The races are a truly exhilarating and fascinating event to attend or place bets on. Events take place in the UK, Ireland and around the world throughout the year, but the summer is one of the best seasons to enjoy all the action on the track.
If you are new to the sport, you might want to learn more about how to bet on horse racing and which events are coming up soon. We take a look at some of the best horse racing events that are taking place during the summer months:
June
18th-22nd – Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot shows some of the very best in British racing each year; it has evolved greatly from the four day event that first took place in 1768. The Gold Cup race was first run in 1807 and is still one of the biggest features of the whole event.
Royal Ascot is now five days in length and begins each day with the Royal Procession and national anthem, a tradition started by King George IV in 1825. Around 500 horses will race across the five days and it is broadcast to audiences in more than 200 territories around the world.
27th-29th – Newcastle Northumberland Plate
Another phenomenal racing event commencing in June is the Northumberland Plate Festival, locally known as the Pitmen’s Derby. It is considered to be a more relaxed, North Eastern version of Royal Ascot.
The third day of the festival is Plate Day and includes a two mile heritage handicap that is worth £150,000. Aside from the racing, great entertainment and music is put on for those looking to extend the celebrations into the evening.
28th-30th – Curragh Irish Derby Meeting
Over in Ireland, racing fans enjoy the Curragh Irish Derby Meeting at the end of June. The feature races on the first day include the Maddenstown Premier Handicap and the Silken Thomas and Lock 13 Apprentice Derby.
On the middle day there is the Pretty Polly Stakes, Airlie Stud Stakes and the Kildare Village Ladies Derby. The final day is the biggest feature of the festival with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. There is also plenty of family friendly entertainment and live music throughout the event.
July
6th – Sandown Coral Eclipse
The Coral Summer festival is a spectacular July event to look forward to and is two days of excitement based at Sandown Park. On Friday, the meeting is known as Ladies Day and is a perfect opportunity to get all dressed up. There is a style village and glow up bar and spectators can enter into the Style Awards.
On Saturday, there is Coral-Eclipse day with the famous thrilling Group 1 Coral-Eclipse flat race. Speed and stamina is what this race is all about. As well as seven races throughout the day there is live music entertainment and DJ, as well as fantastic hospitality.
11th- 13th – Newmarket July Festival
Newmarket is one of the biggest and most anticipated events in the racing calendar and consists of three days of world class racing and entertainment. Day one is Ladies Day with seven races and the Group Two Princess of Wales’s Stakes as the headline event.
On day two, there is the mile long Group One Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes. This race is the opportunity for the top three year old horses to test themselves against more experienced rivals.
The last day is Cup Day with the Group 1 Race. The winner of this race is considered to be the best sprinter in the whole of Europe.
Newmarket has a garden party atmosphere and the stakes for riders as well as fashionistas is spectacularly high!
August
July 30th-Aug 3rd – Glorious Goodwood Festival
The Glorious Goodwood Festival takes place over five action-packed days at Goodwood. It is a flat racing event that sees some of the biggest stars in the horse racing world compete each year.
The feature of the first day is the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup race. On the second day there is The Qatar Sussex Stakes, also known as the Duel on the Downs. Then on the third day Ladies Day is celebrated with fashion being much of the focus.
Friday sees sprinters compete in The Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes and the Saturday is the finale with the fabulous Coral Stewards’ Cup.
21st-24th – York Ebor Festival
Lastly, in York there is the Ebor Festival which features the Juddmonte International (Group 1), one of the best rated and most anticipated thoroughbred races in the entire world.
This four day festival was first established in 1843, Ladies Day is celebrated on Thursday and the final day features the exciting Ebor Handicap and the Lonsdale Cup. Ebor is a major event that attracts spectators from the UK and around the world.
