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Every year, the horse racing calendar is packed to bursting with meetings and race days, though some of the sport’s events stand apart as showpiece occasions with a much greater gravitational pull.
Indeed, trainers and owners build entire seasons around these glitzy events, while fans and bettors everywhere mark their diaries months and even years ahead of these special, annual racing milestones.
The most prestigious horse races in the world provide a blend of tradition, spectacle and, of course, the prospect of big prize pots, while attracting the highest calibre of horses and jockeys.
Some of these events carry the weight of centuries of historical significance, while others have grown rapidly thanks to financial investment.
However, in every case, the winners’ stories are told and retold. So, let’s saddle up for a journey across continents to recount the top horse races worldwide.
The Most Prestigious Horse Races in the World
Below is a list of what are arguably the most celebrated, world-class races that belong in any definitive guide to global racing (in no particular order):
1. Kentucky Derby (USA)
Perhaps the most famous of the lot, Churchill Downs hosts this “Run for the Roses” in May each year, a two-minute burst of intense action that has become the pinnacle of American flat racing.
The event, which anchors the U.S. Triple Crown, draws not just horse racing fans but celebrities and international attention. From a betting perspective, it’s annual wagering figures routinely break records.
The Kentucky Derby is the longest-running sporting event in the USA and can trace its origins all the way back to 1875.
2. Melbourne Cup (Australia)
Dubbed as “the race that stops a nation”, the Melbourne Cup is held at Flemington in November every 12 months. This 3,200-metre handicap is for horses aged three and older, and the event is woven into Australia’s national sporting fabric.
Expect mammoth crowds, flamboyant fashion and extensive coverage for Melbourne Cup, which stands as one of the richest and iconic turf races on the planet.
Knight’s Choice won the Melbourne Cup in 2024 with jockey Robbie Dolan on board.
3. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (France)
Every October, at Longchamp in Paris, the Prix de l’Arc assembles Europe’s best middle-distance horses in a dramatic, high-stakes test of will and quality.
Known for its French elegance, depth and fascinating strategic battles, l’Arc is a favourite among bettors who appreciate the delicate nuances of top turf racing.
First held in 1920, the 2024 l’Arc was won by Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking, with Irish jockey Rossa Ryan in control.
4. Dubai World Cup (UAE)
Added to the racing calendar in 1996, the Dubai World Cup is still a relatively fresh addition to the industry, though it has exploded to prominence over the past 30 years, thanks in part to the vast prize money put forward by its ambitious organisers.
The Dubai World Cup currently carries a prize purse of $12m and attracts elite international runners to the UAE each year. The spectacle, which was won by the US-born Hit Show in 2025, feeds into the broader appeal of the Dubai Carnival.
5. Royal Ascot (Gold Cup and Group 1s) (United Kingdom)
An event consisting of a quintet of racing days at Ascot is always one of the highlights of the racing year. Crowned by the world-famous Gold Cup, Ascot marries centuries of royal tradition with aspects of modern glamour and British culture.
Ascot is a massive social occasion, but make no mistake, the races there are fiercely competitive and its winners enter racing folklore after they triumph. The best British and Irish horses and trainers rub shoulders in the Gold Cup each year.
In 2025, Trawlerman did the business in the Gold Cup with the help of jockey William Buick, delivering a second title in three years for trainers John and Thady Gosden.
6. Breeders’ Cup (USA)
Unlike its fixed-venue peers, the Breeders’ Cup moves from location to location, however, it packs plenty of prestige wherever it’s held. Offering a global showcase across multiple Grade 1 races, the Breeders’ Cup is often described as the world championships of thoroughbred racing. The prize purses on offer vary by race but can range from $1m to $7m.
7. The Grand National (UK)
Arguably, the most widely recognised horse race on earth, the Grand National is a marathon steeplechase over tough fences, and its unpredictable, thrilling rides are deeply entrenched in British culture.
Horse racing betting sites are often flooded with traffic ahead of the Grand National, with the event a mecca for punters due to its volatility.
Known for producing surprise winners, market upsets and sporting tragedy, the Grand National endures as one of the most-watched horse races in the world. In 2025, Patrick Mullins rode Nick Rockett to glory off a starting price of 33/1.
8. Cheltenham Gold Cup (UK, National Hunt)
For jump racing aficionados, no other race can hold a candle to the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Held during the Cheltenham Festival in March each year, this race is the pinnacle of steeplechase season.
The 2025 edition of the Gold Cup had a collective prize purse of £646,880 and was won by Inothewayurthinkin this year with Gavin Cromwell in the saddle. The Gold Cup is a mental and physical test, where horses must jump, gallop and endure.
