Top 4 turf races in the world
Horse racing is one of the most popular spectator sports in the world and has been for thousands of years. Over the past 300-odd years, thoroughbred horse racing has become the most popular and is known as the ‘Sport of Kings’.
There are two main types of horseracing, which are either turf or dirt tracks. The Kentucky Derby in the United States is a prime example of a famous dirt race, while other world-famous events such as the Melbourne Cup are run on turf circuits. Listed below are some of the more famous horse racing events that are run on turf tracks.
1. The Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest thoroughbred turf horse racing events in the world. The main race takes place during the Melbourne Cup Carnival and is the second main race during the event, with the first being the Victorian Derby. The Melbourne Cup takes place on the first Tuesday of November at 3 pm. It is known as the “race that stops the nation” and is watched by millions of people all over the world. The first race was run in 1861 and took place at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. The current total prize purse of $8,000,000AUD makes it one of the richest turf races in the world. There have been many notable horses to win the race over the years including Makybe Diva, Peter Pan, Archer, Phar Lap, Think Big, and Rogan Josh.
2. The Thousand Guineas
The Caulfield Racecourse in Australia hosts many prestigious races including the Thousand Guineas which is a $1,000,000 race and has a distance of 1600-meters. It was first run in 1946 and the inaugurating winner was Sweet Chime and the latest winner was filly, Yearning, in 2021.
3. The Winx Guineas
You’d better get some Sunshine Coast race tips if you want to place a bet on the Winx Guineas, also known as the Sunshine Coast Guineas. The event takes place at Corbould Park Racecourse in Caloundra, Queensland. It is a quick 1600-meter race with a total prize purse of $175,000AUD. It is held during the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival in June or July. It is a fairly new race, being inaugurated in 2000 and was renamed the Winx Guineas in 2020, after champion thoroughbred horse Winx who has won many major races including the W.S. Cox Plate, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Turnbull Stakes, and the Doncaster handicap. She was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2017.
4. The Ascot Gold Cup
One of the major horse racing events on the British Calendar is the Ascot Gold Cup which is held at the Royal Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. It was inaugurated in 1807 and is a stayer race, with a distance of 4014-meters. It has a total prize purse of £375,625, with first-place winning over £200,000. The first horse to win the race was Master Jackey and the only horse to win the race four times is thoroughbred stallion Yeats who won in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Another notable horse to win multiple times was Stradivarius, who won three times in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The latest horse to win was Subjectivist in 2021 who is known for being a staying horse.
These top turf races are all-important to racing fans around the world and are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to one of the world’s favorite sports.
