Horse racing has been an integral part of the British sporting calendar for centuries and many punters flock to various race courses across the country to witness the live action over the course of the racing season. Essentially, there are two types of racing with various subcategories; flat racing and jump racing. Flat racing is popular at venues like Ascot – which will host the annual Royal Ascot meeting later this month – and Newmarket, while National Hunt fences are jumped at Aintree – home of the Grand National – and Ludlow racecourse. We take a look at the sport in general and give a few suggestions on the best places for tips, form and offers available on horse racing.
There are a number of key meetings and races held throughout the year that attract the public’s attention. The Grand National meeting is one of the greatest horse races on the planet and is held at Aintree Festival every year. Cheltenham Festival has become popular in recent years and attracts plenty of media attention. The meeting has seen some of the best horses in the world compete for the best accolades in the sport and Ruby Walsh, arguably the best jockey in the sport, has been particularly successful at the meeting in recent years.
Royal Ascot gets underway next week and over 500,000 punters are expected to attend the meeting. However, horse racing fans can also watch the action from their own home as all four days of the 2015 festival shall be televised. The Racing Post website is excellent for providing information on all runners, riders and owners at the festival and is certainly a good place to start when trying to select a horse to bet on. Meanwhile, affiliate websites can also give a different outtake on the field – with the likes of bookies offering a daily tipping service on the action.
If you’re a newbie to horse racing, Royal Ascot is a lovely way to get in on the action. The flat racing ensures that all horses should, bar a major capitulation, complete the course and there is no chance of your bet losing due to a fall. Meanwhile, some of the best horses on the planet are due to compete – including the joint top-rated horse in the world, Able Friend – and the festival is sure to be one of the best in recent memory.
