Punchestown 27 4 22 ALLAHO and Paul Townend jump the last to win the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup Grade 1 Healy Racing © Photo Healy RacingHorse racing fans are treated to their favourite sport all year round and due to the vast amount of racing served up across the world, there are myriad different types of racing found across a wealth of betting sites.
From sprint races on the Flat to long-distance races over Jumps, racing fans have the freedom to choose from various options on offer. Some enthusiasts are more partial to steeplechase racing (horse racing with jumps), while others may enjoy strategic speed of Flat racing.
One possible hurdle, if you pardon the pun, is that there are many different types of races that need to be explained. With that in mind, we’ve put together this guide to cover both Flat and Jump racing, as well as specific classifications like Maidens, Novices, and Handicaps.
You can also find our horse racing terminology and betting terminology pages to help you decipher complex racing jargon.
In flat races, horses run on a flat track without any obstacles. These races are predominantly run on turf in Ireland and the UK, however select races take place on all-weather surfaces - an artificial surface which can be used in adverse weather conditions. The US is famous for its dirt racing on the Flat.
Speed is the name of the game in Flat racing - there are different types of races which are usually between five furlongs (approx. 1 kilometre) to two miles long and which differ in class.
The most prestigious Group 1 races in the Flat racing calendar, Classics are the most elite contests which the entire racing’s fraternity all want to win. The five Classics are run in Ireland and in Britain.
The top races in Flat racing are called Group 1s, where every horse runs off the same weight, unless there is a mares’ or age allowance applied. The Classics above are the most famous examples.
Group 2 and 3 races are somewhat similar: all horses run off a base weight, which is decided by gender or age and penalties for winning other Group races are applied. However, the best horses are still expected to come out on top because the penalties are small.
Listed races are a tier below Group 3. They are slightly less prestigious but usually offer a good gateway for handicappers to progress into top-level performers. Prize money tends to be significantly lower in Listed races compared to Group contests.
Jumps races, also known as National Hunt races, are run on turf and involve horse and rider contesting obstacles, either hurdles or chases. There are two main types of Jumps races:
There are also National Hunt Flat Races which are run on a Jumps card to prepare young and inexperienced horses for their first run over hurdles.
Put simply, maidens are for horses who have never won a race in that particular sphere. You will find maiden hurdles and Flat maidens in most fixtures on both sides of the Irish Sea.
Usually it’s the inexperienced horses that run in maidens, but they are generally open to all horses who haven’t won, with the exception of age specific races.
It’s worth noting that horses who have won on the Flat will be maidens over jumps until they win in that sphere.
Novice races are similar to maidens, with the exception that you can still run in them having won previously, provided that success came in the same season. Previous winners are given a weight penalty to carry (the exact amount is specified in the race conditions).
Horses who have won two or more times can also run but will carry double or triple penalties for those successes. A horse’s novice season generally ends when the campaign in which their first win is achieved comes to an end.
In Jump racing, younger horses will often run in novice hurdles for a season and, regardless of how many times they win, they will still remain novices over fences. This means they can contest novice chases the following season.
Harness races are held overseas and are particularly popular in Australia and North America, but they also have a dedicated following in Great Britain and Ireland. This sport involves a horse pulling a two-wheeled carriage (called a sulky) with a driver and the horses are Standardbreds, which are sturdier and shorter-legged than Thoroughbreds.
The horses do not compete at a gallop but instead at a trot or pace gait. If a horse breaks this gait and begins to gallop, it must be pulled back or it will face disqualification. Drivers must be highly skilled and agile to be successful in these types of horse races.
These are long-distance races that can last for days. They test the horse’s stamina and are held in particularly high esteem in the Middle East, the US, and Australia. The horses used for endurance racing are mainly Arabians, as the breed is naturally suited for long-distance travel.
Distances typically vary from 40 to 100 miles, though some multi-day events can cover 150 miles or more. A unique feature of this race type is the 'Vet Gate'. These are mandatory checkpoints where veterinarians must declare the horse fit to continue. If a horse’s heart rate does not recover to a specific level within a set time, it is disqualified.
Handicaps are races held on the Flat and over Jumps, and are for horses that have run three times and have been allocated a rating, which is their handicap mark. This rating determines the weight a horse must carry to give every horse an equal chance of winning. The handicap mark can increase or decrease after each race, depending on how well a horse runs.
Handicaps usually have a class level attached to them and the conditions often stipulate that a horse needs to be rated within a certain range in order to qualify (e.g. 0-80). These vary from Class 2 for the best handicappers to Class 7 for those rated the lowest.
The prestigious and more valuable handicaps on the Flat are called ‘heritage handicaps’, whilst the Jump racing equivalents are called ‘premier handicaps’.
These are often contested by horses at the lower end of the handicap and a horse’s eligibility is determined by their handicap mark (e.g. 0-50). Classified Stakes are different to handicaps, though, as horses run off the same weight, with the exception of specific weight penalties for recent wins.
The best races held on the Flat are the Classics: 2,000 Guineas, 1,000 Guineas, Derby, Oaks and St Leger. Ireland and the UK stage their own version of the five Classics.
Over Jumps, the best races on the calendar are the Grade 1 contests, such as the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham Racecourse. Ireland and the UK stage their own versions of these top-level races.
The Grand National held at Aintree is the world’s most famous race and a significant test of stamina. Here, horses contest 30 steeplechase fences over a distance of four miles and two and a half furlongs. Ireland also hosts its own Grand National at Fairyhouse in April.
The highest paying horse race is the Saudi Cup, a Flat race on dirt, worth 20 million dollars. The winning horse receives a staggering ten million dollars, with prize money down to tenth.
You can find more information on horse racing and betting below on our betting guide pages:
