UK Horse Racing History
It is hard to imagine a typical weekend in the United Kingdom without thinking, no matter how briefly, about the horse races. This national past-time brings together members of all classes, all ages and all backgrounds. Be it Flat or Jump Races, the equine sports are such a staple of British sporting life we rarely question their beginnings.
This section of our site is devoted to bringing you the historical background of the races, as well as facts on the slow and deliberate evolution of today's thoroughbred horse. If you enjoy your racing now, you will enjoy it even more with the knowledge about its rich history and long-standing tradition.
The tradition of British horse racing dates back to the days of the Roman Empire, when Roman Soldiers invading the isle organised the first tournaments on horseback around 200 AD. The first officially recorded horse race in the United Kingdom however is dated 1174, during the reign of Henry II, and is said to have taken place in London suburb Smithfield during a horse fair.
As horse racing, the sport of kings, is considered a staunchly British tradition, it is very easy to overlook the fact that the individual countries within Great Britain have an autonomous and flourishing racing industry. This page highlights the courses, history and traditions of Scottish horseracing specifically.
Far be it from us to enter into the discussion about whether Ireland or England is the superior authority on everything, but the topic of Irish Horse Racing is simply too exciting to be left alone. And while we won't argue on behalf of the Irish or the English on any other level, it just has to be said that Irish Horse Racing is pretty excellent.
Thoroughbred racing got its name for a reason - only those horses bred from a select stock are permitted to run in Thoroughbred races. What you may find surprising is that there were a core 3 sires brought to England in the 17th and 18th centuries that were most responsible for the foundation of Thoroughbred racing.
No one can deny that 'the sport of kings', the fine tradition of racing horses, is deeply entwined with the English culture. During weekends and holidays, as well as on other celebratory occasions, race meetings seem to be an almost compulsory element on the entertainment menu. Let us invite you to delve a little deeper into the world of English horse racing.
Although there may be sceptics amongst the crowd of racing fans, who doubt that Wales of all places will ever be an influential force on the horse racing circuit, you shouldn't ignore the strong and growing trend of Welsh horse racing. With a new state of the art racecourse opened in Carmarthenshire less than a year ago in 2009, Wales is definitely an area to watch.
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