Top 10 Horse Racing Race Tracks in the World

Being the richest handicap for flat stayers in the world, Flemington in Victoria, Australia attracts a lot of global attention. It was built on Crown land by the banks of the famous Maribyrnong River. Its pear-shaped track is the known jewel in Victoria Racing Club’s crown. The racetrack has its own railway line and station. There are 13 elite horse races run in total. Flemington also hosts other Group 1 action in October, February, and March.

Epsom Downs is located in southeast England in Surrey, UK, and is the site of the premier British Classic which happens to be one of the biggest horse races in the world – the richest in the UK. This is not only the most famous horse racing race track in the UK but also the most unique. The Epsom track is known for its twists and turns and its famous bend at Tattenham Corner which makes it challenging for all horses and can become unbalanced.

Happy Valley was constructed in 1845 with the aim to provide racing entertainment for the British ex-pats of the city. It is a city centre racecourse that is surrounded by giant building apartments and skyscrapers which provides a beautiful scenic view for those watching. The racecourse also has live music playing, entertainment in between races, and a beer garden. It has become a regular after-work gathering venue.

Longchamp in Paris, France has held over half of Group 1 races in France. The venue is famous for its false home stretches that always get horses racing far from the winning post, increasing the emphasis on equine stamina. The venue has had recent renovations to increase grandstand capacity and sits head and shoulders above other Greater Paris tracks like Saint-Cloud, Chantilly, and Auteuil.

The course is held in the central piazza of Sienna which has spectators on all of its four sides. The centre has the ring formed where the racing takes place. It is referred to as the ‘toughest horse race in the world’ because of its jockeys wearing their district’s respective color, riding bareback. The Palio de Siena horse race is held twice every year in July and August in Piazza del Campo.

Any list of famous horse tracks has to include ‘The Racecourse of Racecourses’ as Tokyo is known for. Having one with the largest video screens anywhere in the world, the Turf Vision, this venue is another extravagant one. The home stretch is all uphill with the dirt track inside the turf course. More than 220,000 horse racing fans can pack into Tokyo Racecourse. Tokyo is one of the premier racecourses in the Far East.

Who would have thought that horse racing can be done against the freezing weather? St. Moritz in Switzerland is known for its 2,700-meter icy track as the venue for the White Turf event which is usually held three days a year. It is not a typical racecourse since horses and jockeys have to compete on a frozen lake against the wintery mountains of Engadine. The event attracts more than 35,000 viewers each year.

This might be the youngest on the list of top 10 horse racing tracks. Meydan in Dubai UAE which was built in 2010 is famous for its mile-long grandstand that gives 60,000 fans stunning views of horses in action. It has replaced Nad Al Sheba as the premier horse race track in the Middle East. No one card of horse racing events anywhere on the planet is worth more prize money than this, which makes Meydan an attraction worldwide.

We’re down to the last two racetracks and we cannot forget Goodwood, which is known as the epitome of Englishness. It boasts one of the most beautiful venues for the sport. The venue unfolds in front of the magnificent white grandstand which plays as a host to some of the prestigious flat races in the country of Europe. The Glorious Goodwood racing festival is one of the jewels on the British calendar.

Hanshin Racecourse, which was constructed in Hyogo, Japan in 1949, is the second of Western Japan's two feature racecourses, following Kyoto Racecourse. The abovementioned race tracks have brought the sports of horse racing to another level. The tracks, aside from being the venues of horse racing, have also become part of the history of horse racing.