The UK’s horse racing calendar is often the source of envy for countries around the world, and 2024 is no different with some top meetings featuring the best racing talent already scheduled.
UK bettors have a selection of ways to enjoy all the action in 2024 with live TV coverage available, in-person betting shops that provide live footage and the latest odds, and online betting operators providing great levels of convenience and reactive betting markets.
Bettors will also have the opportunity to travel to the best meetings in the UK and sample live horse racing with onsite betting opportunities and hospitality packages.
The first major horse racing event in the UK is the Cheltenham Festival which features some of the best jump racing action available. The event takes place from March 12th to March 15th with the Grade 1 Gold Cup the pick of the races.
The Gold Cup takes place on the last day of the action and is scheduled to start at 330 in the afternoon. The turf race is run over 3m 2f 70y and is available for horses that are 5 years and over.
Betting insider Ian Bruce speaks of the importance of finding a safe online betting operator to place bets on major horse racing meetings including the Gold Cup. He explains that using UKGC-regulated sites allows consumers to enjoy remote betting safely and securely.
Online horse racing fans will find ante-post betting odds for many of the major horse racing events in the UK and according to many bookmakers in a guide updated in January 2024, Galopin Des Champs is the even-money favourite for this year’s Gold Cup with Fasterslow not far behind as second favourite.
Not long after the Gold Cup the UK hosts one of the world’s most famous races, the Grand National. This year’s Grand National will take place on April 6th at Aintree Racecourse.
The prestigious handicap steeplechase sees horses face 30 fences during the 4-mile 2.5-furlong race.
The race dates back to 1839 and is watched by millions every year and this year’s current favourites are Mahler Mission, Vanillier, and Corach Rambler.
June is a big month for UK horse racing starting off with the Epsom Derby on June 1st. This race sees some of the world’s top thoroughbreds put through a test of endurance and speed.
The race is open to horses over 3 years of age and is run over 1m 4f 6y with a purse of over £1.5 million.
Just a few weeks later from June 18th to June 22nd is Royal Ascot. This meeting attracts Royalty and other big names who are dressed to impress, think Wimbledon on horseback.
The G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes headlines the event and more than 300,000 visitors are expected to attend. With a joint race purse of over £15 million, Royal Ascot is the most valuable UK meeting.
Our last recommendation to look out for in 2024 is Glorious Goodwood, an event that runs from July 30th to August 3rd and features elite racing.
Glorious Goodwood is held at the Goodwood Racecourse in Chichester and offers some of the most beautiful surroundings of any UK meeting.
Glorious Goodwood is one of the British Flat racing season’s highlights with races including the Nassau Stakes, Goodwood Cup, and King George Stakes to look forward to.
These five meetings and events are just a small section of the incredible horse racing action that is set to take place in the UK in 2024. Race fans will be able to keep up to date with ever-changing markets via a variety of sources, ensuring this will be another bumper year for UK racing.