Horse Racing – The Basics
Horse racing is one of the world’s most popular competitive sports, and continues to be a powerful force in the sporting world. The sport itself can be traced back thousands of years, as horses have always been raced due to their speed and stamina. Modern racing as we know it today has only existed for the last two hundred years or so, and has not changed much in that time.
While there are many types of horse racing found throughout the world, we will focus mostly on the most popular type: flat racing. Flat racing is a horse race that is done on a flat racecourse, usually done over a predetermined distance, and each race has different requirements that, including the breed of the horse, and the type of class the horse is.
Flat racing has seen substantial growth in popularity over the last several decades, and like pokies online NZ, this is thanks in large part to the massive betting scene that has grown and prospered around the sport. Horse race betting is a favourite pastime for enthusiasts the world over, and makes for some truly thrilling entertainment. If you’re interested in taking up horse race betting, or simply want to know more about how flat racing works, read on to find out more.
All About Flat Racing
While flat racing distances are predetermined, they will always be within a certain lengths, such as 2 furlongs – which is 402 metres – up to 4.8 km. The distance depends on the host of the track, the class and breed of the horses participating, and the event that is taking place. Most flat races are done in either a test of speed, stamina, or a combination of the two, and is often also a test of how well the jockey can perform on the back of their racer.
Despite all the breeds that take part in flat racing, the Thoroughbred has been the dominant breed for the last two hundred years thanks to its unparalleled speed and endurance. Some of the greatest flat racers in history were Thoroughbred, such as Man ‘o War and Secretariat.
While most flat race surfaces are made up of short grass, they can vary depending on where the racecourse is. It can also depend on the breed taking part, as some breeds perform better on certain surfaces.
In colder countries that tend to snow often, courses will often be synthetic to disallow them from freezing over and causing the horses to slip. These all-weather surfaces are made up of a mixture of sand and/or rubber and synthetic fibre, and covered by a special type of wax in many cases.
Other Types of Popular Horse Racing
Flat racing is the most followed horse racing in the world, that much is true, but there are other types that have gained massive popularity.
Jump racing is another, and this is where the horses are required to jump over special hurdles. There is also harness racing, where the animal has to wear a harness and pull a sulky.
Horse racing shows no sign of slowing down, and if you’re interested, there has never been a better time to get involved.