What Is The Biggest Horse Race In England? (Revealed!)

Recently, I was watching the Tokyo Olympics with a few friends.

We were watching the Equestrian events, in which Great Britain ranked second overall.

As we watched the event, we began to wonder about the state of horse racing in the country, and what the most coveted national events were.

So, I decided to do a bit of research on the most prestigious horse races in England.

Today, I’d like to present my findings.

So, here I will answer the question: “What is the biggest horse race in England?

The answer is that there are two major horse races in England: The Grand National and Royal Ascot. The races are two of the most widely viewed, as well as the most valuable in terms of prize money. They attract the best horses, jockeys, trainers, owners, etc. each year.

In this article we’re going to dive deeper into both the Grand National and Royal Ascot to learn more about England’s two most prestigious horse races.

 

What is The Grand National?

The Grand National is a jumping horse race held each year at Aintree Racecourse in England.

The race consists of an official distance of about 4 miles and 2 ½ furlongs with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps.

It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with purse money (or, the total prize amount split among the top finishers) of £1 million.

The race is an incredibly prominent part of British culture and often attracts people who don’t usually keep up with horse racing.

 

When is The Grand National?

The Grand National is usually held in late March or early April.

There is no specific date for the annual race to occur each year.

 

How does a horse qualify for The Grand National?

In order to qualify for The Grand National, a horse must be at least 7 years old.

Horses must have run in at least 3 recognized chases and are required to have finished in the top four of a race of 3 miles or more.

The horses must meet a minimum handicap standard or, in other words, they must carry a predetermined weight, based on the horse’s past performances.

 

When did the Grand National originate?

The Grand National was founded by William Lynn, who built the racecourse in 1829.

There is a bit of a debate about the date of the first Grand National, but leading historians now generally agree that the first running occurred in 1836.

These early races did not occur at Aintree, which is why some historians disagree that they should be considered “Grand Nationals.”

In official history books, the first Grand National is documented as 1839.

However, recent evidence suggests the three races that happened before 1839 were run over the same course that now exists at Aintree and were likely considered as having been Grand Nationals up until the mid-1860s.

 

What horse won the first Grand National?

Since the date of the first Grand National has been up for debate, the answer to which horse holds the title as the first winner is a tricky one.

In 1836, a racehorse named The Duke won with Captain Martin Becher as jockey.

The same horse won again in 1837.

If we were to assume that the first Grand National occurred in 1839, then the winner was a horse named Lottery.

The jockey riding Lottery to the finish line was Jem Mason.

 

Who won the most recent Grand National?

The 2021 Grand National was run on April 10 2021.

A racehorse named Minella Times won the race with the first-ever female jockey to earn the top finisher spot, Rachael Blackmore.

 

Has any horse won The Grand National more than once?

In 2019, Tiger Roll became the first racehorse since Red Rum in 1974 to win the Grand National two years in a row.

In addition to Red Rum’s consecutive wins in 1973 and 1974, the horse won again in 1977.

Reynoldstown also won back-to-back Grand National races in 1935 and 1936.

Before that, Poethlyn won two consecutive Grand National races in 1918 and 1919.

Three more horses have also won The Grand National more than once: Abd-El-Kader in 1850 and 1851, The Colonel in 1869 and 1870 and Manifesto in 1897 and 1899.

As stated earlier, if we are to assume that the Grand National first began in 1836, then The Duke also won the race more than once (and in two consecutive years).

In total, this would be eight horses that have won the race twice.

 

What are some of the most famous horses to race in The Grand National?

Red Rum is one of the most well-known horses to ever race in The Grand National.

The horse, which was bred in Ireland, is the only horse to hold three Grand National titles.

Red Rum is also known for jumping ability, having not fallen in 100 races.

Other notable horses include Mr. Frisk (1990), Comply or Die (2008), Mon Mome (2009), and Ballabriggs (2011).

 

What is Royal Ascot?

Royal Ascot is Britain’s most valuable race meeting.

It attracts hundreds of horses each year — generally around 500 horses compete over the course of five days.

They compete for millions in purse money.

Each day, the annual race is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth, along with an assortment of other members of the Royal Family.

 

When did Royal Ascot Originate?

The first four-day race to be held at the racecourse occurred in 1768.

However, the meeting as it is known today only really started to take shape with the introduction of The Gold Cup (a Grade 1 race for racehorses 4 years and older) in 1807.

The event takes place each year in June.

 

What is the Gold Cup race?

The Gold Cup race is the signature event of Royal Ascot — usually held on the third day of the event.

It is a Grade 1 flat horse race, meaning that it is reserved for a specific age group (in this case, horses 4 years or older).

The race is run over a distance of 2 miles, 3 furlongs, and 210 yards.

It is the most prestigious event in England for horses that specialize in racing over long distances.

 

Who won the most recent Gold Cup?

The most recent Gold Cup was secured by a Thoroughbred racehorse named Subjectivist.

The horse won the race in its first year competing and was ridden by jockey Joe Fanning.

 

What are some of the most famous horses to race in Royal Ascot?

Brown Jack is one of the most famous winners of Royal Ascot, and also considered one of the most famous horses in the history of British racing.

Brown Jack holds a seemingly unbeatable record in the Queen Alexandra Stakes — another event in Royal Ascot — a whopping six seasons in a row from 1928 to 1934.

Estimate is another incredibly famous British racehorse, and is owned by Queen Elizabeth II.

Estimate won the Sagaro Stakes — another of Royal Ascot’s events — as a 4-year-old.

The same year, the horse also secured the Gold Cup for the Royal Family.

 

How many horses race in Royal Ascot?

As stated above, around 500 horses will race in Royal Ascot over the course of five days.

Eighteen Group races, eight of them Group 1, are staged each year.

 

How many people attend Royal Ascot?

Over the course of the five days, Royal Ascot will see more than 300,000 attendees.

The crowd ebbs and flows depending on the day and the importance of the races, but it is known to attract large crowds.

Additionally, the events are broadcast to audiences in almost 200 territories around the world, so tens of millions of people are able to watch the events in real time.

 

As you can see, England is one of the most notable places in the world for horse racing, with the sport dating back nearly 300 years.

The Grand National and Royal Ascot are two of the most famous races not only in the country but across the world.

There are dozens of other races that horse racing experts and enthusiasts follow in England, but these are the two that often attract millions of viewers who may not otherwise keep up with the sport.