Most Famous Horse Races
By Laura Graham, Sydney
24 April 2019
Australia is world renowned for having some of the best and richest horse races on the global racing calendar. There wouldn’t be too many people in racing circles who haven’t heard of the Melbourne Cup, for example.
Along with the race that stops a nation, what are some of the best known Australian horse races in no particular order of notoriety?
The horse lost 17 career races before winning his first in 1935. Once Seabiscuit got a regular rider, Johnny “Red” Pollard, he began to win much more. In 1937, the racehorse won seven consecutive races. Seabiscuit’s career highlight was a one-on-one race with 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral. 20 Most Famous Racehorse & Celebrity Horse Names in History. Horse racing has a long history and fans all around the world place bets daily. Some are the all-time greatest standouts and most famous in racehorse history. Namesakes of these racehorses make beautiful horse nameplates. Then there are all the horses in television and movies. One of the most famous flat horse races in the world, The Derby is run at one of the most unique and challenging courses the UK has to offer. The undulations and turns of Epsom provide a thorough test of the best middle distance three-year-olds. Six fillies have won the race but none since 1914 and they are rarely entered these days. Although horse races are essentially the same format today as they were centuries ago, many studies have shown that the horses themselves have gotten faster over the years. For example, Kentucky Derby winning times today are more than 10 seconds faster than they were in the early 1900s, and modern-day Epsom Derby winners clock in nearly 40.
Famous Horse Races In Usa
W.S. Cox Plate
This is a trophy every trainer, jockey and horse owner wants to win.
The Cox Plate is a weight for age race for horses 3 years old and above. It’s run annually in late October at Melbourne’s Moonee Valley Racecourse, known for its tight bends and ability to sort the best horses from the rest.
The race is a precursor to the upcoming Melbourne Cup, with some Cup starters appearing in the Cox Plate
The field for this 2040m race is restricted to just 14 entrants; the best of the best of Australian and New Zealand racing.
The W.S. Cox Plate is the richest weight for age race in Australia, and one of the richest races overall.
Caulfield Cup
Most Famous Horse Races
The Caulfield Cup is one of the country’s richest and most prestigious horse races, and once again the race is run on a Melbourne track, this time at Caulfield Racecourse. The race has been going strong since way back in 1879.
The 2400m event is limited to 18 starters and is a great lead up race to the Melbourne Cup, which is run just a few weeks later. The Caulfield Cup is considered to be the world’s richest handicap horse race run over that distance.
Up until 1998 the race was only open to entrants from Australia and New Zealand, but now it’s become a truly international affair.
Horses must be aged 3 years and over to be eligible, and if a horse wins both the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup, they have achieved what’s termed the “Cups Double”, a feat that hasn’t been seen since Ethereal did it in 2001.
The Melbourne Cup
The great race. The Melbourne Cup. Most likely Australia’s most famous horse race, as well as being one of the oldest and richest.
Every year the entire country comes to a standstill on the first Tuesday of November to watch some of the best horses in the world battle it out over 3200m, all vying to stake a claim in Australian horse racing history.
Melbourne Cup 2019 is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever
It’s a classic weight for age handicap race where up to 24 horses are allowed to compete. These days much of the field is comprised of international horses, spreading the fame of this great race all around the globe.
Who do you think will win it this year?
Golden Slipper Stakes
The Golden Slipper Stakes is a race for juvenile horses aged 2 years and has been run on turf annually at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney since 1957. The race takes place in April and is a part of the Golden Slipper Carnival.
This thoroughbred race is a true sprint affair at the short distance of just 1200m. It’s Australia’s 4th richest race on the calendar, and the world’s richest race for 2 year old thoroughbreds.
Many a champion racehorse has risen to stardom after winning the Golden Slipper Stakes.
Shane Dye is the jockey with the most Golden Slipper victories, having ridden a winner 4 times. For trainers, both Gai Waterhouse and T.J. Smith have 6 wins to their credit.
The Everest
The Everest is the world’s richest horse race, with a prize purse in 2019 of $13 million!
The race was only first run in October of 2017, and while it might not be one of the most famous horse races at this stage, I guarantee it soon will be.
The Everest is a race with a difference. Horses can’t just be automatically entered, and there is no ballot system. The only way to enter a horse into The Everest is by parting with a cool $600,000 entry fee.
Now that’s a lot of cash, but for many it’s worth the gamble because of all the prize money at stake and the notoriety.
Keep your eyes on this race.