The World's Richest Horse Races | betHQ Home / Blog / The World's Richest Horse Races The World's Richest Horse Races By Captain Thomsen on 28 Sep 2015 The "Sport of Kings" offers racehorse owners large sums of prize money at races around the world, but nowhere more than at the nine races featured below: 1. The Dubai World Cup © Jaguar MENA There’s no disputing the richest horse race on the planet. Every year The United Arab Emirates hosts the Dubai World Cup, a race that attracts a selection of the finest 4 year old and older racehorses in the Northern Hemisphere, as well as a smattering of 3 year old and older talent from the Southern Hemisphere. The 2 000 meter race over dirt awards a purse of $10 million. 2. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe © Scoopdyga The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe offers the second largest purse in thoroughbred racing. Run over a distance of 2 400 metres, the race brings together the finest thoroughbred talent from the United Kingdom, Ireland and continental Europe.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe rewards horses that place handsomely with a purse of €5 million (around $5,68 million), which is shared between the top five finishers. 3. The Breeders' Cup Classic © The Blue Zebra The Breeders’ Cup constitutes another of the world’s richest horse races. The race is run over a distance of 1½ miles by a collection of the finest 3 year old and above thoroughbred races on the planet. Success in the race generates significant rewards, with $5 million in prize money on offer for the second biggest race at the Breeders’ Cup meeting. 4. The Melbourne Cup © Charles Van den Broek Australia’s Melbourne Cup is billed as the ‘race that stops a nation’, and carries a proportionately significant prize fund. In fact the Melbourne Cup is the world’s richest handicap flat race, paying out a prize fund of A$6,2 million (approximately 4.5 million US dollars). 5. The Hong Kong Cup © The Hong Kong Jockey Club The Hong Kong Cup is Asia’s answer to the Epsom Derby and the Kentucky Derby.

Run over a distance of 2000m by Asia’s finest 3 year old and above thoroughbred racehorses, the Hong Kong Cup doesn’t slouch when it comes to gargantuan payouts, and tosses up a $3,2 million purse for the top performers in the race. 6. The Rest of the Breeders' Cup There’s no competing with the Breeder’s Cup when it comes to enormous prize funds. Rated as being the single richest sports event in the world, the Breeders Cup awards well over $24.5 million in prize money for races run over the course of the two-day event. Whilst the Classic and Turf pay out the biggest prizes at the meeting, six other races pay out purses worth $2 million. 7. The Kentucky Derby © Bill Brine There’s more to Kentucky than its famous fried chicken. Every year the finest three year old thoroughbreds in North America gather to run in the Kentucky Derby, the opening race of the American Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing. The 1¼ mile race is the richest in the Triple Crown series, paying out $2 million in prize money. 8.

The Irish Derby © Florian Christoph Irish thoroughbred racing is no longer the poor second cousin of the racing that takes place across the Irish seas. The Irish Derby, Ireland’s answer to the Epsom Derby, is one of the richest races in the world, and by far the richest on the Emerald Isle. Every year the 1 mile 4 furlong race awards a purse of €1.25 million – approximately $1.4 million. 9. The Epsom Derby © monkeywing Few thoroughbred races can rival the Epsom Derby when it comes to heritage and prestige. The richest of the five English Classics, the Epsom Derby is not only a horse race but also a cultural institution. The 1 mile 4 furlong Derby rewards its participants handsomely with a purse of £1.325 million (approximately $2 million), which is up for grabs in the race. If you've enjoyed this post you might also be interested in our post on the: Biggest Horse Races - The World's Most Prominent Events Interest garnered from spectators not specifically involved in horse racing #5. Epsom Derby The oldest race on the list, the Epsom Derby was first held in 1780.

Today, it is the most prestigious flat horse racing event in Britain, an event that is regularly attended by the Royal Family. Held annually in early June, The Derby serves as the middle leg of England’s Triple Crown and is a one mile, four furlongs and 10-yard race contested on grass open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. The Epsom Downs venue in Surrey, England, can pack in an impressive crowd of 120,000. By the Numbers Location: Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey, England Prize Purse: £1.325 million, or around $2 million #4. Breeders’ Cup Classic Although it doesn’t carry the same clout as the United States’ Triple Crown members, the Breeders’ Cup Classic makes the list due to it being the richest horse race on American soil. Compared to the other races, the Cup is rather new as its origins date back to only 1984. Open to three-year-olds and older, the race covers 1.25 miles on dirt and is held at various tracks around the United States, the exception being the 1996 running held in Toronto, Canada.

Though it comes with more prize money than the Triple Crown races, its lacking in history drops it to fourth. By the Numbers Location: Varies Prize Purse: $5 million Paris’ Prix de L’Arc is the richest turf grass race in the world, and one of Europe’s most significant festivals. (Image: Scoopdyga) #3. Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe Popularly referred to as the “Arc,” the Prix is arguably Europe’s most prestigious horse racing event. The Longchamp Racecourse in Paris plays host for the annual competition scheduled for the first Sunday in October. The distance covers 2,400 meters, or about 1.5 miles, with three year-olds and older horses allowed to participate. Since 1920, Europeans have packed into the Longchamp to watch the world’s richest turf race unfold. By the Numbers Date: First Sunday in October Location: Longchamp Racecourse, Paris, France Prize Purse: €5,000,000 ($5.5 million) #2.

Dubai World Cup The world’s richest horse race still can’t claim the top prize as the event certainly has way more money than any other, but its history isn’t nearly as rich. As with most things in Dubai, its World Cup is all about the money, guaranteeing a prize pool of $10 million! The 2,000 meter run (about 1.25 miles) has been held annually at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai since 1996 and is most commonly held on dirt. The race is open to Northern Hemisphere thoroughbred four-year-olds and up, and for Southern Hemisphere thoroughbred three-year-olds and up. By the Numbers Date: Last Saturday in March Location: Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Prize Purse: $10 million The Kentucky Derby, the first link of the Triple Crown in America, tops the list as the world’s biggest horse race. (Image: Darron Cummings/Associated Press) #1. Kentucky Derby How can the world’s richest horserace not be number one? Because there’s only one Kentucky Derby. First ran in 1875, the leading leg of America’s Triple Crown is the most famous of all horse races.

The 1.25 mile race held on the first Saturday in May is known as the “Fastest Two Minutes in Sports,” and although its purse of just $2 million pales in comparison to the Dubai World Cup, it’s the Kentucky Derby that is horse racing’s biggest annual gambling draw. In 2015, $133 million in the U.S. alone was wagered on the race. Throw in the extravagant hats, celebrity attendees, and of course those refreshing mint juleps, and you’ve got yourself the biggest horse race in the world. By the Numbers Date: First Saturday in May Location: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky Prize Purse: $2 million With marquee events spaced out around the calendar year and around the world, it’s always horse racing season! Leave a Reply World's Best Horse Races - Sports - TravelChannel.com World's Best Horse Races Our Picks to Win, Place and Show Al Bello Kentucky Derby Louisville, Kentucky Don your fanciest hat, and grab a mint julep to witness the first leg of the US Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing at the Kentucky Derby.

Every year on the first Saturday in May, over 150,000 spectators flock to Churchill Downs for this historic event, a tradition since 1875. The race is just 1-1/4 miles and lasts no more than 2 minutes, earning it the reputation as the "Greatest 2 Minutes in Sports." When the winner crosses the finish line, his horse is draped in an elaborate garland made up of hundreds of red roses. Unless you have connections to get a spot on the celebrity-filled Millionaires Row, you'll likely need to watch the race from the crowded infield where 80,000 partiers mix and mingle and maybe catch a glimpse of the horses passing by. The Preakness Stakes Baltimore, Maryland The second leg of the Triple Crown tears through Baltimore on the third Saturday in May at the annual running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. The race has changed since the first running in 1873, but many traditions remain.

The winner is presented with the hefty Woodlawn Vase, a grand silver trophy crafted by Tiffany in 1860, while his horse is draped in a delicate blanket made from Black-Eyed Susans, Maryland's state flower. Tickets for under $100 can be purchased for the Grand Concourse where you can mingle with the society folks in bright colors and over-the-top hats. Cheaper tickets get spectators onto the Infield where the beer flows freely all day and concerts and other events fill the time before the race. Belmont Stakes Elmont, New York The horse-racing community waits for the first Saturday in June for the Belmont Stakes, the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, hoping that a single horse may pull off the great feat of taking all 3 victories in the year's Triple Crown series. The Belmont Stakes is the oldest of the Triple Crown Races dating back to 1867, and also the longest and most challenging at 1-1/2 miles around the track. Secretariat gained his reputation as one of the world's greatest racehorse during the 1973 Belmont Stakes when he ran to victory, breaking world records for speed 31 lengths ahead of his competition.

The Belmont Stakes is the Triple Crown's most accessible race, not only because of its close proximity to New York City, but because while there are some reserved seats, the majority of tickets are general admission between $10 and $20. Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Paris, France The Qatar Paris Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, known simply as the Arc, is one of Europe's biggest horse-racing events. Thousands of elegant spectators fill the grandstand the first Sunday of October at Longchamp Racecourse on the banks of the Seine. Thanks to its affiliation with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, it has one of the highest prizes in the racing world at 4 million Euros. Arrive early to enjoy the champagne and live jazz music, and get a look at the race course's reproduction of the façade of the Doha souk and a Qatar village as well as pony rides for the wee ones. The Royal Ascot Ascot, England The Royal Ascot, a week-long racing series with 16 group races, has been a part of British tradition since 1711 with plenty of pomp and circumstance.

The Queen and the Royal Party typically attend all of the event's races so you should dress the part of royalty. Depending on where you sit, you'll need to abide by a strict and enforced dress code -- no jeans, sneakers, shorts, halters or bare midriffs. Though it's not likely you'll get into the Royal Enclosure without serious connections, you can enjoy all of the day's traditions, including the Royal Procession, the Military Bands, the plethora of food stalls and the races themselves from the Grandstand areas. Dubai World Cup Dubai, United Arab Emirates A newcomer on the horse-racing scene, the Dubai World Cup first put the United Arab Emirates on the horseracing map in 1996 with its inaugural race at the Meydan Racecourse. It's the richest horse race in the world with a purse of $10 million for the lucky winner. The new Meydan Racecourse opened in 2010 alongside The Meydan Hotel so you can watch the race from the swanky grandstand or from the comfort of an extravagant room or suite at the world's first track-side hotel.

The Grand National Aintree, England The Grand National in Aintree, England, offers a different kind of horse-racing experience with a pack of horses competing along a 4-mile course studded with 30 fences. This National Hunt horse race, a style popular in France and the United Kingdom, takes place on a Saturday in early April. The drama is spread out over 3 days while spectators gather in the grandstands and all-inclusive restaurants to watch the winning horse pass through the finish line after jumping the last obstacle along the Steeplechase. Melbourne Cup Melbourne, Australia Go Down Under for the annual Melbourne Cup Carnival, a tradition dating back to 1861 that is considered by many to be the greatest 3,200-meter horse race in the world. The race has a strong international presence, both in the competition and the attendees who celebrate at the carnival in customary hats. There's even a competition, Fashions on the Field, celebrating the carnival's best-dressed men and women with celebrity judges and high-end sponsors.

A combination of general admission and grandstand tickets offer affordable options for the big event on the first Tuesday in November, as well as the other races spread out over the week's worth of events at the carnival. Breeders' Cup World Championships The location changes each year for the annual series of thoroughbred horse races that make up the Breeders' Cup. This 2-day event has one of the heftiest purses in horse racing, a combined prize of $21 million in 2008 -- earning it the title of the richest 2 days in sports. Many familiar American thoroughbreds compete alongside international entrants at popular racetracks around the United States, including Churchill Downs in Kentucky, Monmouth Park in New Jersey and Santa Anita Park in California. Nakayama Grand Jump Funabashi, Japan Japanese horse-racing enthusiasts eagerly await the annual steeplechase race at the Nakayama Grand Jump. Thousands of spectators flood the grandstand to watch the horses deftly navigate the curved dirt and turf track, jumping over obstacles along the way.

Originated in 1999, the race doesn't draw the kind of large international crowd present at larger horse races, but tickets are inexpensive and the crowd is family-friendly and enthusiastic. The Hot List Top Races - UK Horse Racing Tipster | UK Horse Racing Tipster Top Races Home » Top Races - UK Horse Racing Tipster Top Races Top Worldwide Horse Races This is a list of some of the best horse races in the world from the UK and Ireland to France, Japan, Hong Kong all the way to Dubai, the USA and Australia. I also break down the different grades of racing we have here in the UK and Ireland for both flat and National Hunt races. The list is split into two groups, flat racing which is usually short races from 5f to 2m without jumps and with starting stalls, and National Hunt races which don’t have starting stalls and can range from a usual 2 miles over small fences up to long 4 mile 4f races over big bushy fences like the Grand National. This marathon, and most famous of races includes well-known jumps such as the Brook and the Chair, and in recent years the number of horses finishing the course has been less than half the starting 40.

This is usually due to horses unseating riders or refusing to jump and in recent years at least a couple of deaths. These have been horrible scenes which has meant multiple blue Vets tents out on the 2nd lap and runners skipping certain jumps on their second lap of the course. This has caused quite a stir in the racing world and has caused Aintree to change some of the jumps to make them safer in future. However it is not a course I would let any of my horses run over without previous experience. Flat Racing Flat races are run throughout the spring and summer and ending in early Autumn. The official British Turf season starts with the Lincoln meeting at Doncaster which is usually around the 20th March and ends with the Doncaster November Handicap meeting which is usually around the 10th November. Traditionalists say that the British Flat season should really start and finish with the Newmarket meetings i.e the April Craven meeting and October British Champions Meeting. However with the multiple all-weather courses we now have in this country the flat season carries on with lower class races throughout the winter months, usually at night in empty and cold courses like Kempton Park.

The English Flat Classics: These are the premier flat races of the season and are open to 3 year old Colts and Fillies and held over a variety of distances and courses. The 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas – Newmarket – May: 2,000 Guineas Stakes – the first classic of the season and run on the first weekend in May. It is open to 3 year old Colts and Fillies and run over 1 mile. It is also the first leg of the Triple Crown for colts. 1,000 Guineas Stakes – held the day after the 2000 Guineas and the youngest of all the classics going back to only 1814. It is only open to 3 year old Fillies but is also run over 1 mile and is also the first leg of the Triple Crown for fillies. The Oaks – Epsom - June: The Oaks – held the day before the Derby on the first weekend in June is open to 3 year old Fillies and run over 1 mile 4 furlongs.

The winner takes home £226,840 out of a total prize money of £400,000. The Oaks is the 2nd leg of the fillies Triple Crown, following on from the 1,000 Guineas and ending in the St. Leger. The Derby – still the greatest flat race in the world and dates back to 1780. Open to 3 year old Colts and Fillies and run over 1 mile 4 furlongs. The race is full of history and despite the prize money being over taken by other international events like the Breeders Cup the race is still considered one of the greatest Group 1 races in the world. In 2012 the total prize money was £1,325,000 with the winner claiming £751,407.50. The Derby is the 2nd leg in the 3 year old colts Triple Crown which is made up of the 2,000 Guineas, The Derby and then ends in the St. Leger. If you are interested in visiting the Derby then read this article .

The following page lists all the recent Derby winners since 1970. The St. Leger – Doncaster – September: The St. Leger – this is the oldest classic race dating back to 1776 and is open to 3 year old Colts and Fillies and run over the longest classic distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs. It is the last leg of the famous Triple Crown which hasn’t been won since Nijinksky in 1970 and was last attempted by Camelot in 2012. The Triple Crown – A combination of 3 races – The 1,000 / 2,000 Guineas, The Oaks / The Derby and the St. Leger This used to be called “the true test of thoroughbred horse” and includes the 3 English classics that are open to 3 year old Colts: The 2,000 Guineas, The Derby and The St. Leger. The St. Leger is also open to 3 year old fillies and ends their own Triple Crown which is made up of The 1,000 Guineas, The Oaks and finally The St. Leger.

Camelot failed in his attempt at it in 2012 and we may have to wait another 30 years before we see another horse willing to attempt this thoroughbred test as the last winner was Nijinsky in 1970 and before that Bahram in 1935. The Triple Crown is not an easy feat to accomplish and in recent years winners of both the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby have tended to skip the St. Leger and concentrate on the biggest prize race in Europe instead, The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp instead. Famous International Big Prize Group 1 Races The UK is not the only country to hold premier horse racing events. Countries like Australia, Dubai, The United States and Japan have all surpassed us on the amount of prize money they give out for their top races even if they cannot compete on the historical prestige of winning a famous historical English classic. Here is a list of the richest 4 horse racing events in the world at the current time (2013).

The Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe Held on the first Sunday of October, it is one of the last great Group 1 races in Europe and the winner rightly gets to claim the crown “Champion of Europe”. Only open to thoroughbreds over 3 years old (apart from Geldings). The race is run over 1m 4f and is competed by the top flat horses around the world for a prize of just under £2 million. You can view a list of previous Arc winners here. The Dubai World Cup The Dubai World Cup has only been ran since 1996 and is only open to thoroughbreds. Oddly it is only open to Northern Hemisphere thoroughbreds who are 4 years and older but for Southern Hemisphere thoroughbreds 3 year olds can run. It is run at the Meydan Racecourse over 1m 2f and is the final race of the Dubai World Cup night. The winner claims a massive $10 million (roughly £6,250,000) and it is the worlds richest race on earth at the present time.

It is also run over an all-weather surface which can make it hard for horses not used to the particular substance they use, Tapeta, a synthetic dirt. The race is held on the last Saturday in March making it one of the great opening spectacles of the flat season as horses from Japan, America and Australia all compete for the world richest race. The Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is nicknamed “The race that stops a nation”, and is Australia’s top thoroughbred horse race. Run over 2 miles at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria, the race is the richest two mile handicap in the world with a purse of A$6,175,000 (roughly £3,639,495). It is held on the first Tuesday in November making it one of the last great flat races for northern spectators. The Japan Cup The Japan Cup is the one of the most highly ranked races in Japan. Raced on the last Sunday of November at Tokyo Racecourse over 1m 2f, the race is run under weight for age conditions, with a maximum of 18 horses all racing on turf.

With a purse of ¥476 million (roughly £3,023,470), The Japan Cup is one of the richest races in the world and brings runners from all corners of the globe. As it is run late November it counts as one of the final great flat races of the year. The Hong Kong Cup The Hong Kong Cup is another rich end of year flat race held at the Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong in mid December. It’s a right-handed turf based course and run over 1m 2f, or 2,000 metres for a prize of $22,000,000 Hong Kong dollars (or around £1,773,182) making it one of the richest races over this distance in the world. When it was first run in 1988 the races distance was only 1800 metres and the race was restricted purely to horses trained in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. The next season horses from the Southern Continent (Australia and New Zealand) were allowed in before those from Europe in 1990 and USA the following year. Japan and Canada were allowed to enter horses in 1992.

Just before the millennium in 1999 the length of the race was increased by 200 metres making it a middle distance 1m 4f race and it also gained Group 1 status making Hong Kong a common location for big races and jockeys to race. UK trainers also have started to target their horses to this end of year flat race instead of other options such as the Breeders Cup or the Arc. However this race along with the Japan Cup have showed how much horse racing has grown in strength out in the far east. The Breeders Cup The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is an annual series of thoroughbred horse races run at different locations across America, and once in Canada, in early November. The racing event was created as a year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing but it also attracts quality horses from all over the world, especially Europe who have had a number of winners recently.

Since 2007 the cup has become a 2 day event with a number of race over various distances and surfaces which attract world class horses from all over the world to compete in the competition for prize purses ranging from $500,000 to $5,000,000 (roughly £3,132,000). The Breeders Cup was considered the richest sporting event in the world until a couple of races were moved from day 2 to day 1 which dropped the total prize money for that day to $17 million. This then made The Dubai World Cup the richest horse racing event in the world. The races, and prize money per race for 2012 included: Day 1 – Friday $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) Non Classic Flat Races After the triple crown of classics for 3 year old fillies and colts we have a number of grades of flat races which are open to horses from the age of 2 and above.

Whilst it is common for English Colts to retire early at 3 or 4 (unless they are gelded), abroad horses can run much longer and in the USA it is not uncommon to see horses of 6 years old or above competing in high class races. A Group 1 Race: These are “top of the tree races” and the Group 1 races include all the classics plus a number of other famous races usually mentioning an ex royal family member or palace and also ending in the word “Stakes“. We have races open to just 2 or 3 year olds and others which allow colts, fillies, horses and mares to run from 3 years up. Quality races such as The King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, The Queen Anne Stakes, The St James’s Palace Stakes or The Diamond Jubilee Stakes. For the 2 year olds we have The Dewherst Stakes and The Racing Post Trophy and these have become key races for identifying future 3 year old classic contenders. A Group 2 – 3 Race: Group 2 and Group 3 races are still quality races and bring top horses to the track to compete.

Horses in these groups are usually trying to work their way back up to a Group 1 or have just had a poor Group 1 race performance. Races include The Dante Stakes, The Lancashire Oaks and The Goodwood Cup (Group 2), and The Craven Stakes, The Chester Vase and Bahrain Trophy (Group 3) Listed Races. These are still very good races and only one step below group races. Selling Races: The winner of these races is put up for sale at the end of the race. Claiming Races: Similar to Selling Races but the winner has a price tag attached. Usually the horses weights will depend on the amount of money required to buy the horse. Nursery Handicaps: This a handicap race for 2-year-old horses only. A Handicap: Horses are given different weights to try to even out the field and give each horse the same chance of winning. Condition & Stake Races: These are races where the horses may carry different weights depending on the age, sex and how many races the horse has won previously. This is not the same as a handicap and some races are restricted to just mares, fillies or colts etc.

A Maiden Race: For horses that have not won a flat race. National Hunt Racing The “jump season” or National Hunt season is supposed to run from Autumn to the following Spring however at this present time in the UK and Ireland there is usually a long overlap where racing fans can watch both flat and jump racing. One of the biggest highlights of the National Hunt calendar is the Cheltenham Festival which is held over four days in the second week of March. The festival features eleven Grade one races, culminating in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the best and most prestigious Chase race in the world, on the Friday. The Irish equivalent of the Cheltenham Gold Cup is the Punchestown Festival which is held the final week of April and the Festival and held over five days, between Tuesday and Saturday. The format of the Irish festival is very similar to Cheltenham culminating in The Punchestown Gold Gup. Other races of note include the Champion Chase, The Rynair Novice Chase, The Champion Hurdle and The Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle. The Jump season also has one of the most famous races in the world, the English Grand National.

This meeting is held at Aintree over three days every April. Many of the best horses come to these festivals and hundreds of millions of pounds are gambled on betting exchanges and in shops all over the country. Even people who don’t usually gamble like to have a little punt on the Grand National which is only a Grade 3 race! The main thing to note before we break down the different categories of races are the types of obstacles the horses have to jump over. A Chase (or Steeplechase) is usually ran over distances of 2 to 4½ miles and the runners jump over a variety of obstacles with a minimum height of 41/2 feet high. The jumps include: Plain fence: which are a minimum of 4’6″ in height on the take off side. Water Jump: where horses clear a fence of at least 3 feet in height and land in water 3″ deep. Open Ditch: Are a minimum of 4’6″ in height on the take off side with a ditch on the take off side. Hurdling which is usually run over distances of 2 to 31/2 miles and over wooden fences which are at least 31/2 feet high.

National Hunt Flat Races (Bumpers) run over 1½ – 2½ miles which allow novice horses to race on flat ground in order to become accustomed to racing before facing the challenge of jumping. They are for horses who have not yet competed either in flat racing or over obstacles. Graded Races (1-3): Like Groups races on the flat, graded races are split into 3 grades with the top horses running in Grade 1 chases which are again split into handicap or non handicap races, the former being seen as more superior. Grade 1 runners are usually aimed at either the 3 mile Cheltenham Gold Cup or the 2 mile Queen Mother Champion Chase which is also held at the Cheltenham Festival. However these two races are not the only great spectacles at the 4 day festival and we can see great horse run in races such as the The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, The Arkle Challenge Trophy, The Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle, The RSA Chase, The Ryanair Chase and The World Hurdle.

Other top Grade 1 races in the National Hunt calendar include the relativley new but respected Betfair Chase in November at Haydock, the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in early December and the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park in December on Boxing Day. These are all seen as signs of progression towards the big festival races at the end of the season. Whilst the most famous race, and the one offering the most prize money is the Grand National at Aintree. It only holds grade 3 handicap status along with the Scottish, Welsh and Irish Grand National. Therefore not all the biggest races are Grade one! The biggest Grade 2 races include the Desert Orchid Chase on Boxing Day, the Denman Chase in February and the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April. The biggest Grade 3 races include the the Paddy Power Gold Cup, the Hennesy Gold Cup and one of the final big races of the year the Bet365 Gold Cup. A Novice Hurdle: These are for horses that start the season having not won a hurdle race before. The winner of a novice hurdle will carry a weight penalty the next time it runs in another novice hurdle.

A Maiden Hurdle: These only allow horses that have not already won a hurdle race. This and Novice Hurdles can involve horses that have won flat races, steeplechase, a National Hunt flat race or a point to point. Handicap Hurdle: Horses are given different weights to try to even out the field and give each horse the same chance of winning. Graded Hurdle: Some hurdle races carry certain conditions that affects the weight that each horse carries. For example a female horse or a younger horse will carry less weight than a male or an older horse. Point to Point: A type of amateur racing over fences. In Ireland many of the horses will appear in these races before they compete in National Hunt races either in Ireland or in the UK. In contrast in England and Wales horses running in point to points are more likely to be at the end of their national hunt careers. Bumpers or National Hunt Flat Races: National Hunt Flat races are also known as Bumper races and are flat races run under National Hunt racing rules in Britain and Ireland. The main idea is for jump horses to gain racing experience on flat conditions of equal length, before beginning a career hurdling or chasing.

They are usually put at the end of race meetings and nowadays they are really only held in Ireland. Share this: stumbleupon Email Comment Every horse race, no matter how big or small it may be, has a purse. This refers to the amount of money that the owners will be paid at the end of the race, based on how their horses finish. This division is made to encourage horse owners to get their horses to perform at the highest level and create intense competition. The first place horse in a race will typically get 60% of the total purse. The second place horse normally gets 20% while third place gets 10% and fourth gets 5%. The remaining horses divide the remainder of the purse among each other. The total amount of money in the purse varies with each race. A typical matinee race at a North American racetrack may have a purse of around $10,000, for instance. Meanwhile, some of the top races of the day will have purses of closer to $30,000. However, when it comes to the most prestigious races in the world, purses can fall in the millions of dollars.

These purses are generally highest for Grade I races that pit only the best horses in the world together. Grade II and III races are not as prominent as Grade I but they will still grant some handsome paydays to the people who get their horses out to these events. This listing will break down the biggest horse racing events in the world based on the size of their respective purses. All purse totals are listed in American dollars. Some of these races have the potential to let winning horses earn millions of dollars for their owners. This is partly because horse racing represent some of the most historic races in the world. Certain races have been run since the nineteenth century and have developed larger purses over the years as they continue to grow and become more famous in the modern era. 10. The Grand National – $1.6 Million Purse The Grand National steeplechase race at Liverpool’s Aintree Racecourse has been held every almost every year since 1839 and has a total purse of £975,000 or $1.6 million US. The race is around four miles and three furlongs in length and can take around ten minutes for some horses to finish.

It’s a long and challenging course involving hurdles, but the large purse makes it all worth it for whoever comes out on top. 9. Kentucky Derby – $2 Million Purse The Run for the Roses, known as the Kentucky Derby has been held in Louisville, Kentucky’s Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May every year since 1875. Known as the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports, this 1 1/4-mile race is the first leg of the Triple Crown in America and it’s also the most presitgious race of the three. It has a purse of $2 million while the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes both have purses of just $1 million each. 8. Breeders Cup Sprint – $2 Million Purse In horse racing, a spring race is a shorter race that is less than a mile long. The six-furlong Breeders Cup Sprint, an event that happens during the Breeders Cup World Championships in North America every year, is one such race. This short race takes a little over a minute for horses to complete and is worth $2 million, making it one of the biggest events of the year for sprint horse racing enthusiasts. 7.

Breeders Cup Distaff – $2 Million Purse Formerly known as the Breeders Cup Ladies’ Classic, the Breeders Cup Distaff is a $2 million purse race that is for fillies and mares who are at least three years of age. It is the last race to take place on the first of the two days that the Breeders Cup events are held and is the most prominent race among female horses. The purse was originally $1 million in value until 2005 when was doubled in size. 6. Breeders Cup Turf – $3 Million Purse Held annually at the Breeders Cup series, the $3 million Breeders Cup Turf race is held on a turf surface instead of a traditional dirt track. This means that the horses run on a grass surface similar to what is typically found on the inside part of a track. This race is 1 1/2 miles long and is a popular event that serves as an appetizer to the main event, the Breeders Cup Classic. 5.

Dubai Duty Free Stakes – $5 Million Purse A race held during the Dubai World Cup Night every March at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, the Duty Free Stakes has a purse valued at $5 million. Despite the name, this race doesn’t necessarily give the winnings to its horses duty free or without tax. Rather, the event is sponsored by Dubai Duty Free, a prominent retail company that has duty free shops throughout a number of airports in the Middle East. 4. Breeders Cup Classic – $5 Million Purse The Breeders Cup Classic is the top race in the Breeders Cup series. Held at various places around North America, this race has a $5 million purse. The Classic is extremely limited in terms of space, since five of the fourteen slots in this race are guaranteed to the winners of specific races like the Pacific Classic, Jockey Club Gold Cup and Awesome Again Stakes. 3. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – $5.4 Million Purse The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is held at the Longchamp Racecourse in Paris.

This 1 1/2-mile race has been held almost every year since 1920 and has a prize fund of €4 million or $5.4 million US. In 2007, the purse was just €2 million or $2.7 million US but has doubled in size thanks to the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s recent sponsorship of the race. 2. Melbourne Cup – $5.65 Million Purse The Melbourne Cup, also known as the Race That Stops a Nation, is a two-mile race held on the first Tuesday of every November at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. The race has been worth at least $1 million AUD since 1985 and has held a purse of over $5 million AUD or $4.59 USD since 2005. Today’s cup is worth $6.2 million AUD or $5.65 million USD, making it not only Australia’s top race, but one of the largest horse races in the world. 1.

Dubai World Cup – $10 Million Purse The Dubai World Cup is held at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai and is by far the world’s richest race in terms of its purse size. It was first held in 1996 and holds a first place prize of $10 million. This is just one of the many races that are held during the Dubai World Cup Night event. The races in this event have a combined purse that totals $27.25 million for the largest night of racing in the world. 65 Shares

Question: What is the richest horse race in Europe?
Answer: Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe