Major Horse Races – UK & Ireland Racing Calendar
From the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National to the Epsom Derby, Royal Ascot and the biggest racing festivals in Ireland, the UK and Irish horse racing calendar is packed with major races throughout the year.
Our major horse races calendar brings together the key upcoming races from the biggest Flat and National Hunt meetings in Britain and Ireland. Use the race list below to find upcoming major races, including race dates, racecourses, festivals and other useful information.
Major Horse Races in the UK and Ireland
Britain and Ireland are home to some of the most famous horse races and racing festivals in the world, with major events taking place throughout the year.
The racing calendar can broadly be divided between National Hunt (jumps) racing and Flat racing. The jumps season features major meetings such as the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National Festival, while the Flat season includes the Guineas, Epsom Derby, Royal Ascot, Irish Derby and many of the biggest summer racing festivals.
Our upcoming races list above is designed to make it easy to see what major race is coming next and where it takes place.
Major National Hunt Races
The National Hunt calendar contains many of the biggest events in British and Irish racing.
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the centrepieces of the jumps season, featuring four days of top-class racing and races such as the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
A few weeks later attention turns to Aintree and the Grand National Festival, culminating in the Grand National itself. Ireland also has an outstanding jumps programme, with major meetings including the Dublin Racing Festival, Irish Grand National meeting at Fairyhouse and the Punchestown Festival.
Other important races and meetings throughout the jumps season ensure there is major National Hunt action on both sides of the Irish Sea from autumn through to spring.
Major Flat Horse Races
The major Flat racing season gathers pace during the spring before a packed programme of prestigious races throughout the summer and early autumn.
Newmarket’s 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas are among the first Classics of the British season, followed by the Oaks and Derby at Epsom.
June is particularly important for Flat racing. Royal Ascot stages five days of high-quality racing, while the Curragh hosts the Irish Derby, one of the highlights of the Irish Flat season.
The summer continues with major meetings including the Galway Races, Glorious Goodwood and York’s Ebor Festival before the season moves towards races including the St Leger and the major championship meetings in Britain and Ireland.
Biggest Horse Racing Festivals in the UK
Some of the best-known British racing festivals and meetings include:
- Cheltenham Festival
- Grand National Festival at Aintree
- Newmarket Guineas Festival
- Chester May Festival
- Epsom Derby Festival
- Royal Ascot
- Glorious Goodwood
- York Ebor Festival
- St Leger Festival at Doncaster
- British Champions Day at Ascot
Together, these meetings feature many of Britain’s most prestigious Flat and jumps races.
Biggest Horse Racing Festivals in Ireland
Ireland has an equally busy racing calendar combining major Flat and National Hunt meetings. Some of the standout events include:
- Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown
- Irish Grand National Festival at Fairyhouse
- Punchestown Festival
- Irish Guineas Festival at the Curragh
- Irish Derby Festival at the Curragh
- Galway Races
- Listowel Harvest Festival
- Irish Champions Festival
- Leopardstown Christmas Festival
These meetings attract leading horses, trainers and jockeys from Ireland and overseas and form important parts of the wider British and Irish racing calendar.
When Are the Next Major Horse Races?
Major races take place throughout the year, so there is rarely a long wait for another significant meeting.
The exact schedule changes from season to season. Use our upcoming major horse races table above to see the next major races in chronological order, together with their dates, racecourses and associated racing festivals.
The list can be updated as new race dates and meeting information are confirmed, providing a useful year-round reference for the UK and Irish horse racing calendar.
Major Horse Races FAQs
What are the biggest horse races in the UK?
Some of Britain’s most famous races include the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Grand National, Champion Hurdle, Epsom Derby, Oaks, 2,000 Guineas, 1,000 Guineas and St Leger. Royal Ascot also stages a number of internationally important races across its five-day meeting.
What are the biggest horse races in Ireland?
Major Irish races include the Irish Grand National, Irish Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and major Grade 1 contests staged at meetings such as the Dublin Racing Festival and Punchestown Festival.
What is the next major horse race in the UK or Ireland?
Check the upcoming major horse races table at the top of this page. The races are listed by date so you can quickly see which major races and festivals are coming up next.
What is the biggest jumps racing festival?
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the principal meetings of the National Hunt season. It takes place over four days and includes championship races such as the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
What are the five British Classic horse races?
The five British Classics are the 2,000 Guineas, 1,000 Guineas, Oaks, Derby and St Leger. They are restricted to three-year-old horses, with the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks restricted to fillies.
When does the UK and Irish horse racing season start?
Horse racing takes place throughout the year in Britain and Ireland rather than having one single start and finish date. National Hunt racing is most prominent through autumn, winter and spring, while the major Flat racing programme is concentrated across spring and summer into the autumn.
What is the difference between Flat and National Hunt racing?
Flat racing takes place without obstacles and generally focuses on speed and stamina over varying distances. National Hunt racing includes hurdle races and steeplechases, in which horses must jump obstacles during the race.
Where can I find upcoming major horse races?
Our major horse races calendar above lists upcoming significant races from leading UK and Irish racing festivals, helping you see what’s coming next and when each race is scheduled to take place.