Horse Racing is one of the most popular sports around the globe, with events taking place all over the world watched by millions. The last two years have seen some of the most exciting events cancelled, postponed or delayed due to COVID-19, but the horse racing calendar seems to have continued through the difficulties associated with the pandemic. Things seem to be moving back to somewhat normal now. Hopefully this means that the full racing calendar could be back to normal.
With that being the case, let’s take a look at some of the biggest events this year that we’re looking forward to. To put the list together, we’ll split the year into four quarters, naming our race of the January to March period, April to June, July to September and October to December. So let’s take a look at which races we think are the ones to watch…
Jan-Mar – The 2022 Cheltenham Festival
This is possibly one of the most exciting entries in the UK racing calendar, and is definitely the biggest of all the events early in the year for that January to March period. Taking place at Cheltenham Racecourse at Prestbury Park in England, 2022 will see the event kick off on March 15th, before it ties up the action on the 18th March. It features a number of high-profile Grade I races including the Unibet Champion Hurdle, the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Ryanair Chase and the crown jewel of the Cheltenham Festival, the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
It is an event that draws in horse racing fans from all over the world at its 67,500 spectator capacity racecourse. And this year will likely be no different, having endured the last festival during a COVID-restricted lockdown. As mentioned, the Gold Cup is the pinnacle of the festival, and the one that all jockeys want to be a part of, and spectators want to watch.
This year sees a large number of horses competing, with the top five backed horses so far being the favorite A Plus Tard at 7/2, Minella Indo at 8/1, Galvin at 5/1, Al boum Photo at 10/1 and Chantry House at 20/1, with the remaining bet split across the rest of the horses. Being a race with jumps, it could be anyone’s race, as it only takes one horse in front to take the fences wrong and it can cost them a bit of ground, and even the race. Which is why if there was ever a race where a 100/1 outside chance like Franco dePort had a chance, it would be here.
May-Jun – The Triple Crown
Ok, so the Triple Crown isn’t an event, it’s a combination of three separate events, which if the same horse wins all three, would be awarded the Triple Crown. Last year saw some controversy surrounding the races involved, when the winner of the Kentucky Derby, Medina Spirit, ended up testing positive for a substance banned on race day. The Kentucky Racing Commission has yet to rule on the matter and it may be litigated for considerable time before a final resolution is reached.
This year, organisers will hope the three events go much more smoothly. With the first race, the Kentucky Derby taking place on Saturday 7th May at the Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. The second race, the Preakness Stakes which takes place at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Saturday 21st May. And the final race in the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes which is held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, across the 10th and 11th of June.
As the horses haven’t been announced for these races yet being set later in the calendar year, we can’t really offer up any odds to indicate who may be favorite. But as usual, it’ll likely be 11/2 for there to be no winner of the Triple Crown, as that’s what it was last year, which is a good bet considering the last three Triple Crowns have happened years apart in 2018, 2015 and 1978. Once horses are announced though, you will be able to check the best sites in the US for horse racing bets.
What’s particularly good about betting on the Triple Crown as well is you can bet in different ways. You can select an overall winner, or individual winners of certain races. You can even go for bets like an Exacta where you forecast which horses will come first and second, or look at Future Wager bets where you’ll be able to bet on who you think might earn a place to take part in the races.
Jul-Sep – The 2022 King George Weekend
This is a more quiet period in terms of the big events, which is strange considering for most of the world it’s summer time. However, if there was one to pickout, it’d be this event, named after the former royal. That’s right, the King George Weekend is another highlight in the racing calendar, that takes place at Ascot Racecourse in England.
The biggest races to look out for at the event are the QIPCO King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. It’s an event that normally royalty would attend to watch, bue due to ill health and COVID-19 restrictions, it has been some time since Queen Elizabeth herself has attended. But she may well make a return this year when the event takes place across the 23rd and 24th July.
Oct-Dec – The 2022 Melbourne Cup Carnival
As you may guess, the Melbourne Cup takes place in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is one of the highlights of the horse racing calendar that closes out the year, taking place across October and November (28th Oct – 2nd Nov). Of all the races though, it is the Melbourne Cup that is the race that every participant wants to win.
This year, that race will be run on Tuesday 1st November, which means on that day at 3pm, the nation will come to a standstill. Not just the 100,000 strong crowd, no, this is the race that everyone in Australia stops whatever they are doing to watch. People listen on the radio, watch on their TVs at home or in the bar, or even in the local betting shops. No matter what is going on, everyone in Australia, and many around the world who watch as well, stop and stand in awe as they witness one of the biggest races in horse racing.
Final Words
So there you have it, just some of the top horse racing events that are to come this year. There are plenty more we could’ve mentioned as well, from all over the world. Races such as the Randox Grand National at Aintree, Liverpool, the Dubai World Cup Carnival at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, and the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. However, these are some of our personal favorites that we suggest putting in your calendar, because they always guarantee top racing action.
