5 Classic Horse Races in England. The most famous of these is probably the Derby, a prestigious race that can be run at any time between April and June. It is held annually at Epsom Downs Racecourse near London. The winner is given "the King's Spur" and his owner receives a prize money worth about $1 million (€750,000). Other important races include the Oaks, which is run on May 10th; the St. Leger, which is run on September 17th; and the Gold Cup, which is run on October 19th. All these races are open to three-year-olds, who have to be trained in Britain before they can run for these prizes. In order to encourage breeding, the winners of these races receive an automatic entry into the following year's events. These are the only classic races that exist in England. There are also two other major races that take place throughout the year: the Cambridgeshire and the July Cup. However, they are not considered classic races because they do not award anything beyond prize money.