Even though the Cheltenham Festival attracts a great deal of attention on the global horse racing circuit, fans of the sport have several other opportunities to enjoy racing. All those who love watching the events or betting at 1xBet should therefore keep an eye on the biggest events in the sport’s world calendar. The list below presents competitions worth paying attention to, including circuits that may be less familiar to some racing fans.
Melbourne Cup
Australians are as passionate about horse racing as the British and therefore host some of the biggest events on the planet. Without doubt, the main one is the Melbourne Cup. The event has been held since 1861 and is therefore deeply embedded in Australian culture. For bettors, it remains a major reference point, since the horse racing betting market in Australia is extremely well organised and activity is therefore constant.
The event always takes place in early November, specifically on the first Tuesday of the month. The distance is 2 miles. Throughout the year, several horses compete for places in the grand final, which features a maximum of 24 horses.
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby, held in Louisville in the United States, is considered by many to be the biggest horse racing event outside the United Kingdom. The event also has a long tradition, having been created in 1875. The race takes place on the first Saturday of May, kicking off a small circuit of the most prestigious American races held between May and June. The race distance is shorter than other prestigious events, at 1.25 miles. The greater speed of the races naturally brings even more excitement, which is amplified by the historic atmosphere of the Kentucky Derby.
Grand National
Certainly, all horse racing fans are already familiar with The Grand National, and precisely for that reason it could not be left off this list. It has been held for almost two centuries, since 1839, and attracts attention even from those who do not usually follow the sport’s competitions. It ranks among the highest betting volumes of any horse race in the world. The odds for each runner’s victory therefore undergo several momentary fluctuations following this volume, which makes the event especially relevant for bettors who follow the sport closely.
The race is considerably longer than those mentioned previously, totalling 4 miles and 550 yards. It is therefore more than an act of speed, but also a test of endurance for both jockey and horse, which can significantly alter the favourites and bring several surprises. This potential for unpredictability is one of the factors that attracts so many fans, bettors, and casual observers. The event is usually held in April.
Dubai World Cup
Unlike the other events mentioned, the Dubai World Cup is not as traditional and has just completed three decades of existence, having been created in 1996. It is part of the trend of grandiose sporting events hosted in Dubai and is certainly among the biggest races held outside the USA, UK, and Australia circuit. For horse racing betting, one of the main attractions is the strength of the field, since the high prize money, which can reach 12 million dollars, usually brings together runners from different parts of the world.
It is precisely this prize that causes many horses to cross continents, generating a competition somewhat different from the more traditional ones that feature only local runners. This global profile also affects the betting analysis, since bettors need to compare horses with different racing backgrounds, travel conditions and recent form. The event’s list of winners, which includes Americans, Japanese, Irish, Brazilians, and British, shows how international the race has become. The event usually takes place at the end of March and the track distance is 1.25 miles.
Breeders Cup
Held in the United States, the Breeders Cup marks, in a sense, the close of the sport’s season in the country and therefore attracts the attention of many spectators and bettors. It is also not as traditional as the first events on the list, having been created only in 1982. One of the attractions is the fact that the event features a Challenge Series that can bring horses from different parts of the world to compete in the prestigious event, which makes the betting markets broader and more varied.
The competition’s rules change constantly, with alterations in distance and track type, and this is precisely what makes the event especially interesting for horse racing betting. Bettors cannot analyse all races in the same way, as each category may require attention to different details, such as surface, distance, pace and the recent level of each runner. The championship is usually held between the final days of October and the first days of November.