July 13th, 2010
Understanding different aspects of horse racing can surely help you enjoy the sport even further. In this part, we are going to take a look at flat racing and various aspects related to this particular type of horse racing. Let’s get started, shall we?
Flat racing or flat race is basically a horse race run over a level track. There is always a predetermined distance for every race, set according the race’s category or class. If you love to watch jump racing events during fall and winter, you can certainly sit back and enjoy flat racing events during summer. The season stretches across the summer months due to the better weather.
The first common type of flat racing event is called Sprints, which are basically 5, 6 or 7 furlong races. Keep in mind that 1 furlong is equal to 220 yards. Middle-distance races are usually stretched across 1 meter to 1 meter 4 furlong course. In middle-distance races, stamina and balance become highly important. Lastly, we have the so-called Stayers races, run over a distance of 1 meter 6 furlongs all the way to 2 miles.
Flat racing events are further categorized based on the nature of the event. You can find classic flat races as well as conditions races and handicap races. Each category reflects certain regulation used in the race, making flat racing events that much more interesting to enjoy. Now that you know some of the basics, you can go ahead and enjoy flat races yourself.
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June 13th, 2010
Jump racing is often considered the more challenging type of horse racing. With obstacles and challenges being part of the race, only the best horse can win jump racing events. If you want to enjoy the best of jump racing, there are two festivals you should check out: the Cheltenham Festival and the Aintree Grand National Festival.
Cheltenham Festival is usually held in March, featuring several interesting races and exciting festival events. The famous Cheltenham Roar marks the magnitude of this jump racing festival; every owner, jockey, and trainer from all around the world fantasizes on winning the Cheltenham Festival. All races that are part of the Cheltenham Festival are championship races, including the Gold Cup and Novices Hurdle. The grand finale of this festival is of course the Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase.
The Aintree Grand National Festival is no less interesting, usually held around April each year. It is a top-class three-day meeting with top horses from all around the world competing for various titles. From Championship Grade 1 John Smiths Aintree Hurdle to John Smith’s Grand National, you can surely catch interesting jump races along the challenging course of Aintree Racecourse.
Make sure you include these two jump racing festivals as part of your must-watch races. You will be able to enjoy spectacular jump racing excitements unrivaled by other jump races and horse racing events in general. There are a lot of betting opportunities presented here as well, so you can enjoy more thrills along the way.
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May 24th, 2010
There are a lot of famous jockeys in the history of British horse racing, but Frankie Dettori would have to be the best Italian jockey. Born December 15, 1970, Frankie comes from a family with long history with horse racing. His father, Gianfranco, was one of the greatest Italian jockeys in horse racing history, winning a lot of races in the 1970s.
Frankie started his career in 1985, and quickly showed superb performances just a few months after he started. He rode 17 winners during the winter races, and continued to show superb performances since. He also rode Lizzy Hare to victory; the stallion was his first UK winner and won the race in 1987.
To continue his spectacular record, he rode a little over 100 winners in the 1990 season. He was quickly noted as one of the best young jockeys, comparable to other legendary names such as Lester Piggott. His performances in group races are simply amazing, winning 298 Group races, including 116 Group 1, 86 Group 2 and 96 Group 3, by the end of 2003.
The best horse Frankie ever ridden and his personal favorite is of course the Dubai Millennium. The horse won nine out of ten races during his racing career. Riding the Dubai Millennium, Frankie also won the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Dubai World Cup in 2000.
Frankie is now a regular jockey for Godolphin, and we can expect to see a lot of interesting performances to come this racing season.
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