Thoroughbred racing around the world

This article first appeared in the Sep/Oct 2011 issue of World Gaming magazine.

Thoroughbred horse racing is big business. The UK, US, Middle East, Asia and Australia are big players in this industry where the money involved is astronomical. The ‘Sport of Kings’ revolves around champion horses, the super rich and many millions of gamblers internationally that share a devout passion for this sport. World Gaming takes a look at the history of this remarkable industry, the different international homes and their most important races.

There is no point trying to work out when men started to race and gamble on horses. Wherever there were horses it’s a safe bet that fortunes were being lost and made. We know that Asians were racing horses over 4,500 years ago and that chariot racing was an obsession for nearly all-ancient civilizations from the Egyptians to the Greeks and Romans.

Today horse racing is all about thoroughbred racing. Flat racing on turf is the most dominant form across the world. Steeplechase and hurdle racing is still very popular in the UK and Ireland and trotting races (which originated from chariot racing) still take place in the US, Australia, France and Sweden.

In most countries racing is governed by long standing establishments. The oldest and most recognised of these was created in the 1750s when English racing’s elite met at Newmarket, England to form the Jockey Club. This club still exists today and enjoys complete control over English racing. Similar clubs that control and govern horse racing can be found all over the world, most based on the same model.

The term thoroughbred is interesting in that these horses are one of the most inbred species in the world. The original breed was first brought back to England by knights that acquired Arabian stallions on their crusades. The Jockey Club took steps to regulate the breeding of thoroughbred horses in the late 18th century and hired James Weatherby to trace the pedigree of thoroughbred horses. In 1791 he published the Introduction to the General Stud Book and this book has been updated meticulously eversince. Every thoroughbred can be tracked back to one of only three stallions: Byerley Turk (foaled 1679), Darley Arabian (foaled 1700) and Godolphin Arabian (foaled 1724).

Let’s have a look at the major racing centres of the world and their big race days.

United Kingdom

Speak to anyone in the UK and they will argue that they have the best racing in the world. This is open to discussion but one claim that can’t be disputed is they have been at it the longest in its current form. The public love horse racing and this keeps the industry strong but they have had their problems. Reluctance to move with the times, low prize money and a lack of quality horses in lower grade races are holding back the industry.

Grand National	12 to 14 April 2012
Race type:	Steeplechase
Country:	England
Racecourse:	Aintree Racecourse Liverpool
Feature race prize money:	£950,000 (2011)
Without doubt the biggest jumps race in the world Red Rum won three Grand Nationals Lottery won the first Grand National in 1839 It is a handicap chase containing thirty fences that is run over a distance of 4 miles and 856 yards (7,242 metres) Biggest horse betting race in the UK (possibly the world)

 

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes	(scheduled for late July in 2012)
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	England
Racecourse:	Ascot Racecourse, Ascot
Feature race prize money:	£1 million
1 mile and 4 furlongs (2414 metres) 3-year-olds and up Often referred to as the ‘King George ‘First run in 1951, the race was the combination of two separate races at Ascot

 

Epsom Derby	2 June 2012
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	England
Racecourse:	Epsom Downs, Epsom
Feature race prize money:	£1.25 million
First race was held in 1780 Sea The Stars won in 2009 and became the most valuable horse in the world (£60 million) Pour Moi 2011 winner

Europe and Ireland

European racing on the continent is fairly weak outside France and to a lesser extent Germany and it doesn’t enjoy the level of popular support seen elsewhere. By comparison horse racing in Ireland is a huge industry and we see a high percentage of Irish breed horses racing in the UK. Irish racing is very similar to racing in the UK but we know better than to list the Irish in the same category as the British.

Irish Derby	30 June 2012
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	Ireland
Racecourse:	Curragh Racecourse Co. Kildare, Ireland
Feature race prize money:	€1.25 million
1 mile 4 furlongs (2414 metres) 3-year-olds

 

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe	2 Oct 2011
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	France
Racecourse:	Longchamp Racecourse, Paris
Meeting prize money:	€6.7 million
Feature race prize money:	€4 million (2010)
The most prestigious European race Huge prize money First raced on 3 October 1920Ce n’est pas une course, c’est un monument (“Not so much a race as a monument”) – this iconic slogan was used for the first time on the event poster in 2003 Workforce won the 2010 race and was watched by more than 48,000 spectators.

Asia

Asian racing is very strong and becoming stronger. The big players in the region at the moment are Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Macau. Racing in this part of the world tends to be run very well and venues such as Sha Tin in Hong Kong are the envy of the West. Gambling availability in many parts of Asia may have slowed down the growth of this sport but this is likely to change in the future.

Japan Cup	27 November 2011
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	Japan
Racecourse:	Tokyo Racecourse, Fuchu, Tokyo
Feature race prize money:	¥521 million (about US$6.8 million)
Asia’s richest race and probably its most prestigious 2400m turf First raced 1981 Automatic invitations given to winners and runners-up of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the winners of the Arlington Million, Grosser Preis von Baden and Irish Champion Stakes A true international test

 

Hong Kong Cup	11 December 2011
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	Hong Kong, China
Racecourse:	Sha Tin Racecourse
Meeting prize money:	HK$64 million (four international races)
Feature race prize money:	HK$20 million
One of the truly great days of racing. Multiple Group 1 events on the card First raced in 1988 2000m course

 

Singapore Airlines International Cup	20 May 2012
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	Singapore
Racecourse:	Kranji Racecourse
Feature race prize money:	SG$3 million
2000m turf 3-year-old and up 1200m SG$1 million KrisFlyer International Sprint held on the same day First raced 4 March 2000

 

Macau Triple Crown	February to May
Macau Guineas 1500m 4-year-olds Group 2 HK$800,000 (February)
Macau Derby 1800m 4-year-olds Group 1 HK$2.6 million (April)
Macau Gold Cup 1800m 4-year-olds Group 1 HK$1.2 million (May)
Country:	Macau
Racecourse:	Taipa Racecourse
Meeting prize money:	HK$4.6 million
Winner of two legs gets HK$500,000 bonus. Winner of three legs gets HK$1 million bonus – awarded by the Macau Jockey Club In 2010, Australian bred horse Luen Yat Forever become the first and only horse to ever win the Macau Triple Crown.

Middle East

Racing and the way the racing industry operates in the Middle East are very different to the rest of the world. The industry has no reliance or even interest in gambling, which makes it an anomaly. Prize money for international guests is mouthwatering but it is nothing compared to the challenge felt by locals to breed winners of big races. For Arab stables like Godolphin, it is a passion more than a business. Racing syndicates like Godolphin have been breeding, racing and challenging the world’s best for decades and the money that they have poured into the racing scene has played a large role in the industry boom. They send their best all around the world to compete in all the major blue ribbon events.

Dubai World Cup	26 March 2012
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	Dubai (one of the seven United Arab Emirates)
Racecourse:	Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse
Meeting prize money:	US$26.25 million
Feature race prize money:	US$10 million
Prize money is staggering and attracts top quality international fields First held at Nad Al-Sheba racecourse on 27 March 1996 American horse Cigar won the first Dubai World Cup Previously run on dirt tracks, 2010 was first year it was run on synthetic Tapeta Crowds of more than 50,000 attend

US

The US has often been criticised for having blinkers on when it comes to evaluating anything outside their own country. Horse racing follows that trend and Americans consider the only horse races worth watching are those held in their own country. They have a rich history of racing and they have produced some of the world’s best horses. Most of their racing is on dirt not grass which is a major point of difference to the rest of the world.

Breeder’s Cup World Championships	4 and 5 November 2011
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	US
Racecourse:	Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky (home of the Kentucky Derby)
Meeting prize money:	US$26 million
Feature race prize money:	US$5 million (Breeder’s Cup Classic)
Many consider this the best race held in the US every year Huge money on offer 1.25 miles (2012 metres) Inaugural meeting held at Hollywood Park in 1984 as a one-day meeting Expanded to two-day meeting in 2007 114,353 fans attended over two days in 2010 2011 is 28th running of the Breeder’s Cup

 

Kentucky Derby	5 May 2012
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	US
Racecourse:	Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky
Feature race prize money:	US$1.4 million for 2011 winner
Most historic thoroughbred race in the US (first held in 1875) 1.25 miles (2012 metres) In the US the race is known as “The most exciting two minutes in sports” Animal Kingdom won the 2011 derby in front of 164,858 people

Australasia

Australasian horse racing offers some of the best racing in the world. The public loves it, the prize money is lucrative and the governing bodies controlling the sport tend to manage it reasonably well. Gambling on racing in Australasia is also big business. The only down side is that in recent years they have increased the amount of racing to a point that the lower end of racing is suffering from a distinct lack of class.

Melbourne Cup	1 November 2011 (always first Tuesday in November)
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	Australia
Racecourse:	Flemington, Melbourne
Feature race prize money:	AU$6 million
First raced 1861 and won by Archer Is known as “The race that stops the nation” Truly international carnival World’s greatest two-mile race (3,200 metres) 4-day carnival where around 500,000 people attend Multiple group one races The Emirates Melbourne Cup trophy is crafted from 18 karat gold and is worth AU$125,000

 

Cox Plate	22 October 2011
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	Australia
Racecourse:	Moonee Valley, Melbourne
Feature race prize money:	AU$3 million
2040 metres Set weight-for-age Considered the best horse race in the country International race 2009 and 2010 won by champion stallion So You Think who was sold for an undisclosed record price and is expected to take on Europe’s best this year

 

New Zealand Derby	3 March 2012
Race type:	Flat/Thoroughbred
Country:	New Zealand
Racecourse:	Auckland Racing Club
Feature race prize money:	NZ$2.2 million
New Zealand is better known for breeding champions than their racing All the good New Zealand horses travel to Australia for the bigger money 2400m The race is the combination of the New Zealand derby and the Great Northern Derby – first run in 1973 Biggest purse for a New Zealand race