Some commentators will tell you the Champion Hurdle isn’t what it once was. Sending racehorses over steeplechase fences has become infinitely more fashionable, so the result is a dearth of two-mile hurdlers and an open betting heat come the 2020 Cheltenham Festival.
Many of the finest equine athletes to ever race under National Hunt rules have tasted Champion Hurdle glory, but how do the current crop of hopefuls compare to the legends in whose hoofprints they hope to follow?
Five racehorses in the illustrious history of this Cheltenham Festival feature have been fortunate enough to win it three times. Each of the mighty Hatton’s Grace, Sir Ken, Persian War, See You Then and Istabraq completed their Champion Hurdle hat-tricks in consecutive years.There are two ways of looking at such feats. These Champion Hurdle legends dominated their respective eras – from the post-war Britain of Hatton’s Grace and Sir Ken through to the dawn of a new millennium with Istabraq.
Was the opposition they faced up to much? The betting is a good indicator of this with Sir Ken sent off favorite on all three occasions alongside Istabraq. Persian War and See You Then, meanwhile, were returned at the shortest starting price in two of their respective Champion Hurdle triumphs.
Horse racing is a popular sport in America, China, the United Kingdom, Canada, South Korea, Italy, and France. The horses undergo a lot of training to ensure they come out on top. Unfortunately, even the best training cannot capture a title for many of these horses. There are many factors that determine the outcome of horse racing events. The determination relies on the jockey’s skills, the horse’s ability to overcome the pressures of racing in extreme environments, and other factors. Below, you will discover a list of the secrets behind the popularity of horse racing.
Adrenaline Rush
Whether you wager $10 or $1,000 on a horse race, your
adrenaline will be pumping by the time the horses reach the finish line.
Adrenaline rushes is only one of the reasons why people wager on horse races.
Even people who never place wagers have admitted to experienced adrenaline
rushes during horse racing events. Of course, the adrenaline will be pumping
harder when money is involved. But, whatever the case may be, an exciting horse
race can get the adrenaline pumping.
One of the original forms of
gambling was heading down to the tracks and betting on the horses. Each year,
hundreds of people travel to these highly anticipated events to witness some of
the most exciting horse races. The history of horse racing in England goes back
as far as the 17th century when Charles II established Newmarket as
the headquarters of English horse racing; although the oldest racecourse is in
Chester.
Horse racing betting and events around the world are still just as popular today, with the industry turning over £4.32 million in 2018. As time has gone on, these iconic horse racing events have become a staple in our calendars every year. Here are some of the most popular events from across the globe.
Royal Ascot
Queen Anne opened this iconic venue in 1711, and since then, a member from the Royal family has attended every year. Most famous for her colourful attendance is our current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – who has had a known interest in horses since childhood and is often found amongst betting markets, with regards to what color she will be wearing for the occasion.
Held for more than 3 centuries and traditionally
associated with the British Royal family, Royal Ascot is a race meeting that
certainly doesn’t lack in glamour. The event lasts for five days and enforces a
strict dress code for both men and women, which proves the importance of the
Royal Ascot traditions.
Away from the top hats and tails, Royal Ascot
brings you the best flat equine action from anywhere around the world with
top-class horses from Ireland, UK, France, America and even Asia taking part in
the five day spectacular that is Royal Ascot.
Day one of Royal Ascot kicks off with the Group 1
Queen Anne Stakes where the best one-mile horses aged 4 or over in the world
come to together to clash over the straight mile of Ascot. The betting on this
is sometimes extremely close at the top because most years you can have battle
hardened winners coming to clash with the best 3-year old’s of last season which
usually includes the previous year’s 2000 Guineas winner.
Australia
is known for its exceptional lineage of thoroughbreds and with good reason.
There’s a rich history behind the sport of horse racing in the country that
dates as far back as the formation of Australia as fledgling colony.
If you’re
interested in learning about the roots of Australian horse racing, then read
on.
The Introduction of Thoroughbred Horses to
Australia
Once the first
settlement in Australia was established in 1788, the colonists introduced a
small population of horses that consisted of one stallion, a colt, and five
mares. The breeding of these animals was slow, with only two hundred horses
accounted for by the turn of the century.
By 1810,
there was a boom in their population, totalling over a thousand horses by this
time. Prior to this, the Australian government began importing thoroughbreds
from Cape Town and India, introducing stronger horse breeds into their current
stock. Two of the most notable imported breeds that began the trend were the
Rockingham and Northumberland thoroughbreds.
This was an
auspicious start to Australia’s horse racing tradition as the bloodhorse
population began to swell in the following decades. Strong lineages like Manto
and Malua have been produced since the 1800s and still continue to produce
champions to this day.
