The United Kingdom is one of the continents that celebrates legendary horse racing tournaments every year. The horse racing games are massive, and most of it is offering huge prizes at stake. In fact, it’s the U.K that made horse racing a popular sport in the world, which is associated with betting games.
In line with the horse racing shows happening this year, the United States also has upcoming horse racing events starting May that draw inspiration from U.K. races. The Triple Crown Series is underways starting with Kentucky Derby lines, 2020 Preakness Stakes odds picks, and the Belmont Stakes contenders.
As you go along and watch the said racing shows, you should also get guided with some of the most celebrated horse racing events in the United Kingdom. Below is the complete calendar of British horse racing shows to commence this month until December.
March – Cheltenham Festival
The 2020 Cheltenham Festival is currently happening in the United Kingdom today. It started last Tuesday, March 12, 2020, and will end on Friday, March 13, 2020. It settles annually in the Cheltenham Racecourse, which is part of the British National Hunt racing calendar. This event is celebrated together with Saint Patrick’s, wherein you see a lot of Irish visitors as this is a popular racing show for them.
Moreover, the Cheltenham Festival is a Grade 1 Stakes event competed in four significant racing shows. It includes Stayers’ Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Champion Hurdle and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
April – Grand National
The Grand National will take place on April 4, 2020, at the Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside, England. This is a steeplechase racing type that measures 4-mile running distance. It features seven-year-old thoroughbred racehorses competing in a turf track.
It is also considered as one of the most exciting horse racing tournaments in the U.K. as it tests the agility and speed of every racehorse competing. Also, the purse prize of the Grand National since 2017 amounts to £1,000,000.
June – Epsom Derby
After the Grand National, the Epsom Derby takes place on June 6, 2020. This is the official Derby horse racing event in the British continent, which features three-year-old fillies and colts in Grade 1 Stakes flat racing showdown.
The Derby settles at Epsom Downs, Surrey, England with 1 mile, four feet, and six yards running distance. This is a turf racing game with a purse prize of £1, 623, 900.
June – Royal Ascot
The Royal Ascot also takes place in June after the Epsom Derby. This is considered as one of the most colorful and fabulous British horse racing shows. This year, the Royal Ascot is scheduled on June 16, 2020, and will end up on June 20, 2020.
Aside from the horse racing show, you can see in the Royal Ascot; you can witness the Queen along with the Royal Family, who attends a Royal Procession. You can see them watching the racing event happening at Ascot Racecourse all day long.
August – Glorious Goodwood
The Glorious Goodwood or popularly known as the Qatar Goodwood Festival will take place on July 28, 2020, until August 1, 2020. This event will settle at Goodwood Racecourse, holding a purse prize starting £250, 000.
This event will run for five days to showcase the best racehorses, which will compete in a magnificent view of Sussex, England countryside. This five-day event will not only showcase a racing show, but it also offers a grand hospitality vacation treat that you can reserve as early as now.
October – British Champions Day
Since 2011, the British Champions Day is another popular horse racing show in the U.K. that saddles every October each year. It serves as the last fixture of the British flat racing events. Also, it holds the records for the richest horse racing events in the United Kingdom with a purse prize of £4, 000, 0000.
December – King George V1 Chase
King George V1 Chase settles a day after the Christmas season, which is on December 26 every year. It takes place at Kempton Park, featuring Grade1 Stakes racing for four-year-old thoroughbreds and up.
It is also a steeplechase racing game that is competed in a 3-mile running distance. The racehorses will saddle in a turf track, and the winning entry can receive a purse prize up to £250, 000.
Takeaway
Horse racing in the United Kingdom gets bigger every year. As a matter of fact, British people celebrate this sports compared to other sporting events happening. They even treat these races as holidays, and most of them witness each racing showdown. So, if you like to see some of the U.K.’s most celebrated horse racing events this year, refer to the calendar of events outlined above.
