Flat racing is a term commonly used in the United Kingdom to denote a form of horse-racing which is run over a predetermined distance and in which the horses are not required to jump over obstacles such as hurdles or fences as in National Hunt racing. This form of racing is a test of speed and stamina, and the skill of the jockey in determining when to hold the horse back or make it work harder.
Racing takes place on a natural grass surface (turf) or on a synthetic surface (known as "all-weather"). The flat races in the United Kingdom are run over a variety of distances from five furlongs (5/8 of a mile) to over two miles and are generally called sprints, middle distance or stayers races.
How It Works
In the United Kingdom, (and the majority of Europe) flat racing is split into two distinctive bands, conditions races and handicaps.
Group 1 - (Classics and other races of major international importance)
Group 2 - (less important international races)
Group 3 - (primarily domestic races)
Listed races - have less prestige than the group races but are still more important than handicaps.
Handicap races - where the Jockey Club official handicapper gives horses a different weight to carry according to their ability, are the bread and butter daily races although some of these are also quite prestigious.
While we regard the Cheltenham festival as the greatest horse racing in the World, we have to accept that Flatracing has its place and in fact some of the best National Hunt winners at the Cheltenham Festival started life racing on the Flat.
The English Flat season starts in early April just after the Aintree Grand National and the first two classics of the season the 2000 Guineas and the 1000 Guineas in early May at the home of flatracing Newmarket.
After the St Ledger the big flatraces move overseas to France and the L'Arc De Triomphe and Australia for the Melbourne Cup.
The flatraces in Great Britain are run over a variety of distances from five furlongs (1006 m) to over two miles (3219 m) and are generally called sprints, middle distance or stayers races.
In Great Britain, (and the majority of Europe) flatracing is split into two distinctive bands, conditions races and handicaps.
Handicap races - where the Jockey Club official handicapper gives horses a different weight to carry according to their ability, are the bread and butter daily races although some of these are also quite prestigious.
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