It is often said that horse racing is the sport of kings and with the levels of prize money available to winners of the top races you can understand the attraction of the sport to both the rich and not so rich around the globe.
The most expensive horse race in the UK is the historic Epsom Derby. The Derby has the distinction of being the richest of the five English Classics, as well as something of a national institution having been held since 1780. The prize fund of £1.25 million is contested over a one mile, four furlong course (2,423 meters)on the Epsom Downs. Even with this large prize, the Derby only ranks number ten in the richest races in the world.
The Hong Kong Cup is considered by many as Asia's equivalent to the Epsom Derby. Contested by horses three years and older and run over a course of 2,000 meters (approximately a mile and a quarter), the Hong Kong Cup has a prize fund of over two and a half million dollars. This race first started in 1988 and is now run every year in December.
In addition to these races, there are a number of other races with very high prize funds in excess of one million dollars including the Breeders Cup, the Kentucky Derby and the Melbourne Cup.
For a long time, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was the second richest race in the world, but slipped to third in 2008. It has a prize fund of four million Euros. Raced over a course of 2,400 meters (about a mile and a half) by a field of thoroughbred horses drawn from the United Kingdom, Ireland and Northern Europe, the prize is split between the first five horses to finish.
The Japan Cup, with a prize of 5.88 million dollars, is held at Tokyo racecourse over 2,400 meters and run in November since its inauguration in 1981.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most expensive horse race in the world is held in The United Arab Emirates. Known as the Dubai World Cup, the 2,000 meter (about ten furlongs) race over a Tapeta Footings synthetic surface and attracts some of the finest horses from around the world. Thoroughbred four-year-olds and older from the Northern Hemisphere and thoroughbred three-year-olds and older from the Southern Hemisphere compete for a purse which from 2010 has been ten million dollars. This increase in prize money coincided with a move to the new Meydan racecourse in March 2010.
Other races may not have the same prize money but may be just as famous as these including Ascot racing famous Royal Ascot and the other Classic races throughout the UK.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=S_Murray
No comments:
Post a Comment