There are a few horse races that attract punters from all over the betting planet because they are the biggest horse races in the country where they are raced. These races also have the strongest fields with the best and quickest horses for the distance. They also offer the largest prize money for the winners of these races. Here are some of the major horse races run every year around the world:
Flat Races
The Dubai World Cup
The Dubai World Cup is held in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. It is the richest race on the betting planet. It is a Group 1 flat race raced every year on the last Saturday in March. The distance of the race is 10 furlongs (2km). The field includes four year old or older horses from the Northern Hemisphere and three year old and older horses from the Southern Hemisphere. It is run on “dirt” in a left-handed direction. The prize money for this race is $10,000,000.
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race raced in France. The race is held every year on the first Sunday in October. The race is for horses three years or older. The distance of the race is 1½ miles (2.4 km). The race is run on turf and is run right-handed around the track. The prize money for this race is €5,000,000 which makes it the world's richest "turf" race and is second richest horse race behind the Dubai World Cup.
The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is one of the most famous horse races in the world. It is the biggest race of the Kentucky Racing festival held in Kentuck in the United States. The race is known in the United States as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports" or "The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports".
The Kentucky Derby is run every year on the first Saturday in May. It is a grade 1 race for three-year-olds and is run over one and a quarter miles (2 km). It is run left-handed on "dirt". The prize money for this race is $2,000,000.
The Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is one of Australia's most famous and popular horse races. The race is held every year on the first Tuesday in November. The distance of the race is two miles (3.2 kms). The race is for three-year-olds and over. The horses are handicapped, run left-handed and the surface is "turf" (grass). The prize money for this race is $6,200,000 plus bonuses and so it is the richest "two-mile" handicap on the betting planet.
The Breeders' Cup Sprint
The Breeders' Cup Sprint is a Grade 1 race held in the United States or Canada in November every year. The location of the race is different every year. The distance of the race is very short - only 6 furlongs (1.2kms) It is run left-handed on "dirt". The prize money for this race is $1,500,000.
National Hunt (Jump) Races
The Grand National
The Grand National is an epic horse race. It is the longest and most difficult track jump race in the world. It is always raced in April in Liverpool, England. The race is run on a Saturday at around 3.45 p.m. The distance the horses run is 4 miles 514 yards (6.9 km). The horses do two laps of the track and must jump over 30 fences. The fences are much higher than standard jump racing courses. A lot of horses fall or refuse to jump the fences so usually not many horses finish the race.
The horses entered are seven years or older and it is a handicapped race so the horses carry weights. It is run left-handed on “turf” (grass). The prize money for this race is £1,000,000. This horse race is very exciting and many people who never bet or watch horse racing will place a bet or two for this horse race!
The ant-post market for the race usually opens up to a year before the next race. Odds are usually offered on the winner of the race for the next year's race! The race is attractive to punters because the field is usually very large - more than 30 horses so the odds offered can be quite high. See below the SP (Starting Price) odds offered for previous winners:
Rule the World 33/1
Many CLouds 25/1
Pineau de Ray 25/1
Auroras Encore 66/1
Neptune Collenges 33/1
Ballabriggs 14/1
Don't push it 10/1 JF
Mon Mome 100/1
Comply or Die 7/1 JF
Silver Birch 33/1
The Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is held every year in England, U.K. in March. It is considered one of the biggest and most important races in the National Hunt racing season. The race is run on a Friday afternoon, on the final day of the Cheltenham National Hunt Racing festival. It is a Grade 1 jump race over a distance of 3 miles 2½ furlongs (5.3 kms). 22 fences are jumped. The horses entered are five years and over and because it is a non-handicap race the horses do not carry any added weight.
The Ante-post market for the race usually opens up to a year before the next race. Odds are usually offered on the winner of the race for the next year's race! The surface the horses run on is "Turf" (grass). The direction around the course is "left-handed". The prize money for this race is around £575,000.
