4 Best Horse Racing Venues to Visit Around the World
Curated by
Yuri Barron
in 4 minutes
Horse racing is one of the world’s most glamorous sports and is often referred to as a ‘sport for kings’ or a sport for the wealthy or upper class. Let’s dive straight in to discover some of the world’s most famous racecourses, from Churchill Downs in the United States to Ascot Racecourse in England, which host iconic racing events such as the Kentucky Derby and the Grand National.
There are hundreds of stylish and sophisticated racecourses spread across the globe, but instead of listing them all, here are just four charming and aesthetically pleasing venues that every horse racing fan should know about:
- Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, England (Capacity 70,000)
- Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, UAE (Capacity 60,000)
- Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia (Capacity 130,000)
- Churchill Downs in Kentucky, USA (Capacity 165,000)
Some of the other major racecourses that host some of today’s biggest horse racing and equestrian events are Santa Anita Park, Aintree Racecourse, Tokyo Racecourse, Epsom Downs, Chantilly Racecourse, Saratoga Race Course, and Longchamp Racecourse, to name a few.
What are the biggest horse races to look forward to in 2024?
Racegoers across the globe have many exciting events to look forward to throughout 2024. If you are specifically looking for horse racing in Australia, you will have to wait for the Melbourne Cup on November 5. Other major horse racing events you may also want to watch in Australia are the W.S. Cox Plate, the Caulfield Cup, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Golden Slipper Stakes, the All-Star Mile, and the Victoria Derby.
In other parts of the world, you have the 2024 Pegasus World Cup in Florida, the 2024 Kentucky Derby, the 2024 Dubai World Cup Carnival, the 2024 Dubai World Cup Day, and the 2024 Saudi Cup. In the United Kingdom, you have the 2024 Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse from March 12 – 15 and the 2024 Randox Health Grand National Festival at the Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool.
Who is the favourite to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in March?
Today’s most trusted online bookmakers, such as Unibet, currently have Galopin Des Champs as the odds-on favourite to win the 2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup. If you were to place a wager right now on this horse, you would be looking at odds of around 5/6 (fractional), 1.86 (decimal) or -120 (American/moneyline).
These odds mean that Galopin Des Champs has a 54.50% implied probability rate of winning. In comparison, the second odds-on favourite, Fastorslow, is currently priced at around 5/1 (which is 6.00 or +500) with a 16.70% implied probability rate.
Some of the other favourites include L’Homme Presse, Shishkin, Gerri Colombe, and Gentlemansgame. If you’re looking for an underdog, then you may be more interested in Conflated or Protektorat, which are both currently priced at around 66/1 (67.00 or +6,600) with only a 1.50% chance of winning.
Have outsider horses with ‘long’ odds ever won any major races?
Yes. However, it doesn’t happen very often. Take the UK’s Grand National horse race, for example. Over the years, several outsiders have won. In 1985, a horse called Last Suspect won at 50/1 (51.00, or +5,000). These odds mean the horse only had a 2.00% chance of winning but defied the odds.
Mon Mone in 2009 won at a whopping 100/1 (101.00 or +10,000) with only a 1.00% implied probability rate. More recently, in 2013, Aurora’s Encore won. At the beginning of the race, this horse was priced at 66/1 (67.00 or +6,000) with only a 1.50% IPR of winning.
The best thing to do before placing a wager on any upcoming horse racing events would be to do your research and carefully think about what the odds are trying to tell you about the most likely outcome for that event. Doing so can help you place strategic bets that have a greater chance of returning you a profit.
