Destinations For Travelers Who Love Horse Racing

There are few more international sports on the planet than horse racing, as the sport could take fans across the world. Many followers of racing typically create their own bucket lists for venues that they wish to attend at least once during their lives. 

Seeing some of the most famous races up close and personal is a must-do for all fans of the sport, and travelling to see some of the notable races on the schedule has never been any easier than it is in this modern day. But, what are some of the top racecourses on the planet that all fans of the sport should visit at least once? 

Ascot

There is no shortage of tracks to visit in the United Kingdom, as racing is the second-most attended sport within the nation. However, few are perhaps as famous as Ascot, with the British royal family typically in attendance for the racing that takes place at the track. 

Ascot was opened to the public back in August 1711, and it now hosts over ten Group 1s on the flat and three Grade 1s over the jumps. The track is home to just under a third of the biggest prizes on the flat schedule, and there are 26 days of action at the track annually. 

The most prestigious of these is the Royal Ascot meet, which is staged annually in mid-June. Royal Ascot is Britain’s most valuable meeting of the season, with just over £7 million available in prize money. The Ascot Gold Cup is the big race of the week, and the Group One has been staged annually since its introduction in 1807. 

Find more horse racing tournaments by TwinSpires.

Flemington Racecourse

Racing has the power to stop the nation of Australia, and one its most prestigious racecourses is Flemington. The track in Melbourne, Victoria, has housed racing action since 1840, with over 120,000 fans typically attending some of the biggest events on the schedule every year. 

It’s most famous race comes in the form of the Melbourne Cup, which typically attracts an international field as it is the world’s richest handicap race. 

As well as the Melbourne Cup, Flemington plays host to some of the most famous races on the Australian schedule, with 14 Grade 1s taking place at the track annually. Among those include the Victoria Derby, which is open to horses aged three, and the Australian Cup, which is a competitive open-age race run over 2,000 metres. 

Santa Anita Park

There is a wide selection of race tracks to visit in the United States to see the best stars on the dirt and turf throughout the season, but none are as picturesque as Santa Anita Park. This track was first opened to the public on Christmas Day in 1934, and it has quickly become one of the best places to watch horse racing action in the U.S.

Santa Anita also has an esteemed history within the world of equestrian sports after previously hosting events during the 1984 Summer Olympics. Such is its standing in the world of racing, the course has been selected to host the season-defining Breeders’ Cup on eleven occasions. It previously hosted the international event in 2023, as White Abarrio claimed success in the lucrative Breeders’ Cup Classic.

However, it is a standout location for racing even without hosting the Breeders’ Cup, with 13 Grade 1 races being staged at the track annually. The oldest of those is the Santa Anita Derby, which is one of the key trials ahead of the Kentucky Derby. The Santa Anita Handicap is also one of the most esteemed prizes on the American schedule, and was won in 2024 by Newgate.

Curragh Racecourse

Despite jumps racing outweighing flat racing in Ireland, the nation is home to one of the most famous flat tracks on the planet in the form of the Curragh. Located in County Kildare, the racecourse is home to the five most important flat races to be staged in Ireland annually, with all Classics in the country being run at the esteemed track. Just 23 days of racing are staged at the Curragh annually, with the first taking place in late March, and the last meeting being run in October.

The name of the track comes from the Irish language, as it means ‘place of the running horse’ This track first staged horse racing action in 1727, with one of the biggest races on the calendar at the course coming in the form of the Irish Derby, which was staged for the first time in 1866.

The Derby is the standout flat event on the Irish schedule, and some of the finest horses throughout history have landed success at the Curragh. Among those include Galileo, Australia, and Camelot. Other notable Group 1s on the schedule include the Irish St Leger, Tattersalls Gold Cup, and the Pretty Polly Stakes.