A huge sporting tradition in the UK and internationally, flat and jump horse racing brings in the punters to many huge races, events and festivals. Featuring the English Classics, the Grand Nationals, Gold Cups and The Derby, the British racing calendar is action-packed throughout the year. Here we look at the major horse races and events taking place in 2024.
Main image: Downpatrick Racecourse in Co. Down, Northern Ireland
Major UK horse races in 2024
New Year’s Day Racing at Cheltenham
- When: 1 January 2024
- Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Cheltenham Festival
- When: 12-15 March 2024
- Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, England
- Feature races (jumps): Unibet Champion Hurdle, Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase, Cheltenham Gold Cup
- Website, tickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Randox Ulster National Raceday at Downpatrick
- What: seven races will be on the card, including the feature race, the Randox Ulster National
- When: 7 April 2024
- Where: Downpatrick Racecourse, Co. Down, Northern Ireland
- Website: downpatrickracecourse.co.uk
Randox Health Grand National Festival at Aintree
- When: 11-13 April 2024
- Where: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England
- Feature races (jumps): JLT Melling Steeple Chase, Randox Health Topham Steeple Chase, Grand National
- Website, tickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Randox Grand National at Aintree
- When: 13 April 2024
- Where: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England
- Website, tickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Coral Scottish Grand National Festival at Ayr
- When: 20 April 2024
- Where: Ayr Racecourse, Scotland
- Feature races (jumps): Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle, Coral Scottish Grand National
- Website: scottishgrandnationalfestival.co.uk
Bet365 Jump Finale at Sandown Park
- When: Saturday 27 April 2024
- Where: Sandown Park, Surrey, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket
- When: 3-5 May 2024
- Where: Newmarket Racecourse, England
- Feature races (flat): 2000 and 1000 Guineas
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Epsom Derby Festival
- When: 31 May-1 June 2024
- Where: Epsom Downs, Surrey, England
- Feature races (flat): The Oaks, The Derby
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Royal Ascot
- When: 18-22 June 2024
- Where: Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, England
- Feature races (flat): Gold Cup, St James’s Palace Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Coronation Stakes, Golden Jubilee Stakes
- Website: ascot.co.uk
Old Newton Cup Festival at Haydock Park
- When: 4-6 July 2024
- Where: Haydock Park, Merseyside, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Coral Summer Festival at Sandown Park
- When: 5-6 July 2024
- Where: Sandown Park, Surrey, England
- Feature races (flat): Group 1 Coral-Eclipse
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
The July Festival at Newmarket
- When: 11-13 July 2024
- Where: Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket, England
- Feature races (flat): Darley July Cup, Princess of Wales’s Stakes, Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Summer Plate Ladies Day at Market Rasen
- When: 20 July 2024
- Where: Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, England
- Feature races (jumps): Summer Plate Grade 3 Handicap Chase, Summer Handicap Hurdle
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
King George Weekend at Ascot
- When: 26-27 July 2024
- Where: Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, England
- Feature races (flat): QIPCO King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
- Website: ascot.co.uk
Qatar Goodwood Festival
- What: “Glorious Goodwood” is a flat racing festival
- When: 30 July-1 August 2024
- Where: Goodwood Racecourse, West Sussex, England
- Feature races (flat): Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, Qatar Sussex Stakes, King George Qatar Stakes
- Website: goodwood.com
York Ebor Festival
- When: 21-23 August 2024
- Where: York Racecourse, York, England
- Feature races: Juddmonte International, Darley Yorkshire Oaks, Coolmore Nunthorpe, York Ebor
- Tickets: yorkracecourse.co.uk
Sky Bet Soul Music Saturday at Sandown Park
- When: 31 August 2024
- Where: Sandown Park, Surrey, England
- Feature races: Solario Stakes
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Sprint Cup Celebration at Haydock Park
- When: 5-7 September 2024
- Where: Haydock Park, Lancashire, England
- Feature races: Betfair Sprint Cup
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse
- When: 12-15 September 2024
- Where: Doncaster Racecourse
- Featured races (flat): Doncaster Cup; St Leger Stakes; Leger Legends Day charity race
- Website: doncaster-racecourse.co.uk
The Autumn Meeting at Warwick
- When: 3 October 2024
- Where: Warwick Racecourse, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket
- When: 11-12 October 2024
- Where: Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket, Suffolk, England
- Feature races: bet365 Fillies’ Mile, Darley Dewhurst Stakes, Cesarewitch Handicap
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Welcome To The Jumps Raceday at Carlisle
- When: Thursday 17 October 2024
- Where: Carlisle Racecourse, Cumbria, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Season Opener at Wincanton
- When: Thursday 17 October 2024
- Where: Wincanton Racecourse, Somerset, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
The Showcase at Cheltenham
- When: 25-26 October 2024
- Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
The November Meeting at Cheltenham
- When: 15-17 November 2024
- Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, England
- Featured races (jumps): Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase, Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase, Unibet Greatwood Hurdle
- Website, tickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Warwick Winter Festival
- When: 20-21 November 2024
- Where: Warwick Racecourse, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Betfair Tingle Creek Festival at Sandown Park
- When: 6-7 December 2024
- Where: Sandown Park, Surrey, England
- Feature races (jumps): Betfair Tingle Creek Chase, Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, Winter Novices’ Hurdle
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
The Christmas Meeting at Cheltenham
- When: 13-14 December 2024
- Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, England
- Feature races (jumps): Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase; JCB Triumph Hurdle trial; Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle trial
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Celebrate Christmas Raceday at Exeter
- When: 19 December 2024
- Where: Exeter Racecourse, Devon, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Boxing Day Racing at Aintree
- When: Tuesday 26 December 2024
- Where: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Boxing Day Racing at Wincanton
- When: Tuesday 26 December 2024
- Where: Wincanton Racecourse, Somerset, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Ladbrokes Christmas Festival at Kempton Park
- When: 26-27 December 2024
- Where: Kempton Park Racecourse, Surrey, England
- Featured races (jump): King George VI Steeple Chase, Mare’s Handicap Hurdle Race, Wayward Lad Novices’ Steeple Chase, The Desert Orchid Chase
- Website and ticketsTickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk
Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow
- When: 27 December 2024
- Where: Chepstow Racecourse, Chepstow, Wales
- Featured races (jump): Welsh National, Finale Junior Hurdle, Championship Bumper
- Website: chepstow-racecourse.co.uk
The Betfred Last Fling at Haydock Park
- When: Saturday 30 December 2024
- Where: Haydock Park, Merseyside, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
New Year’s Eve Raceday at Warwick
- When: Sunday 31 December 2024
- Where: Warwick Racecourse, England
- Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk
The Jockey Club hosts racing fixtures throughout the year at its 14 racecourses, plus music concerts, festivals and other events. See thejockeyclub.co.uk for its full schedule.
Major international races in 2024
Dubai World Cup Carnival
- When: January-March 2024
- Where: Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, UAE
Pegasus World Cup
- When: 27 January 2024
- Where: Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida, US
Saudi Cup
- When: 28-29 February 2024
- Where: King Abdulaziz Racetrack, Riyadh, Saudi Arabian
Dubai World Cup Day
- When: 30 March 2024
- Where: Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, UAE
Kentucky Derby
- When: 3-4 May 2024
- Where: Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, Kentucky, US
Preakness Stakes
- When: 18 May 2024
- Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland, US
Belmont Stakes
- When: 8 June 2024
- Where: Belmont Park, Elmont, New York, US
Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
- When: 5-6 October 2024
- Where: Longchamps, Paris, France
The Everest
- What: the world’s ‘richest race on turf’
- When: 19 October 2024
- Where: Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia
Breeders’ Cup
- When: 1-2 November 2024
- Where: Del Mar, San Diego, California, US
Melbourne Cup Carnival
- When: 2-9 November 2024
- Where: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Melbourne Cup Day
- When: 5 November 2023
- Where: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Japan Cup
- When: 24 November 2023
- Where: Tokyo Racecourse, Tokyo, Japan
Editor’s note: Sports Tourism News works with affiliate partners such as The Jockey Club, Ticketmaster, and See Tickets. Any tickets or packages are sold directly by agents and operators. We may earn a commission should you choose to book any tickets or packages. All details are provided by affiliate partners. All events and prices subject to change.