Triple Crown Series, and it takes place on the first Saturday of May annually. Twenty horses compete at  Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The Kentucky Derby dates all the way back to 1875 and comprises of a 1.25-mile long dirt track.

The Preakness Stakes

The next race after the Kentucky Derby of the Triple Crown Series is the Preakness Stakes. This race is held exactly two weeks after the Kentucky Derby on the 3rd Saturday of May. The Preakness Stakes takes place at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The Preakness Stakes first started back in 1873 and is comprised of a 1.1875-mile long dirt track.

The Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes is held five weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. This is the longest and most challenging race of the Triple Crown Series. It comprises of a 1.5-mile long dirt track. The Belmont Stakes is also the oldest of the three Triple Crown races with roots going all the way back to 1867.

The Breeder’s Cup

Last, but definitely not least, is the Breeder’s Cup. This race is held annually the first weekend in November every year, on Friday and Saturday. Five juvenile races for two-year-old horses are run on the first day of the event, and there are nine races for older horses on Saturday, culminating in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Breeder’s Cup bills itself as the World Championships of Thoroughbred Horse Racing with total prize money reaching nearly $30 million.

Horse Racing Tracks in the US

There are loads of horse racing tracks littered across the United States of America. In order to stand out, a track needs to host significant races and hope to have some unforgettable finishes. Here’s a look at some of the top tracks in the US.

Track Location Known For Course Type
Belmont Park Elmont, NY Belmont Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, The Metropolitan Handicap, Suburban Handicap Flat
Churchill Downs Louisville, KY Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks Flat
Arlington International Racecourse Arlington Heights, IL Arlington Million, Beverly D. Stakes, Secretariat Stakes Flat
Aqueduct Racetrack Queens, NY Wood Memorial Stakes, Cigar Mile Handicap, Carter Handicap Flat
Del Mar Racetrack Del Mar, CA Pacific Classic, Del Mar Oaks, Bing Crosby Stakes, 2017 Breeders’ Cup Thoroughbred Racing, Dirt and Turf tracks
Fair Grounds Race Course New Orleans, LA Louisiana Derby, New Orleans Handicap, Fair Grounds Oaks Flat
Pimlico Race Course Baltimore, MD Preakness Stakes, Dixie Stakes, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Flat
Santa Anita Park Arcadia, CA Santa Anita Handicap, Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita Oaks Flat
Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Springs, NY Travers Stakes, Whitney Handicap, Woodward Stakes, Alabama Stakes Flat
Meadowlands Racetrack East Rutherford, New Jersey Hambletonian Stakes, Meadowlands Pace Harness and Thoroughbred Racing

Horse Racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland

With a season that spans from March to December, there is no shortage of horse racing action in the UK and Ireland throughout the year. With some races dating back hundreds of years, it comes as no surprise that these sporting events are near and dear to their countries’ hearts. Many of the races are seen as focal points in both the social and sporting calendars in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. It’s no wonder people are flocking to the gates or their computers to place their bets.

Major Races and Festivals in the UK & Ireland

The Thoroughbred scene in the United Kingdom and Ireland showcases some of the best races in the world. Believe it or not, horse racing is the second largest spectator sport in all of Great Britain.

Here’s a sample of the many major races and festivals in the UK and Ireland:

  • 2,000 Guinea Stakes
  • 1,000 Guinea Stakes
  • Epsom Derby
  • Epsom Oaks
  • Leger Stakes
  • Aintree Grand National
  • Royal Ascot Festival
  • Irish Triple Crown Races
  • The Grand National
  • Blue Square Winter Derby
  • King George VI Chase
  • Cheltenham Festival
  • Newbury Winter Festival
  • Irish Grand National
  • Punchestown Festival
  • Galway Races

The British Classics

The British Classics are five long-standing horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. These five races are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for race horses against their own age group.

The five British Classics are:

  • 2,000 Guinea Stakes
  • 1,000 Guinea Stakes
  • Epsom Derby
  • Epsom Oaks
  • Leger Stakes

The 1,000 Guinea Stakes and the Epsom Oaks are both restricted to fillies only. The 2,000 Guinea Stakes, the Epsom Derby, and the St. Leger Stakes make up what is known as the English Triple Crown and are open to both fillies and colts. An English Triple Crown winner has not been crowned since Nijinsky in 1970.

The Irish Triple Crown

The Irish Triple Crown was inspired by the English Triple Crown and finds its races sharing the same names. The Irish Triple Crown consists of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Irish Derby, and the Irish St. Leger.

The first time all three races were contested in Triple Crown Fashion was all the way back in 1921. Even though it has been nearly 100 years, we have only seen two Irish Triple Crown Winners – Museum in 1935 and Windsor Slipper in 1942.

The Irish Triple Crown is typically spread out from May – September with all three races being held at Curragh Racecourse.

Royal Ascot Festival

The Royal Ascot is the centerpiece of the Ascot Racecourse’s year and is comprised of 30 races that span five days from Tuesday to Saturday during a week in June. Over 300,000 people make the annual visit to Berkshire, England, during Royal Ascot week. Among the hundreds of thousands of spectators, Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the Royal Family attend every year, arriving by horse-drawn carriage.

The Royal Ascot is a major event in the British social calendar with plenty of press and celebrities on hand every day and millions and millions of pounds in prize money on the line.

The Grand National

Grand National 2019 Betting

The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool in England. Hunt races are the name given to races where horses are required to jump over fences and ditches along the course.

With a distance of over four miles and fences that are higher than that of other National Hunt races, the Grand National is one of the toughest and most physically demanding horse races of the season. It has been often referred to as the ultimate test of horse and rider.

An estimated 500 to 600 million people across 140 countries watch the Grand National. The race is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing throughout the year.

Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is a meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the UK with prize money second only to the Grand National. The festival takes place annually in March and brings out the best British and Irish trained horses that race to an extent that is typically rare during the rest of the season.

The festival is comprised of a number of races, including four championship races – The Champion Hurdle, The Queen Mother Champion Chase, The World Hurdle, and The Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the most prestigious chase of all National Hunt races. Chases are races in which competitors are required to jump over diverse fences and ditch obstacles.

The meeting usually coincides with St. Patrick’s Day and is particularly popular with Irish horse race fans.

King George VI Chase

The King George VI Chase is the second most prestigious chase in England, surpassed only by the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Spanning a distance of three miles with 18 fences to jump, The King George VI Chase typically takes place on Boxing Day as part of the 32Red Winter Festival.

Newbury Winter Festival

The Newbury Winter Festival is being rebranded as the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival. Taking place at the Newbury Racecourse, the racecourse has entered into a valuable long-term partnership with Ladbrokes. Of the number of races run during the festival in early December of each year, 2017 will be highlighted for the first time by the Ladbrokes Gold Cup.

For the past 60 years, the race was called the Hennessy Gold Cup after its former sponsor. The Gold Cup is a handicap race and one of the most prestigious chase races of the year.

Irish Grand National

The Irish Grand National is a National Hunt chase that is based on the English equivalent of the Grand National, though not quite as challenging. It is a handicap race for five-year-olds and up and is scheduled to take place every year on Easter Monday.

Emanating from at the Fairyhouse during the annual Fairyhouse Easter Festival, the Irish Grand National is a three-mile chase race that is currently sponsored by Boylesports.

Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival

The Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival is one of the highlights of the Irish social and sporting calendar. The festival is considered the grand finale of the jump season and is the major festival of the Irish National Hunt season.

Often regarded as the Irish equivalent of the Cheltenham Festival, Punchestown follows the usual horse race festival schedule of Tuesday – Saturday and takes place in April.

Of the many races held over the five-day period, the Punchestown Irish National Hunt Festival features an astounding ten championship races.

Galway Races

The Galway Races is an Irish horse racing festival that starts on the last Monday in July every year. Taking place at Ballybrit Racecourse, the Galway Races is widely regarded as the highlight of the summer season in Ireland.

Galway Races is held over seven days and is one of the longest of all the race meets that take place in Ireland. The Galway Plate and Galway Hurdle are the two most sought-after races of the festival.

Horse Racing Tracks in the UK & Ireland

There are more than 80 racecourses dispersed throughout the UK and Ireland. The tracks listed below are amongst the most popular in the region.

Track Location Known For Course Type
Fairyhouse Racecourse Ratoath, County Meath, Ireland Irish Grand National, Ryanair Gold Cup, Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final, Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, Drinmore Novice Chase Flat, National Hunt
Curragh Racecourse Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland Irish 1,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas, Irish Derby, Irish Oaks, Irish St. Leger Flat
Punchestown Racecourse Ratoath, County Meath, Ireland Punchestown Champion Chase, Ryanair Novice Chase, Punchestown Gold Cup, World Series Hurdle, Champion Hurdle, John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase National Hunt
Aintree Racecourse Aintree, Merseyside, England The Gold Cup, Champion Stakes, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes National Hunt
Ascot Racecourse Ascot, Berkshire, England The Gold Cup, Champion Stakes, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Flat
Epsom Downs Epsom, Surrey, England Epsom Derby, Epsom Oaks, Coronation Cup Flat
Cheltenham Racecourse Prestbury, Cheltenham, England The Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayer’s Hurdle National Hunt
Doncaster Racecourse Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England St Leger Stakes, Doncaster Cup, Lincoln Handicap, Racing Post Trophy Flat, National Hunt
Goodwood Racecourse Chichester, West Sussex, England Steward’s Cup, Nassau Stakes, Goodwood Cup, Sussex Stakes Flat
Longchamp Racecourse Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Grand Prix de Paris, Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Poule d’Essai des Pouliches Flat
Newbury Racecourse Newbury, Berkshire, England Lockinge Stakes, Ladbrokes Trophy, Challow Novices’ Hurdle Flat, National Hunt
Newmarket Racecourse Suffolk, England 2000 Guineas Stakes, 1000 Guineas Stakes, July Cup, Fillies’ Mi Flat
Sandown Park Racecourse Esher, Surrey, England The Eclipse Stakes, Tingle Creek Chase, Bet365 Gold Cup, Celebration Chase, Henry VIII Novices’ Chase Flat, National Hunt
Windsor Racecourse Windsor, Berkshire, England Royal Windsor Stakes, August Stakes, Winter Hill Stakes Flat
York Racecourse York, North Yorkshire, England Dante Stakes, International Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks, Nunthorpe Stakes, Ebor Handicap Flat

Horse Racing in Australia

Jokey on horse with money and checked flag with stars, collages of the best Australian horses races

Horse racing was one of the earliest sporting activities to take place in Australia. When British ships arrived in the country to establish a new colony they brought horses with them, and it wasn’t long until races were taking place and further horses were imported. It was a few more years until organized racing took off though. The first officially sanctioned race was held in 1810, at Hyde Park in Sydney. By the start of the 20th century horse racing was firmly established as part of Australian sporting culture and it has continued to grow ever since.

 Major Horse Races in Australia

Thoroughbred horse racing is an exceptionally popular sport in Australia and is home to a number of major races each year. Most notable is the Melbourne Cup, known as the “race that stops a nation”. This race gets attention from all over the world and has one of the largest prize pools in Thoroughbred racing.

Melbourne Cup

If you live anywhere in Victoria or are even the slightest bit of a racing fan, the Melbourne Cup is a familiar race to you. The event is held annually on the first Tuesday of November.

Inaugurated in 1861 when Flemington Racecourse was first putting itself on the map, the amount of rich history and tradition at the Melbourne Cup seems endless.

Australian Cup

The Australian Cup was established in 1863 and is for horses ages three and up. This 2,000-meter race is held annually during the Melbourne Autumn Carnival at the Flemington Racecourse. The purse in 2023 was $3,000,000.

Victoria Derby

Established in 1855, the Victoria Derby was the first of the major races in Australia. It used to be run as a 1 ½-mile event but was altered to 2,400 meters in 1972. After recognizing they needed a little more room from the beginning of the race to the first turn, they lengthened the race to 2,500 meters in 1973, the same distance it stands in the present day. The annual November race is open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds and has a AU$1.5 million purse.

LKS Mackinnon Stakes

The LKS Mackinnon Stakes started out in 1869 as the Melbourne Stakes and didn’t change names till 1937. Up until 2014, it was held on the same day as the Victoria Derby. Thoroughbreds three years and up can run in this event, but they need to have won a race prior.

There have been 13 horses who have achieved “the double,” known for winning both the LKS Mackinnon Stakes and the Melbourne Cup in the same year. However, it hasn’t happened since Rogan Josh won them both in 1999.

Horse Racing Tracks in Australia

Australia is home to over 300 racecourses. The vast majority of racing is on a flat course, but in Victoria and South Australia there is some racing over fences and hurdles. These tracks are some of the more well-known tracks in Australia.

Track Location Known For Course Type
Caulfield Racecourse Caulfield, Victoria, Australia Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Guineas, Blue Diamond Stakes, Memsie Stakes Flat
Flemington Racecourse Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Melbourne Cup, Australian Cup, Victoria Derby, LKS Mackinnon Stakes Flat, Jumps
Moonee Valley Racecourse Moonee Ponds, Victoria, Australia W.S. Cox Plate, Manikato Stakes, William Reid Stakes, AJ Moir Stakes Flat
Randwick Racecourse Sydney, New South Whales, Australia Australian Derby, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Doncaster Handicap, Sydney Cup, The Everest, TJ Smith Stakes Flat
Rosehill Gardens estern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Golden Slipper Stakes, The Kia Tancred Stakes, George Ryder Stakes, Ranvet Stakes, Rosehill Guineas, Coolmore Classic Flat, Jumps

Other Popular Races Around the World

Horse racing is popular in several Asian nations and the continent is home to some of the world’s major races. Regions where racing is particularly prominent include Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong.

Major Horse Races in Dubai, Japan, and Hong Kong

Dubai World Cup Horse Race

There are several major horse races that take place at exceptional tracks in Dubai, Japan, and Hong Kong.  The Meydan Racecourse, Nakayama Racecourse, and Tokyo Racecourse all feature multiple can’t miss races the crowds love to wager on.

Meydan Racecourse

The Meydan Racecourse in Dubai is considered to be the largest racetrack in the world and is an amazing complex that also contains restaurants, a hotel, a theater and a museum. It’s home to the Dubai World Cup, which is the richest horse race in the world with a purse of ten million dollars. The Dubai Turf, Dubai Sheema Classic, and Dubai Golden Shaheen all take place at the Meydan Racecourse on the Dubai World Cup night.

Dubai Turf

The Dubai Turf is an esteemed horse race that takes place on Dubai World Cup Night. Thoroughbreds who have reached their fourth birthdays are eligible to compete, but they need to be prepared to run 1,800 meters. This event used to be called the Dubai Duty Free when it was first run in 1996, and it remained that way through 2014. The Group 1 flat race was actually held on dirt and contested over 2,000 meters until 2000 when it was moved to the turf course. The Dubai Turf is the second event in a four-race series known as the Asian Mile Challenge and boasts a whopping $5 million prize pool.

Dubai Sheema Classic

The Dubai Sheema Classic also takes place on Dubai World Cup Night. It is a 1 ½-mile event that started in 1998 as the Dubai Turf Classic. In 2000, it was changed to the Dubai Sheema Classic, and by 2002, it was regarded as a Group 1 status race. Godolphin Racing has claimed three titles here, more than any other Thoroughbred owner. Godolphin Racing is the controlling group of the Maktoum family, the ruling family of Dubai.

Dubai Golden Shaheen

At only 6 furlongs (¾ of a mile), the Dubai Golden Shaheen was established in 1996 as part of the festivities of Dubai World Cup Night. A pair of horses have won the Dubai Golden Shaheen twice, most recently when Mind Your Biscuits went back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. Caller One was the first horse to accomplish the feat when the gelding won it consecutively in 2001 and 2002.

Nakayama Racecourse

Some of the biggest Thoroughbred racing events in all of Japan are hosted at Nakayama. Located in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan it has the second-largest capacity of any horse racing venue in the world. Nakayama is home to three types of courses — turf, dirt, and steeplechase. There are several major races that take place here including the Nakayama Grand Jump, Arima Kinen, Satsuki Stakes, Hopeful Stakes, and Sprinters Stakes. 

Nakayama Grand Jump

The Nakayama Grand Jump is a steeplechase race held during the middle of April every year. At 4,250 meters, it is the longest race at Nakayama Racecourse. Established in 1999, the race is open to Thoroughbred fillies and mares four years and older. Grand Jup*

Arima Kinen

The Arima Kinen originated in 1956 and takes place near the end of December each year. As of 2022, the purse has grown to a staggering ¥864,000,000 with first place snagging ¥4000,0000. The event is open to Thoroughbreds three years or older and is a 2,500 meter flat race. Originally named the Nakayama Grand Prix, the year after it opened it was renamed Arima Kinen in honor of the late founder, Yoriyasu Arima.

Satsuki Sho

The Satsuki Sho was established in 1939 and hasn’t been skipped since 1946. Both colts and fillies can participate in this 2,000-meter event, but they must be exactly three years old. The winning horse takes home 97 million of the 184.7 million yen that is up for grabs at the Satsuki Sho. Fans can always count on high-quality racing during this Grade 1 flat race, and there are always plenty of spectators on hand. It takes place the day after the Nakayama Grand Jump.

Sprinters Stakes

The Sprinters Stakes generally run towards the end of September or the beginning of October, depending on the year. What remains constant is that this is a shorter race, intended for the Thoroughbreds who specialize in sprints. The short-distance Sprinters Stakes is only 1,200 meters which isn’t a lot of time to make up ground. Inaugurated in 1967, the Sprinters Stakes was deemed a Domestic Grade 3 race in 1984 when Japan first announced the grading system. This didn’t last long, as it was promoted to Domestic Grade 2 by 1987 and Domestic 1 in 1990. The Sprinters Stakes received Grade 1 status in 2006 and has remained that way ever since.

Hopeful Stakes

Hopeful Stakes is held in December on the final day of the racing season. The inner turf course is used for this 2,000-meter race. It started in 1984 as the Radio Tanpa Hai Sansai Hinba Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse. Originally, only two-year-old fillies were allowed to compete. Then, in 1991, it was designated for two-year-old male horses only.

Tokyo Racecourse

The Tokyo Racecourse earned the moniker, The Racecourse of Racecourses by having a massive capacity of 223,000. To help put that into perspective, no other horse racing venue in the world can support more than 170,000. Under the control of the Japan Racing Association, Tokyo Racecourse opened in 1933. The course is situated in Fuchū, a city in the Tokyo Metropolis area of Japan. The racecourse is home to multiple races including the Japan Cup, Tokyo Yūshun, Yushun Himba, Yasuda Kinen, February Stakes, NHK Mile Cup, and the Victoria Mile.

Tokyo Yūshun (Japanese Derby)

Tokyo Yūshun is known as the “Japanese Derby.” This race is comparable to the Kentucky Derby or the Epsom Derby and is the middle leg of the Japanese Triple Crown. Inaugurated in 1932, the Japanese Derby is a major Grade 1 race that is held either towards the end of May or in early June. The Tokyo Yūshun is 2,400 meters on turf and open to  three-year-old colts and fillies.

Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)

The Yushun Himba or Japanese Oaks, closely resembles the Epsom Oaks at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey, England. It is held every year in May on the main turf course. Like the Japanese Derby, this 2,400 meter race is for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. However, the difference is this is a “ladies only” event — only fillies can compete in the Yushun Himba.

Yasuda Kinen

The Yasuda Kinen allows any qualifying horse who has celebrated their third birthday to compete. At 1,600 meters long, this is as straightforward as they come. The objective is simple – to complete the mile in the shortest amount of time possible.

Other Horse Racing Tracks Around the World

Here’s a look at several well-respected tracks around the world.

Track Location Known For Course Type
Meydan Racecourse Meydan City, Dubai Dubai World Cup, Dubai Turf, Dubai Sheema Classic, Dubai Golden Shaheen Flat
Nakayama Racecourse Funabashi, Chiba, Japan Nakayama Grand Jump, Arima Kinen, Satsuki Sho, Sprinters Stakes, Hopeful Stakes Flat, Steeplechase
Tokyo Racecourse Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan Japan Cup, Tokyo Yushun, Yushun Himba, Yasuda Kinen, February Stakes, NHK Mile Cup, Victoria Mile Flat, Steeplechase

How to Sign Up with a Horse Racing Betting Site

Signing up is a simple process at most sites. You just have to complete a form with a few personal details. Your account will be created automatically, and you’ll then be able to deposit and start betting.

Here’s an example of the kind of form you’ll have to complete.

Account Creation Screenshot for an Online Casino

The Risks of Horse Racing Betting

One of the reasons why betting on horse racing is so popular is that you don’t actually need to know very much to get involved. There’s a lot to learn if you want to take things seriously and give yourself a good chance of making money in the long run, but it’s really simple to get started. Plenty of people enjoy just placing the occasional bet on big races without knowing much about the sport at all, which is perfectly fine.

This guide will help you whether you plan to bet on racing regularly or just every now and then for recreation. However, there’s a really important point that we want to leave you with, as this is something that you absolutely must understand before you even think about betting on horse racing.

Horse Racing Betting Involves Risk

This might seem like an extremely obvious point to make, but it’s one that we think we should mention regardless. Horse racing betting is a form of gambling and, like any form of gambling, there’s risk involved. Bettors must be prepared to lose every wager they place, even if they truly believe they have picked the winner. You can profit by betting on horse racing if you’re good enough, but there will always be some level of risk involved.

Even the world’s biggest expert on the sport isn’t guaranteed to win every bet they place. In the same way that a football match isn’t always won by the best team, a horse race isn’t always won by the best horse. In any case, there’s usually some degree of prejudice concerning which the best horse might be in any particular race.

We don’t bring this point up to turn you away from the idea of betting on horse racing but we want to make sure you understand the risks involved before you get started. It’s vital that you always gamble responsibly and risk only money that you are prepared to lose.

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Kevin
Roberts
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Kevin Roberts, previously published under the pseudonym Noah Davis, is one of the more diverse writers at GamblingSites.com. Like many of his colleagues, he's a huge fan of both football and basketball. But he also writes about box office records, TV show prop bets, DFS, and all kinds of other subjects. When it comes to the NFL, Kevin's favorite team is the Green Bay Packers. He enjoys cheering them on with his wife and daughter.