Every horse racing year contains a whole host of top class horse racing events full of spectacle, socialising and splurging. Many of those meetings date back for hundreds of years and are amongst the oldest organised sporting occasions in the world. From the rolling hills of Epsom Downs to the challenging fences of Aintree, these prestigious events draw crowds in their hundreds of thousands, united by their passion for the sport of kings.
2026 is going to be very special with another set of unforgettable runnings. Whether you’re a seasoned racing enthusiast, a casual observer drawn in by the pageantry and excitement, or simply a lover of horses, the year ahead promises drama, triumph and heartbreak in equal measure. The world’s finest thoroughbreds will compete for glory and substantial prize money, whilst the betting industry gears up for some of its busiest days of the year. Here is just a taste of what racegoers can look forward to.
The Cheltenham Festival
Held across four days in March, the Cheltenham Festival is the most important meeting in the National Hunt calendar. It’s also one of the most well-attended events and it provides something of a gateway to a spectacular spring and summer of sport.
There are a number of top class Grade One races across the festival, but the most important of these is the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Traditionally held on the final day, the Gold Cup was first contested in 1924 and many of the biggest names in the sport have lifted the trophy. It’s a testing run with many fences to jump along three miles, two furlongs and 70 yards of the Cheltenham course.
In 2026, the Cheltenham Festival will run from Tuesday 10th March to Friday 13th March. The atmosphere at Prestbury Park is electric throughout the week, with roars echoing around the amphitheatre-like course as punters cheer home their fancies. The festival attracts over 260,000 spectators across the four days, making it one of the largest sporting gatherings in Britain. Beyond the Gold Cup, races such as the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle draw the finest horses from Britain and Ireland, ensuring fierce competition and unforgettable moments.
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The Grand National
Aintree’s Grand National has to be the most spectacular of all the race meetings in the UK. This is a real test of skill and endurance with horses having to negotiate no fewer than 30 fences across four miles and 514 yards of the course.
The Grand National is another historic horse race and the first edition was run way back in 1839. It is also one of the busiest days in the calendar for the horse racing betting industry. This is a time when serious bettors are joined by casual punters who may be staking their one bet of the year.
Horse racing betting markets are made available months in advance of the meeting, and this is a time when the industry is at its most competitive with excellent odds and a few promotions. The drama and thrills supplied by the race is behind this particular phenomenon.
The Grand National will take place on Saturday 4th April 2026, returning to its traditional first Saturday in April slot. The race has become synonymous with extraordinary tales of triumph and heartbreak, with legendary horses like Red Rum, who won the race three times in the 1970s, forever etched in racing folklore. The famous fences—including Becher’s Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn—present unique challenges that test both horse and jockey to their limits. The three-day Grand National meeting also features the Grand Sefton Chase and Aintree Hurdle, ensuring quality racing throughout the festival.
The Melbourne Cup
Whilst the UK hosts many of the biggest races on the calendar, it doesn’t have a monopoly on the top meetings. Australia is another country where the sport has a huge following and the highlight of their racing year is the Melbourne Cup.
The significant prize purse on offer makes this the richest two mile handicap in the world and it’s one of the most lucrative races of any kind. The Melbourne Cup was first run in 1861 and it’s known in the present day as the Race that Stops a Nation.
The Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne is the destination as the race produces the highlight of Victoria’s Spring Carnival. Expect more thrills when the Melbourne Cup returns on Tuesday 3rd November 2026. Held on the first Tuesday in November, the race has become a public holiday in Melbourne, with offices and schools closing so everyone can watch this iconic event.
The carnival atmosphere extends beyond the track, with fashion competitions, celebrity appearances and lavish hospitality making it as much a social occasion as a sporting one. International horses frequently compete, adding a global dimension to the race, and winners such as Makybe Diva, who claimed an unprecedented three consecutive victories from 2003 to 2005, have achieved legendary status.
The Kentucky Derby
It’s over to America now for one of the most highly anticipated events on the horse racing calendar. First held in 1875, this must be an exceptional race because it has two nicknames.
The Run for the Roses or, the Fastest Two Minutes in Sport is a ten furlong sprint which has given us some memorable winners such as Secretariat in 1973 and American Pharoah in 2015.
It’s a stunning two minutes of sprinting with the 2026 edition of the Kentucky Derby being held on Saturday 2nd May. Held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, the race is steeped in tradition, from the singing of ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ to the draping of a garland of 554 red roses over the winning horse. The Derby kicks off the American Triple Crown series, followed by the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, with only 13 horses having won all three races in history. The event attracts over 150,000 spectators, making it one of the largest single-day sporting events in the United States, and the accompanying festivities—including mint juleps and elaborate hats—have made it a cultural institution.
Read: 5 tips for planning a trip to Lexington, Kentucky
The Epsom Derby
This, in the opinion of most turf enthusiasts and those who bet on horse racing, is the most important flat race on the calendar. The Epsom Derby is also the oldest race on this list with records confirming that the first ever running took place in 1780.
The Derby is a race for thoroughbred three-year-olds and the list of previous winners reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of horse racing. Nijinsky, Mill Reef, Benny the Dip and Shergar have all claimed the trophy.
It’s a short event, held over one mile, four furlongs and six yards, but this is an undulating surface and a true test for the runners. In 2026, the Epsom Derby will take place on Saturday 6th June. The unique topography of Epsom Downs, with its sweeping descent to Tattenham Corner followed by a gruelling uphill finish, ensures that only the most balanced and talented horses can triumph. The Derby is the middle leg of the English Triple Crown—following the 2000 Guineas and preceding the St Leger—though the feat has been achieved only 15 times in history. The race day forms the centrepiece of the Derby Festival, a two-day celebration that also features the Oaks, the fillies’ equivalent, run the day before.
The Best Of The Rest
These are just five of the biggest races to look forward to in 2026. Aside from these renewals, there are a host of other highly anticipated Group Ones on the way over the next 12 months. Racegoers should also look out for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the St Leger, the Oaks, Royal Ascot, the World Cup in Dubai, and the Belmont Stakes to name just a few.
It will be another thrilling year with all of these meetings hopefully providing a major highlight.
