There are few other sports that give fans the opportunity to go around the world. However, horse racing is one of the few that enables those that love the action to build a bucket list of venues in which they want to watch action live.
Due to this, racing tourism is a booming industry, with many of the biggest events on the calendar seeing visitors from far and wide descending on the course to watch the best horses in the world in-person.
However, building a racing bucket list can often be a daunting prospect with so many different venues to select from.
So, what destinations should be on your list to visit if you’re a massive horse racing fan?
Churchill Downs
There are potentially few more historic venues for horse racing action across the United States than Churchill Downs.
The historic Twin Spires feature as the famous backdrop for some of the world’s most famous moments within the sport, and the track in Louisville, Kentucky, is a bucket list venue for most looking to watch the best equine stars in action.
Churchill Downs was opened to the public for the first time in 1875, and up to 100,000 spectators are able to watch the action at the track. Due to it being one of the best courses in the world, Churchill Downs has hosted the prestigious season-ending Breeders’ Cup on nine occasions.
However, few weekends are as popular as the Friday and Saturday of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. You can learn how to bet on Kentucky Derby here.
The latter forms the opening leg of the Triple Crown, and it is the most watched and attended race in the United States. Annually, the race is run on the first Saturday in May, and it has been won by a who’s-who of the legends of the sport in North America.
Paris Longchamp
Action in Europe is all about the turf racing, and there are historic venues to see in-person across the continent. However, few boast as many prestigious races at Paris Longchamp.
Located on the outskirts of the French capital, the track has been welcoming fans to watch the best equine stars in the world since 1857. It is one of the most challenging racecourses in the world, with the famous hill ensuring a testing final few furlongs to some of the world’s most lucrative races.
Racing at the track varies in terms of distance, with the course boasting a staggering 46 different starting posts. More than half of the Group Ones in France are staged at Longchamp, which includes the feature on the calendar in the form of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
This race is staged in early October annually, and it regularly attracts the best turf horses from across the globe. It is the seventh-richest race on the schedule, and it is attended by over 60,000 visitors. There have been eight horses that have successfully won the race on two occasions, including most recently Enable in 2017 and 2018.
Cheltenham Racecourse
Unlike anywhere else in the world, in Britain and Ireland, jumps racing is the most watched type of racing. Due to that, there are few bigger events on the calendar than the four-day Cheltenham Festival, which is held annually in March.
International visitors from France and Ireland are prominent throughout the historic meet, which features championship races such as the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, and Champion Chase. The natural amphitheatre creates on the most famous backdrops to racing across the world, as it is located below Cleeve Hill and the Cotswolds Hills.
Around 70,000 fans make the annual pilgrimage to Cheltenham annually for the four-day meet, and the action is televised live across the globe. The feature of the week comes in the form of the Gold Cup, which is the Blue Riband event in the jumps calendar.
This race has been won by some of the most legendary horses in jumps racing, including Kauto Star, Arkle, and Best Mate. This year, Galopin Des Champs looks to join the legends with a third straight win.
Randwick Racecourse
One of the most popular options that is typically found on the bucket list of racing fans can be found in the form of Royal Randwick Racecourse, which is located on the outskirts of Sydney, Australia.
This track has been housing horse racing action since 1833, and is most famous for hosting The Everest, which is the richest race in Australia; worth a staggering $15 million. Another notable race held at the track annually is the Australian Derby, which has been won by legends such as Phar Lap, Peter Pan, and Trident.
Since 2014, Randwick has also hosted The Championships, which forms the season-ending two-day meet within the nation, just as the Breeders’ Cup does in the United States. Other notable events on the Randwick calendar include the Spring Carnival, the Chinese Festival of racing, and the Sydney Carnival.
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