Each horse racing season brings some incredible individual race days, as well as monumental racing festivals spanning multiple days. Many horse racing festivals have remained part of the sports culture throughout the years, with many debuting early in the 1900s and remaining popular today. Horse racing festivals span the globe, each telling its own story and with unique traditions that people follow to this day. Racing festivals offer something unique to the sport of horse racing, attracting thousands of people who tune in to watch the spectacle each year, both offline and online. Commonly, these racing festivals have some of the most lucrative prize pools available, prompting many trainers to plan their racing seasons around the most popular festivals. In this write-up, we will cover some of the most notable horse racing festivals that take place each year on the racing calendar.
Cheltenham Festival – United Kingdom
Britain’s horse racing scene is largely remembered for the traditions and history that make them what it is. Cheltenham Festival is one of the most historic racing festivals in the world, and is a large contributor to the special horse racing scene in the UK. The Cheltenham Festival originated in 1860, and over the years, it has undergone numerous evolutions that have shaped it into what it is today. In modern times, the Cheltenham Festival takes place at the Cheltenham racecourse over 4 days, with each day featuring a championship race, although this is not always the case. Throughout history, the festival has not always been held at Cheltenham racecourse, with stints at Warwick, Liverpool, and the inaugural course at Market Harborough. The festival would take place over three days until 2005, when an additional day was added.
The Cheltenham Festival, in modern times, is widely perceived as the home of jumps racing, featuring some incredible championship races. The most notable race at the Cheltenham Festival is the Gold Cup, which takes place on the Friday, rounding out an incredible week of racing. The Cheltenham Festival is also home to other notable races, such as the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, and more. The Cheltenham Festival has seen some incredible upsets over the years, with underdogs shocking the racing world. One of the greatest stories in the Cheltenham Festival history is the Norton’s Coin upset, which many Cheltenham odds providers priced as high as 100/1 before the race started. Underdog stories like this, alongside the incredible traditions the festival holds, are part of what makes the festival so popular in the 21st century.
Royal Ascot – United Kingdom
Each year, the Royal Ascot racing festival is held, which has become one of the most prestigious racing events. The festival has become incredibly popular for numerous reasons, most notably the royal tradition and the quality of racing it produces. The racing usually commences in June and spans across 5 days, with members of the British Royal Family attending, alongside the thousands of others. Unlike the previous British horse racing festival that we covered, Royal Ascot will take place on flat ground.
The Ascot Racecourse has been the home of the Royal Ascot festival since its establishment in 1711 by Queen Anne. The festival has taken place at Ascot for all meetings, except for one in 2005, when the course was undergoing renovations, when York Racecourse served as a stand-in host.
The Royal Ascot festival attracts millions each year, with packed-out stands trackside and incredible online viewing figures. The festival is one of the most attractive for all trainers and jockeys, prompting the best horses from the UK, Ireland, France, the USA, Australia, and other countries to make the trip to Ascot Racecourse. Many tune in to watch some of the incredible races during the Royal Ascot festival, including the King Charles III Stakes, Commonwealth Cup, and Gold Cup.
Melbourne Cup Carnival – Australia
Travelling across the seas, we have the Melbourne Cup, which takes place each year in Melbourne, Australia. The racing will take place at the Flemington Racecourse at the end of October or the beginning of November each year. Despite all being part of the same racing festival, the Melbourne Cup Carnival is unique, as races will not take place on consecutive days. Regardless, the event is undoubtedly Australia’s greatest horse racing festival, attracting record viewing numbers each year.
There are four main race days for the festival: Victoria Derby Day, Melbourne Cup Day, Oaks Day, and Champions Day. For many, Melbourne Cup Day is the main event, which, as expected, will host the Melbourne Cup. This singular race features a 2-mile track, run by Group 1 Thoroughbreds. The race offers one of the largest prize pools in horse racing, often attracting many international trainers to bring their horses to compete. Whilst there are other notable races across the festival, Melbourne Cup Day is undoubtedly the most significant, with a rich history dating back to its origins in 1861.