Horse Racing: Types of Races that Attract the Most Punters
To call horse racing an ancient sport would be an understatement. Evidence suggests that as soon as humans tamed horses, racing emerged as a fun pastime. Even five thousand years later, horse racing remains a popular sport today.
Racing horses is popular all over the world. However, Ireland is the country most often associated with horse racing. The Irish are known to raise and train some of the best and most successful horses, so it is no surprise at all that the Irish love horse race betting.
In this article, however, we would like to focus on the different styles of horse betting you will find, not just in Ireland, but all over the world. We want to look at the best horse racing odds in Ireland, and the races that they are linked to. So, without further ado, let us take a look at types of races that attract the most punters.
Flat Races
The horse race style that most people are probably familiar with is flat racing. As the name suggests, a flat race is a horse race that takes place on a flat track, with the goal of testing a horse’s speed, endurance, and their sync with the jockey.
Flat races are, probably, the most popular races worldwide, as they are simple to get into, easy to follow, and most importantly, incredibly intuitive to bet on. All you have to do is go over the horses’ specs and determine which animal will take the lead.
When we talk about the most popular horse racing events in the world, we will find that most of them are flat races. Not only that, but a lot of the best equestrian athletes in history have made a name for themselves on the flat race track.
Hurdle Chases
While flat racing is the most popular style of horse racing worldwide, the Irish have a different idea. Most horse racing enthusiasts in Ireland will tell you that hurdle chases (or steeplechases) are their favorite horse races to watch and bet on. But, what is a hurdle chase?
As you can probably imagine, a hurdle chase is a horse race where the horse must not only reach first place, but overcome a series of obstacles along the track. Jumping over hurdles is the most popular obstacle, which is where the racing style gets its name.
Rather than simply testing out speed and stamina, steeplechases also test the connection between a jockey and a horse, as well as their skill. Though they are much more dangerous than a flat race, steeplechases are quite exciting and attract a huge fan base.
Stamina Races
Finally, stamina races are exactly what they sound like. The marathons of the horse racing world, stamina races involve people racing long distances, which range from long tracks, to cross-country riding. The most popular stamina race takes place in Mongolia, and is often considered to be one of the most dangerous sporting events in the world.
