There are few more global sports than horse racing. Major events take place across the globe, which forms an international bucket list for some of the most passionate fans of the sport.
Events such as the Breeders’ Cup, Royal Ascot, and the Melbourne Cup are always among the top selections for racing fans but attending them can often be more challenging due to the sheer amount of money and issues that are involved.
Once the travel issues have been addressed, it is time to understand how to read odds in horse racing to make more knowledgeable selections on the track.
But, what are some of the notable horse racing events in some of the most popular countries across the world and where should visitors travel to in order to get to the course as seamless as possible.
USA
While the Kentucky Derby is the most popular horse racing event in the U.S. from a mainstream point of view, it could be argued that a bucket list event for more passionate fans comes in the form of the Breeders’ Cup.
The two-day meet moves to a new course in the United States annually, with juveniles taking centre stage on the opening day, before the season-ending championship races are staged on the second day.
The feature comes in the form of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which typically features the standout performers on the dirt over a mile and a half throughout the previous season.
This year’s Breeders’ Cup will be held at Del Mar in California, meaning the most straightforward route to the track revolves around flying into either Los Angeles or San Diego, before travelling by car to the course.
United Kingdom
Only soccer outranks horse racing in terms of average attendances throughout a calendar year. Unlike other nations, the UK has two types of racing, with the flat running during the summer months, before the attention switches to the action over jumps from October.
Jumps racing is most prominent in the UK, with all eyes drawn to the four-day Cheltenham Festival, which is held annually in March. The spectacle attracts international visitors from across the world, as the champions for the season are crowned.
The feature of the week comes in the form of the prestigious Gold Cup, which was won for the first time in 2025 by Inothewayurthinking after beating two-time victor Galopin Des Champs.
Travelling to Cheltenham can be done via train from a number of spots, giving visitors the options to fly into Birmingham, Bristol, or London. The former is the most straightforward, as direct trains run every 20 minutes.
Australia
Australia has long been one of the dream travel destinations for passionate horse racing fans, and there are few bigger dates in the diary than the Melbourne Spring Carnival. The event stages some of the standout races toward the end of the calendar year, and the Carnival is headlined by the Melbourne Cup.
This race is the richest two-mile handicap in the world, and also ranks as one of the richest races to be run on the turf. It is known in Australia as the ‘race that stops the nation’, with massive television figures typically tuning in to watch the event on the first Tuesday in November.
The Melbourne Cup has been run annually since 1861, with the only exceptions coming during the two World Wars. Nowadays, the race attracts an international field, with runners from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France taking their chance.
The most recent edition of the Cup was won in 2024 by Knight’s Choice for trainers John Symons & Shelia Laxon. Getting to the track is straightforward for international visitors after flying into Melbourne, as Flemington Racecourse is located on the outskirts of the city centre.
Japan
There have been few more progressive nations in the world of horse racing in recent memory than Japan. The nation has taken a keen interest in the sport, and that is reflected by the sheer number of international winners that have been recorded by trainers based in the Asian country.
However, attending racing in Japan should be on the list for all passionate fans. The standout race in the diary comes in the form of the Japan Cup, which is held at Tokyo Racecourse and is one of the richest turf races in the world.
It has quickly become a standout race for international raiders since 2001, with competitors from the UK, France, and North America typically travelling to Asia in the hope of winning prize money.
There have been some memorable editions of the race in recent memory, including Equinox’s success in 2023. Getting to the racecourse can be achieved via a train from downtown Tokyo, while there are also taxis and bus options available.
