Come second week of March 2025, and everyone even slightly interested in horse racing is talking about the Cheltenham Festival. One of the two largest National Hunt season events has been occupying the minds of horse racing enthusiasts and professionals way before it started. On 13 March it will be in its third, last but one, day. But Cheltenham is not the only event taking place on 13 March. Several other horse races will be happening in different corners of Great Britain and Ireland.  Horse Races on 13 March 2025 There are five notable horse race meetings to choose from on Thursday,...

Horse racing has been a popular sport and entertainment since the earliest human civilizations. Historians have found proof that horse races were conducted as far back as Babylon, Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and various other ancient cultures. They were included in the Ancient Olympic Games, where riding and chariot racing would gather large crowds of spectators.  Presumably, Great Britain was first introduced to horse races during the Roman invasion. While no direct records of any events conducted in that period have been preserved, the first recorded mentions of horse races can be traced back to the 12th century and...

Britain's horse racing calendar features two distinct disciplines. Flat racing's main season runs from spring to autumn (April to October), with horses competing on level courses. National Hunt (jump racing) dominates from autumn through spring (October to April), with horses tackling hurdles and steeplechase fences.  While racing happens almost daily across Britain's dozens of racecourses, some events stand out. Below is an overview of major UK horse racing events – their history, significance, key details, and what makes each unique. The Grand National The Grand National is a four-mile battle of endurance where horses and riders face 30 fences, each with its...