Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in the world. It has remained largely unchanged for thousands of years, with many countries contributing to the long and illustrious history of equestrian performance sports.

From the most surprising grand national wins to highly anticipated Grand Prix races, horse racing tournaments are exciting events that remain as popular as ever. But how did these races start out? What made them so popular in the first place?

In order to discover the truth, let’s take a look at the history behind horse racing, including its origins, the evolution of racing over time, and the racing classics that define modern horse racing.

Origins

Unfortunately, no one seems to know when the very first horse race occurred. This is likely due to the fact that racing is a fairly primitive concept, and we understood its appeal long before the development of writing or other records of history.

Competition racing can be traced back to early civilizations such as Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, and Babylon. Chariot racing and mounted horse racing were the first known examples of horse racing, and they were official events in the Greek Olympics from 648 BC onwards.

Read more: The History of Horse Racing Tournaments

Racing Industry Partners Join with UK to Support Promising mRNA Biomarker Research Into Preventing Catastrophic Racehorse Injuries

By Holly Wiemers

Catastrophic injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses are a top concern for the racing industry and for its fans. Researchers at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center share that sentiment and recently began a large study to validate previous research suggesting it is possible to detect specific markers that indicate an injury before it becomes career- or life-ending.

According to project lead Allen Page, staff scientist and veterinarian at the Gluck Center, and project collaborator Emma Adam, assistant professor and industry liaison at the Gluck Center and UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, the end goal is to be able to conduct an inexpensive and straightforward pre-race blood test identifying horses at risk of catastrophic injury, possibly allowing for intervention before those injuries happen. Previous research has shown that a majority of catastrophic injuries occur in horses with underlying or pre-existing musculoskeletal pathology, leading to the theory that catastrophic racing and training injuries are due to the accumulation of damage over time at a rate that exceeds the healing capacity of affected tissues.

Read more: Research Preventing Catastrophic Racehorse Injuries

by Marion E. Altieri

The bond of equine and human athletes, when brought together in a race for the wire—is a powerful and awe-inspiring event. Jockeys and racehorses individually are the fittest and most- focused athletes on the planet. Together, moving as one body and soul, they create an experience so powerful that even the toughest of human souls are moved to tears.

While Thoroughbreds are the most common breed in the sport of horse racing, Arabians were the first racehorses. The oldest extant breed, they look virtually the same as they did over 5,000 years ago, when they traveled great distances across desert sands in competitions that became both flat- and endurance-racing. What started as utilitarian use of the breed evolved into an enjoyable competition that lifted spirits and made human hearts sing. The Race Horse wasn’t a concept born of the entrepreneurial mind of a man, but rather the natural evolution over time as the Arabian horse proved herself to be a power with which to reckon. The Original Racehorse literally is a Force of Nature.

Read more: Arabians: the Original Racehorse, Soaring into 21st Century Hearts

by Will Bardenwerper

Indian relay racing is sometimes called America's first extreme sport. For years, the Brew Crew - team from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota - were a dominant force. Then tragedy struck. This is the story of the Lakota's spiritual relationship with the horse, and a quest to regain glory on the track.

On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, you hear it again and again: “There will never be another Hermis Tall.”

Hermis was the greatest Indian relay rider of his generation, a natural horseman who led a team of Oglala Lakota to three consecutive championships at the sport’s marquee event, held every summer in Sheridan, Wyoming. The sight of him thundering bareback across the finish line - astride a 1,200-pound thoroughbred, shirtless, his chiseled physique glistening with sweat - will forever be ingrained in the minds of his teammates, friends, and rivals. His team, known as the Brew Crew (a nod to the last name of their captain, Stan Brewer), racked up a remarkable 19 wins during the summer of 2015 alone, making them Indian relay’s dominant force, the subject of envy and occasional resentment over Hermis’s aggressive riding tactics.

There’s no reason to resent Hermis Tall anymore. His picture is now attached to a wooden cross, marking his grave site on a lonely, windswept reservation bluff. He lies next to his brother Earl, not far from the overcrowded family trailer where he grew up and lived for most of his life, much of which he spent on horseback.

Hermis may be gone, but the story he started isn’t over. It’s the story of the team he left behind, of their struggle to overcome heartbreak and adversity on and off the track, and of their attempt to once again find glory in the powerful union of man and horse.

Read more: Steal the Thunder

Most of us can remember the names of legendary horses, their most iconic victories in famous races around the world, often made immortal by the subsequent bloodlines. Arguably the best-known thoroughbred in American horse racing history is Man o’ War, the legendary stallion foaled in Kentucky that won 20 from 21 races in 1919 and 1921.

No horse has drawn more historical acclaim than “Big Red” as the powerful chestnut was also known. After his retirement from racing, Man o’ War became a leading sire who produced multiple champions, including Triple Crown winner War Admiral. He was also the grandsire of Seabuiscuit, while that remarkable bloodline still continues to this day, coursing through the veins of modern champions. Although not a direct descendent, even the hugely popular 1970’s champion Secretariat was a distant relation.

The names of those horses are forever etched in our collective memories. But how often can we name the jockeys who urged those thoroughbreds to success? Well, unless we happen to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of horse racing history, chances are the names of those jockeys are shrouded in the mists of time. Yet in truth, without such highly skilled jockeys in the saddle, those iconic horses might not have registered the successes they achieved.

Read more: Why the Jockey is Just as Important as the Horse They Ride

Grand National legend Tiger Roll has once again been withdrawn from the Grand National by his owners in protestation at the “absurd” rating and subsequent weight handed to him by the race handicappers. Owner Michael O’Leary was vociferous in his criticism of the handicappers despite them cutting Tiger Roll’s weight by 5lb from last year. O’Leary believes the rating and weight – despite his back-to-back wins around Merseyside’s iconic Aintree Racecourse – to be “unfair” on a chaser that’s now 12 years old and in the twilight of his career.

Tiger Roll made history with back-to-back Grand National victories in 2018 and 2019 respectively. He was the first thoroughbred to capture the imagination of the British public so much since Red Rum. Tiger Roll’s gutsy displays saw even the most casual of punters take him to their hearts, with many hoping to see him in action in 2021 only to be denied that opportunity by unrealistic weight and ratings from the handicappers.

Ahead of the 2022 National, Tiger Roll was given a rating of 161, which bemused O’Leary who issued a statement within hours of the weights being published. O’Leary stated that Tiger Roll is “clearly not as good” as he was in his prime, aged “eight or nine”. Despite his ageing limbs, O’Leary revealed the handicappers rate Tiger Roll “2lb higher” than his rating in April 2019, when he came into the race as the defending champion. O’Leary believes it is “a pity” that the handicappers have not given Tiger Roll a fair crack at emulating Red Rum’s historic hat-trick of wins.

Read more: No Fairytale Bid for Grand National Hat-Trick as Tiger Roll is Withdrawn

When we think about betting on anything with four legs, the most obvious choice is horse racing. This was the most popular sport for the betting community and, while it’s recently been overtaken by football, it retains a huge following.

There are many guides available for those interested in getting involved with horse racing markets but did you know that there are other equine disciplines to consider? Here is a rundown of what is available.

The Obvious Choice

Horse racing needs to be quickly mentioned because of that vast following across the world. Sportsbooks will put markets in place for all professional competitions and there are daily options for those that are interested.

All of the regular bets are available including straight winner, each way, forecasts, straight line multiples, formulas and more.

In regards to finding a sports betting provider, there are lots of review sites such as Asiabet.org. Here, you will find sports betting sites that cover every possible meeting in the horse racing world.

Read more: Betting on the Horses: It’s Not Just About Horse Racing

Highlight of the Cheltenham Festival, the Gold Cup is a steeplechase race with 22 fences to overcome. It is England's most valuable handicap-free race, with a total prize money of £468,750 in 2021. Get ready for the 2022 edition with these Cheltenham Gold Cup tipsand read this article in the meantime to find out more about the world of racing. As you may have noticed, when we talk about money in the racing world, we often focus on the winnings from the races. However, when a horse wins a race, the owner does not actually get the full amount. So how much does a racehorse really make ? And also, how much does it cost ? 

Cost of buying and training the horse

There are over 8,000 racehorse owners in the UK. Their profiles are very varied : some are wealthy landowners, others are racing enthusiasts with a job as a schoolteacher or plumber who have bought a racehorse in co-ownership. The average cost of a racehorse is £23,980, so it is indeed easier to get into shared ownership than individual ownership. The horse is young and inexperienced so will need to be put into training, which costs around £22,000 a year to train a flat racehorse and £16,000 for a jumping horse. Of course this amount varies depending on the training centre chosen. There are also other costs to consider such as race entry, insurance (which varies in price depending on the quality of the horse) and veterinary costs which can rise exponentially.

Read more: How Much Money Does a Cheltenham Gold Cup Winning Horse Make Over Time?

The UK has a long history of horse racing tradition, boasting some of the world’s best and most iconic tracks. Famous racing venues include Aintree, famous for hosting the Grand National every year, Cheltenham, known for its prestigious festival and Ascot recognised worldwide for the yearly Royal meeting held there. These events all have illustrious histories with countless legendary moments, they are extremely popular with fans, many of whom take advantage of free bets listed by sites like oddschecker who cover all major events at these racecourses. Of course, betting has been an important part of UK horse racing history, with the nations tracks hosting some of the biggest shocks wins and surprising narratives the sport has ever seen.

Aintree

Based in Merseyside, just outside of the city of Liverpool, Aintree Racecourse is one of the UK’s most iconic sporting venues. It was built in 1829 as a place for Liverpool’s growing number of competitors and fans to enjoy racing. It is most famous for the Grand National, which started in the late 1830s as “The Grand Liverpool Steeplechase” before countrywide interest made it a national event. Throughout its history, Aintree has had its ups and downs, from structural problems to numerous changes of ownership, but the Grand National has kept it alive throughout, creating an emotional attachment with fans that means they’ll never give up on the magical venue. In addition to the Grand National, Aintree hosts many smaller race meetings throughout the year and has even hosted the British motor racing Grand Prix five times. Outside of sport, Aintree has also hosted concerts from Michael Jackson, P!nk, Kaiser Chiefs and The Chemical Brothers, so it has a special place in the hearts of people who aren’t into horse racing too.

Read more: UK’s Best Horse Racing Tracks