Best Horse Racing Tracks

Horse racing is one of those sports that has been popular for centuries now, and it’s still one of the most popular sports betting options as well. But where exactly are the world’s best horse racing tracks? It’s possible you’ll want to visit one or more of them, so it’s good to know where the best of the best are located.

There’s nothing quite like dressing up in your best attire, seeing the grandeur of everyone else at the tracks, and then placing bets on your favorite horses. The thrills get even better as your chosen horse or horses start their race, with jockeys urging them around the track as fast as possible in order to win.

So, come take a look at the best horse racing tracks in the world. Maybe you’ll find yourself cheering the horses and jockeys on at one of them in the near future.

Aintree – Liverpool, England, United Kingdom

This race track was opened back in the year 1829 and has hosted the famous Grand National multiple times over. Aintree is said to have some of the most famous steeplechase obstacles, too, including the Canal Turn, The Chair, and Becher’s Brook.

Many infamous and legendary Grand National races have taken place at this track, such as the 1928 event. This saw a total of 42 horses begin the race, although due to rough running conditions, only two managed to cross the finish line! Something unique to the Aintree racecourse is that the fences barring the water jumps are covered in 100 tonnes of decoration.

Santa Anita Park – Arcadia, California, USA

With two famous races in the Santa Anita Derby and the Santa Anita Handicap, this racecourse has been given the prestige of being called the most beautiful one in the world. Then again, this isn’t a surprise, considering that the San Gabriel Mountains serve as a backdrop to the course.

Santa Anita opened up for operation in 1934, and today, it seats a total of 26,000 spectators in its main grandstand. There’s also a track infield which incorporates picnic tables and a certain amount of forestry, while a one-mile dirt course is also present.

Ascot – Berkshire, England, United Kingdom

One of the oldest-serving racecourses, Ascot began operating in 1711, and it is home to a total of nine of Great Britain’s 32 different G1 races. The most recognized of these is The Gold Cup, although others include the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the King George VI.

Known as being pretty much the central focus of British horseracing, the track is also mixed-purpose, featuring flat and National Hunt fixtures throughout the duration of the year.

But it is during the time of the Royal Ascot that the track really comes to life. This five-day festival, which occurs in the middle of the summer months, provides spectators with the opportunity to experience some of the finest entertainment, horse racing, and cuisine. It’s one of the staples of the British social calendar, with members of the Royal Family attending each year, as well as over 300,000 people.

Longchamp – Paris, France

Opening in 1857, the Longchamp race track is the home of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe race. Overlooking the beautiful riverbanks of the Seine, this 140-acre track offers up more than half of France’s G1 stakes races. Various courses are present there, ranging in length from 1,000 meters through to 4,000 meters.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is often given the privilege of being called Europe’s most prestigious race. It sees around 50,000 fans pack themselves into the race track at the beginning of October to witness the richest turf race around.

Flemington – Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Both the Melbourne Cup and the Victoria Derby are held at the Flemington racecourse in Australia, giving you a bit of an idea about how popular this race track is. This race track, which is located next to the Maribyrnong River in Melbourne, has often been likened to the shape of a pear.

The Melbourne Cup is this race track’s two-mile handicap race, while the location also features a six-furlong straight known as the “Straight Six. To add to that, Flemington has also been marked as a National Heritage Site, features three grandstands, has a railway line running through it, and provides seating for over 120,000 spectators.

Flemington hosts 13 G1 races, which differ in length between 1,000 meters and 3,200 meters. Just to give you an idea of the popularity of this race track, many other race tracks around Australia also receive their best attendance figures during the Melbourne Cup, just so that people can participate in off-track betting for it.

Cheltenham – Cheltenham, England, United Kingdom

This racecourse is set amongst a beautiful backdrop in the heart of the Cotswolds. Making use of a total of 350 acres, this track showcases a variety of the best National Hunt races around the United Kingdom.

The race track opened its doors for the first time in 1815 and has grown over the many years to become one of the largest racecourses in the country, bringing in crowds of about 68,000. The Cheltenham Festival is the highlight of this race track, which runs for a total of four days every year in March. Fourteen Grade 1 races usually take place at this event, and it operates as the most popular National Hunt meeting around the world.

Saratoga – Saratoga Springs, New York, USA

When a race track has been open and in operation since 1863, it’s clear that it has a lot to offer. The Saratoga race course in New York is famous for hosting the Travers Stakes, Whitney Handicap, and the Alabama Stakes. In fact, Saratoga is one of the oldest race tracks in the entirety of the United States.

This race track has managed to survive through two World Wars, the country’s anti-gambling legislation, and, furthermore, through various periods of being given a distinctly terrible reputation.

Saratoga is specifically famous for witnessing some of the most famous horses in the world lose during its 9-furlong dirt track races. For example, the horse known as Man o’ War suffered its only defeat there, while Gallant Fox and American Pharoah (both Triple Crown winners) lost during the Whitney Handicap.

Saratoga has some intriguing features, such as the mineral spring within and the hand-rung bell that signals the jockeys to the paddock exactly 17 minutes prior to a race.

York – York, England, United Kingdom

The York race track has been awarded the “Best Racecourse in Britain” four times over. The entire city of York is an amazing tourist destination to enjoy, and it features rich history dating back to Roman times.

There is evidence to suggest that horse racing took place in York as far back as 1530, providing it with a vast heritage. York race track plays host to flat racing during the summer months, with the grandest feature being the Ebor Festival towards the end of August. The race track attracts high-quality racing events, and it also brings the glamorous side of such a high-profile event to the forefront, too.

To Finish With…

So, how about it? Do you feel like visiting any of these best horse racing tracks after reading about them?

One thing is for sure – you won’t find anywhere that has a better and more enticing group of horse racing events than these tracks. They’re all very high-profile locations situated in various locations around the world. So, what are you waiting for? The events are waiting for you to grace them with your presence!