London has been home to horse racing for centuries, boasting prestigious tracks used in some of the most iconic horse racing events.
These events offer some of the most fashionable moments in London’s sporting calendar.
Here’s a review of the top five horse racing tracks in and around London for first-timers and those who fancy the sport..
Kempton Park
Unlike some racing tracks, Kempton Park carries out flat racing and steeplechase races.
The racecourse is in Surrey, owned by the iconic Jockey Club, and has a train station connecting London Waterloo.
This famous racing track has a cup hosted annually on Boxing Day called the King George Chase.
It’s a three-mile race and the second-most prestigious steeplechase event behind the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Kempton Park embraces the classic oval-shaped racing track, which is popular in actual horse racing and horse racing games online.
A good example of one of these games is Slingo Racing, which has an oval-shaped track and allows players to pick one of three horses to race.
The widespread presence of these oval-shaped tracks both online and in real life suggests that they are a favoured choice among fans, shedding some light on the admiration horse racing enthusiasts hold for Kempton Park.
Epsom Downs
Once voted the best racecourse in London, Epsom Downs is a stunning and well-known race track in the UK and worldwide.
It is situated in the heart of Surrey and welcomes up to 100,000 spectators on its best days, including the Epsom Derby and Epsom Oaks.
The popularity of these horse racing tracks extends to the royals, as in 2011, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge took their first sighting at the Epsom Derby.
The derby holds the most extended history, dating back to 1780, and is the biggest race for three-year-old sprinters.
Royal Windsor
Located on the banks of the River Thames, this is another top race track that hosts a lot of horse racing.
It has a royal horse racing record dating back to King Henry VIII.
The Royal Windsor was once a jumping course but now hosts flat racing.
The course boasts an unusual figure-eight design, only seen on one other race course in the United Kingdom: Fontwell Park in West Sussex.
Additionally, this race track’s most valuable race meeting is the Winter Hill Stakes, which, though not world-class, makes for a royal atmosphere.
Ascot Racecourse
This is one of the historic horse racing tracks in the United Kingdom. It’s located in Berkshire and has hosted events since 1711.
Every year, the Ascot Racecourse draws hundreds of thousands of spectators, which equates to a tenth of the annual visits to the racecourse in the UK.
With over a third of the flat Group 1 races in the UK held at Ascot, it also stages 26 race days throughout the year.
Among the staged races are 18 flat race conferences and 8 National Hunt meetings in the winter.
Sandown Park
Sandown Park was established in the borough of Esher in 1875.
It holds a lot of heritage while hosting top-quality jumps and flat meetings.
Events at the racecourse include the Group 1 Coral Eclipse Stakes, Tingle Creek and the 2-mile chase.
The Sandown Park also hosts lavish hospitality coupled with well-dressed crowds, as each race here signifies the splendour of Britain’s racing culture.
A Final Stretch
The capital city’s allure is enhanced by having some of the best horse racing tracks in the world.
Horse race enthusiasts visiting London can tour these impressive and historic race tracks.
This is even better if visited when horse racing events are ongoing, as Jockeys and horses show their skills and abilities on the tracks.
Header image by Tulia Colombia Torres Hurtado from Pixabay
