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.'