Horse Racing Meetings: September Week 3 Review

It would be very interesting to know who first came up with the idea to not just have two horses compete with each other in speed, but also turn this into a spectacle for an audience. Unfortunately, history didn’t preserve any names in regards to horse racing. 

What we do know for a fact is that from very ancient times it was a popular sport and pastime for many. Evidence shows that horse races were conducted in Babylon, Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, and many other old civilizations. We even know that the ancient Olympic Games included both riding and chariot races.

If we talk about Great Britain, it is hard to overestimate how much horse racing means both in the sport and economical life of the country. While there is no indisputable evidence as to when exactly horse races started being held, they were definitely present as far back as the Roman conquest.

History of Horse Racing in Great Britain

Some historical records point to the fact that before the Romans came to Britain, horses were mostly used as beasts of burden. Archeological finds revealed racecourses that can be dated back to the Roman period. This led to conclusions that Romans may have introduced the local population to racing when they matched the local horses with the Arabian ones they brought along.

The first written records of horse races appeared in the 12th century when the country was under the reign of king Henry II Plantagenet. These documents show that both tournaments and races were common. There are also accounts of many English kings keeping “running horses”.

The most popular types of races worldwide include flat racing, jump racing, harness racing, saddle trot racing, and endurance racing. Differences between these types are defined based on the presence of obstacles, distance, surface, and other aspects. Out of these, the first two are far more common in Great Britain. They are conducted under the following characteristics:

• Flat racing is a set between two points, with distances varying from 5 furlongs to 2 miles 5 furlongs 159 yards. Surfaces may vary but usually take place on turf. A major distinction of such races is the absence of any obstacles on the course.
• Jump racing is known in Great Britain and Ireland as National Hunt racing. They usually are between 2 miles and 4.5 miles. Various hurdles or fences are set up on the course that the horses must jump over. If fences are the chosen obstacles, the race is often called a steeplechase. 

Some of the largest and widely known modern British horse races are The Grand National, The Derby, Cheltenham Gold Cup, and many others. The main governing body for this sport is the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

Horse Race Meetings: Weekly Review

As there are 60 licensed racecourses in the country, you will always find a race course to your liking to attend. Both single-day races and racing meetings that last over the span of two or several days attract horse riding connoisseurs and offer a variety of events to enhance the experience.

With the third week of September having finished its run, let’s find out what course the events took at the horse race meetings taking place between 16 and 22 September.

Kempton Park (16, 20 September)

Located in Sunbury-on-Thames, Kempton Park has something for both flat and jump race enthusiasts. On Monday, 16 September eight races were held at the venue, while on Friday, 20 September, you could enjoy nine races. Cody Watkins and Steve Drowne performed the steward duties, with Lyn Williams chairing the stewards’ panel on Monday. On Friday these positions were filled by Anthony McGlone, Fergus Sweeney, and Georgina Cartwright respectively.

The results of the Monday, 16 September races were the following:

The results of the Friday, 20 September races were the following:

Great Yarmouth (17-19 September)

Located in Norfolk, Great Yarmouth racecourse is rightfully considered an East Anglian coast marvel for flat racers. This past week it hosted a total of 21 races, with 7 races per day, between Tuesday, 17 September and Thursday, 19 September. Steward and panel chair duties were performed as follows:

• Tuesday: Anthony McGlone, Tomas O’Brien, and Sarah Ellison (chair)
• Wednesday: Anthony McGlone, Tomas O’Brien, and Sarah Ellison (chair)
• Thursday: Anthony McGlone, Tomas O’Brien, and Sarah Ellison (chair)

The results of the Tuesday, 17 September races were the following:

The results of the Wednesday, 18 September races were the following:

The results of the Thursday, 19 September races were the following:

Ayr (19-21 September)

Ayr is known worldwide as the birthplace of the great Scottish poet Robert Burns, but to race professionals and enthusiasts it is also a premier racecourse, the only one given the Grade One status in Scotland. This week it hosted 23 races: 8 races both on Thursday, 19 September and Saturday, 21 September, and 7 on Friday, 20 September. The steward and panel chair duties were performed as follows:

• Thursday: Adrian Sharpe, Robert McCarthy, and John Wilson (chair)
• Friday: Adrian Sharpe, Adrian Smith, Robert McCarthy, and John Wilson (chair)
• Saturday: Adrian Sharpe, Adrian Smith, Robert McCarthy, and John Wilson (chair)

The results of the Thursday, 19 September races were the following:

The results of the Friday, 20 September races were the following:

The results of the Saturday, 21 September races were the following:

Newbury (20-21 September)

Not only does Newbury host the Ladbrokes Trophy, one of the most famous jump races, it also offers a variety of flat races. It held 8 races each on Friday, 20 September and Saturday, 21 September. On Friday Richard Westropp and Steve Drowne performed the steward duties, while Michael Andrews chaired the panel. On Saturday these positions were filled by Fergus Sweeney, Richard Westropp, Steve Drowne, and Richard Fuller respectively.

The results of the Friday, 20 September races were the following:

The results of the Saturday, 21 September races were the following:

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