Horse racing is one of the biggest and most popular sports in the United Kingdom, with only football attracting a wider audience in terms of attendance over the course of the year.
There are plenty of major meetings and races throughout the calendar year, but some of the prizes are coveted more than others - and here we look at the five most prestigious races in Britain.
Grand National (Aintree) — April
The Grand National is not only the most famous horserace in the UK, but it could be argued it is the second most recognised race in the world after the Melbourne Cup.
Held at Aintree, just outside Liverpool since 1839, the Grand National has always had a special place in British culture with the once a year punters coming out in full force to have an interest on the horse racing betting for the race.
No horse is more synonymous with the National than Red Rum who became the people’s champion when winning the race three times in the 1970’s.
Gold Cup (Cheltenham) – March
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the highlight of the annual Cheltenham Festival and is considered the Blue Riband event of the National Hunt season.
Trainer Michael Dickinson famously saddled the first five home in the 11-runnner 1983 renewal: Bregawn (Graham Bradley 100-30f), Captain John (David Goulding 11-1), Wayward Lad (Jonjo O’Neill 6-1), Silver Buck (Robert Earnshaw 5-1) and Ashley House (Dermot Browne 12-1).
The longest-priced winner of the Gold Cup has been Norton’s Coin, who started at 100-1 in the 1990 betting markets for the race, while the shortest-priced winner was Arkle, the 1-10 favourite in 1966.
The Derby (Epsom) — June
The Derby at Epsom Racecourse is perhaps one of the most famous Flat races in the world and the most prestigious of the five British Classics.
First run in 1780, The Derby is Britain's richest race and while it is open to colts and fillies, it's mainly contested by the colts with the three-year-old fillies lining up in The Oaks the day before at Epsom.
Aidan O’Brien has saddled the most winners of the Derby with ten: Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012), Ruler of the World (2013), Australia (2014), Wings of Eagles (2017), Anthony Van Dyck (2019), Serpentine (2020), Auguste Rodin (2023) and City Of Troy (2024).
The Oaks (Epsom) – June
First run in 1779, the Oaks at Epsom Downs is the second oldest of the five Classic races and for three-year-old fillies only.
Run over 1 mile 4 furlongs - just like the Derby - the Oaks has been staged at Epsom Downs every year since its inaugural race, apart from between 1915-1918 and 1940-1945 when World Wars I and II meant the race had to be switched to Newmarket for safety reasons.
St Leger (Doncaster) – September
Steeped in over 400 years of history, the St Leger is the world’s oldest classic. Founded in 1776 by Colonel Anthony St. Leger, the St Leger is the highlight of Doncaster’s year.
The British 'Classics' are five races known as the most prestigious in the horse racing calendar. The Doncaster race forms the final leg of the Classic British 'Triple Crown' - an accolade last claimed in 1970 by Nijinsky.
One famous horse racing quote that appears to get rolled out with some regularity when assessing the Classics is: states that "The fastest horse wins the Guineas; the luckiest the Derby - and the best horse wins the St Leger”.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*
