The Top 5 Most Watched Horse Racing Events in the World

We’re literally days away from the biggest event in the British racing calendar. Emanating live from Liverpool's Aintree Racecourse, the annual four-mile steeplechase known as the Grand National will see Britain's best compete before both raucous crowds over 70,000 and a television audience estimated to come in at almost ten million viewers.

That figure that stands at over a million more than last year, with most experts suggesting that the move to a later start time of 5.15pm will see even more casual punters and ardent horse racing fans tune in for one of the most watched races not only in the UK, but anywhere in the world.

On top of last year’s 8.9 million British viewers, the 2015 Grand National attracted a global audience of 600 million from over 140 different counties, making it not only one of the most watched, but also one of the most profitable for bookmakers and on-form punters alike.

Looking at these figures got us thinking, if the Grand National is one of Britain’s biggest sporting exports (if not the biggest), what do other countries have to offer the Sport of Kings?

If you haven’t yet taken care of your own 2016 Grand National betting - pick your horses now, then come back to see which of the world’s other most famous horse races are worth having a flutter on.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Paris France

As the second richest horse race in the world after the Dubai Cup (more of which later), it's no surprise to find that France's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe attracts record crowds and huge numbers of TV viewers each year.

The annual October event which national heros out of the likes of Yves Saint-Martin last year drew a live audience of 60,000 spectators, and, according to the race's official website, has been seen by over a billion TV viewers over the last several years.

Dubai World Cup, Dubai, UAE

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2016, the annual Dubai World Cup event is a full night of racing with at least nine different competitions and a total prize money of $30 million US Dollars.

With jockeys from the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Australia, and Japan competing over the last several years, racing fans from at least 134 countries watch the race on networks such as TVG and HRTV, making the 2015 event the most watched to date with a total of 300 million viewers.

Royal Ascot, Berkshire, England

Back to good ol' Blighty next, where the annual Royal Ascot boasts a reputation as the country's second most well known race, behind only the Grand National itself.

Each year, over 300,00 casual fans and punters head down to Berkshire for the week long event, which is seen on Channel 4 by over 2.7 million British viewers and at least double that amount on international networks throughout Europe, the United States, and Australia.

Melbourne Cup, Melbourne, Australia

The most prestigious 3,200-meter horse race on the planet, the Melbourne Cup is an Australian tradition that harks all the way back to 1861 when jockey John Cutts road Archer to victory for a total person of 710 gold sovereigns.

The event attracts crowds of over 100,000 spectators, with 2003's attendance of 122, 736 still the record. On television, at least 2.6 million Australians watch the event, with those who bet on the event worldwide adding several more million to the total viewership.

Kentucky Derby, Louisville, USA

Over in the United States, the annual clash of the titans known as the SuperBowl is well regarded as the biggest sporting event in the land, but over recent years, even that event's viewing figures have been eclipsed by those of America's most famous horse race.

Around 16.2 million viewers give NBC some of its highest viewing figures for any televised event, each one turning in to witness an event renowned as 'the fastest two minutes in sport.'