Whether you attend as a spectator, a player or a professional, the prestigious horse races offer a unique experience. Mixing popular culture and great social events, the racecourses also provide a real spectacle in the stands where one never tires of observing the famous colorful hats or the old-fashioned costumes. It is a perfect illustration of English eccentricity, between tradition and extravagance. Thus, every year in June and since 1780, the Epsom Derby is an appointment not to be missed because it symbolizes the history of racing in the UK. Let’s discover it!
Horses have always been a part of our lives
For some, horse racing appeared 4500 years before Jesus Christ in Central Asia where nomads used to race horses. For others, on the contrary, the first horse races started in 683 BC at the Olympic Games. Horse racing has gone through time without a single wrinkle, we can attribute this without a doubt to man, who has developed a discipline that is highly appreciated throughout the world. The origins of horse racing as we know it today can be found in England.
Historically, the horse was part of daily life: companion of work, means of transport, for the war etc. The origin of racehorses dates back to 1100 when the King of England bought the first Arabian horses and crossed them with European horses. Disputes with the owners of the English breeds led to betting and racing, the earliest reference to which dates back to 1174, considered to be the origin of modern horse racing.
In medieval England, horse racing events were more frequent than tournaments. In 1512, the Chester event was endowed with a symbolic prize: a wooden ball decorated with flowers, replaced in 1540 by a silver ball. The Chester races are considered today as the first regular cup. During the reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714), races for silver prizes became common.
The British model prevailed
Horse racing evolved into a form of luxury entertainment, while in North America it remained for a long time associated with daily needs, transportation and administrative services. One of the first riding clubs was founded in North America (Maryland Jockey Club in 1743). The first English club was founded in 1751 (London Jockey Club, later renamed Jockey Club of England).
The Earl of Derby set up a race at Epsom in 1799, which became the model for all racing events in Europe and America. This formula became the reference used on an international scale, the regional events lost much of their splendor. The first European English-style races were held in France in 1776, in Poland in 1777, in Russia in 1803, and in Germany in 1822. Until the middle of the 19th century, horse racing in Europe was an exclusive event, usually linked to fairs and exhibitions of breeding horses.
After 1848, the audience widened as racing became linked to gambling, dominated by betting. In Europe, betting was limited to racecourses, while in Great Britain and other English-speaking countries it spread everywhere. At the same time, races with owner participation as riders were disappearing.
Among the most prestigious races in Britain are:
The St. Leger race held since 1776 in Doncaster, Yorkshire; the Derby run since 1779 in Epsom, Surrey; the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Suffolk; 2000 Guineas Race. Victory in these three races gives the winner the Triple Crown, a prize considered the most important horse racing award in the world. Other important British races include Ascot and Berkshire, which have been run since 1703 under the patronage of the royal family.
Periodical publications on horse racing include a directory of horse pedigrees, such as the British General Stud Bookfounded in 1791, or studies on particular breeds such as Racing Calendar founded in 1727. The oldest stable is Newmarket, Suffolk, England, founded in 1660 by King Charles II and elevated to National Stud status after World War II. Newmarket is also the home of the British Jockey Club.
The Chelthenham Festival is the result of this long tradition: during 4 days all the bettors of the country live at the rhythm of the 28 races of this event of which the climax is the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Horse racing still has a great future ahead of it, in England and around the world!
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