The UK calendar is filled with exciting races, full of nail-biting results and adrenalin-rich events. With racing events held all around the calendar, there are some more exhilarating than others. Here are four races that you should not miss.
Cheltenham Festival
Usually taking place mid-March in the ever-so-popular Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, the Cheltenham Festival is a fiesta for horse racing fans.
The hustle and bustle are owed to the fact that it is made up of several huge races — the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, and course, Stayers’ Hurdle.
Taking place sometime around St. Patrick’s Day, the Cheltenham Festival is always expected to have a decent influx of Irish crowds. Owing to this fact, the prize purses might vary, but it is usually high.
Cheltenham offers a great opportunity for those who enjoy a little flutter on the horse racing betting odds. With the right kind of exposure, one might be able to make valid predictions.
Epsom Derby
If there is one ‘Derby’ one should definitely not miss out on, it is this. Considered as one of the classics in the UK, the Epsom Derby is a one-of-a-kind event, mainly owing to the intimate nature of the Royal aspect attached to it.
Usually held in the first week of June, the Epsom Derby has over 150,000 attendees, to no one’s surprise. Additionally, owing to the fact that it is held in Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey, it is one of the most aesthetically pleasing races to watch.
Surrey is a picturesque area, bound with forests and the serenity of its local flora, and the Epsom Derby only adds to the proposition—thereby making it a must-witness event.
Grand National
The first week of April marks the Grand National. Much like the others, the race has a charm of its own. Generally hailed as one of the most globally watched races, the Grand National is also one of the biggest jump races in the world.
Taking place in Aintree, Merseyside, it also serves as one of the liveliest races on the list. Liverpool has always been considered as one of the most welcoming places in England, and the Grand National is a fair representation of it.
British Champions Day
Rightly held as one of the richest racing days in the UK, British Champions Day is a flat horse racing event. It is only natural that it is one of the most spectated too.
With its inception in 2011, British Champions Day is one of the more recent additions to the plethora of enthralling races in the UK calendar. Additionally, the day involves five top-class horse races, four of them belonging to Group 1.
Taking place during October, British Champions Day marks the termination of the year’s flat racing events. With over £4 million involved, it brings both big horses and big money.
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Horse racing events are enrapturing and for all the right reasons. While it is not essential for the ardent fan to witness all races all around the calendar year, the aforementioned events are must-see occasions in the life of any horse racing fan.