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12 RACECOURSES OF CHRISTMAS!
12 of the strangest or more unusual racecourses and races out there in the world that people may not have heard of!
(A thread)
RT’s appreciated!
12 of the strangest or more unusual racecourses and races out there in the world that people may not have heard of!
(A thread)
RT’s appreciated!
12 - NGONG - KENYA 
The only racecourse in Kenya, Ngong hosts meetings twice a month on every other Sunday.
The biggest race of the calendar is the Kenyan Derby!
Given the standard is pretty abysmal, the racetrack is actually fairly decent, much better than you’d expect
The only racecourse in Kenya, Ngong hosts meetings twice a month on every other Sunday.
The biggest race of the calendar is the Kenyan Derby!
Given the standard is pretty abysmal, the racetrack is actually fairly decent, much better than you’d expect
11 - NICOSIA - CYPRUS 
Based in the heart of Nicosia, Cypriot racing actually isn’t too bad, racing on an all weather type of surface.
They have a St Leger, Derby, Oaks, Eclipse, 1000/2000 Guineas.
Based in the heart of Nicosia, Cypriot racing actually isn’t too bad, racing on an all weather type of surface.
They have a St Leger, Derby, Oaks, Eclipse, 1000/2000 Guineas.
MANTIPA has won the last two renewals of the St Leger, and MIKRI FINIKI won the 1000 Guineas and Oaks double.
In total there are 14 Group 1 races, although obviously the standard isn’t comparable to over here, it’s a gorgeous course in a lovely area
In total there are 14 Group 1 races, although obviously the standard isn’t comparable to over here, it’s a gorgeous course in a lovely area
10 - CENTRAL MOSCOW HIPPODROME - RUSSIA 
Russia has a full programme and a few courses but is not at the level of the main European countries. A lot of European cast offs end up standing for stood over there.
Russia has a full programme and a few courses but is not at the level of the main European countries. A lot of European cast offs end up standing for stood over there.
The best horse in Russia is KARMEL BARS(blue silks) who is dubbed the Russian Enable. She’s won 7 G1 races including x3 G1 Super Sprints
Overall 26 wins from 34 starts and she’s won 14 in a row
Her sire Denbera Dancer was rated 76 and won 1 race at Southwell for Mark Johnston
Overall 26 wins from 34 starts and she’s won 14 in a row
Her sire Denbera Dancer was rated 76 and won 1 race at Southwell for Mark Johnston
9 - OBIHIRO - JAPAN 
Whilst not racing Thoroughbreds, OBIHIRO racecourse does race horses, they’re just monsters!
It’s almost like harness racing but the jockeys are stood on sleighs behind the beasts
It’s less than a furlong and there’s also a random hill in the middle???
Whilst not racing Thoroughbreds, OBIHIRO racecourse does race horses, they’re just monsters!
It’s almost like harness racing but the jockeys are stood on sleighs behind the beasts
It’s less than a furlong and there’s also a random hill in the middle???
It’s called Banei Racing and the draft horses weigh just over 1 tonne. Twice the size/weight of the thoroughbred
Leading trainer this season was Toichi Sakamoto who trained 93 winners. Keisuke Suzuki rode 140 winners and became Champion Jockey
Leading trainer this season was Toichi Sakamoto who trained 93 winners. Keisuke Suzuki rode 140 winners and became Champion Jockey
8 - STROMSHOLM - SWEDEN 
In the picturesque Swedish forest is the only NH course in Sweden. The Swedish Grand National is worth 12k to the winner and the Champion Hurdle on the same day is 8k to the winner.
The track is extremely tight and goes off into the forest for a bit
In the picturesque Swedish forest is the only NH course in Sweden. The Swedish Grand National is worth 12k to the winner and the Champion Hurdle on the same day is 8k to the winner.
The track is extremely tight and goes off into the forest for a bit
Trainer Sean Curran rode the winner of the Champion Hurdle in 2005 and a few UK/Irish lads have travelled over before including @thmessenger and @JJjslevin
7 - HORNER RENNBAHN/BAD HARZBURG - GERMANY 
We’ve probably all seen top action from Baden-Baden but racing at Hamburg and Bad Harzburg comes with a unique twist.
The races are called Seejagdrennan and are more commonly known as “lake races”.
We’ve probably all seen top action from Baden-Baden but racing at Hamburg and Bad Harzburg comes with a unique twist.
The races are called Seejagdrennan and are more commonly known as “lake races”.
Horses have to swim through a lake/pool of water with the jockey on their back during the race, a cross country style thing.
The big race is the Alpine Seejagdrennan at Hamburg in July
SERIENLOHN won last years renewal ridden by veteran Jan Faltejsek
The big race is the Alpine Seejagdrennan at Hamburg in July
SERIENLOHN won last years renewal ridden by veteran Jan Faltejsek
6 - ST MORITZ - SWITZERLAND 
Probably the most familiar course on the list, St Moritz is only on during a very short period of time each year when the lake freezes over. The venue has been very popular recently with @TheMelbourne10 , @johnbestracing and @osbornejamie
Probably the most familiar course on the list, St Moritz is only on during a very short period of time each year when the lake freezes over. The venue has been very popular recently with @TheMelbourne10 , @johnbestracing and @osbornejamie
English trainers have won the biggest race staged there for the last 2 seasons, the Group 2 Preis Von St Moritz
Wargrave for @GBakerRacing won it last year, with Best and Beckett having horses in 2nd and 4th. @johnbestracing won it the year before with Berrahri.
Wargrave for @GBakerRacing won it last year, with Best and Beckett having horses in 2nd and 4th. @johnbestracing won it the year before with Berrahri.
5 - CHAMPS DES MARS - MAURITIUS 
This tiny island has a phenomenal racecourse and racing is huge over there. 15 trainers are based there(how?!) and G Rousset has been Champion Trainer since 2015.
This tiny island has a phenomenal racecourse and racing is huge over there. 15 trainers are based there(how?!) and G Rousset has been Champion Trainer since 2015.
This season the Jockeys title has gone right to the wire with both D David and N Juglall on 30 winners going into this weekend.
White River is officially the highest rated horse on the island with a rating of 86, trained by Gujadhur.
White River is officially the highest rated horse on the island with a rating of 86, trained by Gujadhur.
This Saturday/Sunday is the last days racing for this season so the jockeys title is going right down to the wire.
ALYAASAAT was G1 placed in South Africa for Mike de Kock & Al Maktoum, he joined Rousset & has been winning for fun, he should win on Sunday in the 50+ handicap
ALYAASAAT was G1 placed in South Africa for Mike de Kock & Al Maktoum, he joined Rousset & has been winning for fun, he should win on Sunday in the 50+ handicap
4 - GARRISON SAVANNAH - BARBADOS 
Just below capital city Bridgetown, the Garrison Savannah racetrack has a turf & all weather circuit. Most horses are cast offs from Brazil/America.
The track is right in the south of the Ireland with gorgeous ocean views.
Just below capital city Bridgetown, the Garrison Savannah racetrack has a turf & all weather circuit. Most horses are cast offs from Brazil/America.
The track is right in the south of the Ireland with gorgeous ocean views.
There’s some good pots to be won, the biggest race of the year is the Barbados Gold Cup, with £78,000 to the winner!
American barns have aimed a few horses at the race before & @trainerMMaker has won the race 3 times in the last 7 years for Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey
American barns have aimed a few horses at the race before & @trainerMMaker has won the race 3 times in the last 7 years for Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey
When horses have finished racing, the grooms walk them down the road and wash them off at the beach, fans can go an interact with trainers/horses/grooms there.
3 - PARDUBICE - CZECH REPUBLIC 
A brutal test for a racehorse is the Velka Pardubicka, a stamina sapping 4m1f trip with 31 obstacles jumped, on par with our own Grand National
There’s a variation of obstacles including the famous Taxis Ditch, 1m deep and 4m long (see below)
A brutal test for a racehorse is the Velka Pardubicka, a stamina sapping 4m1f trip with 31 obstacles jumped, on par with our own Grand National
There’s a variation of obstacles including the famous Taxis Ditch, 1m deep and 4m long (see below)
English raiders are rare but there’s been a few & we’ve won it twice before, STEPHENS SOCIETY in 1973 & ITS A SNIP in 1995 for @NeardownStables
Josef Vana has celebrity status over there, he’s rode the winner 8 times & then trained the winner 10 times, with a film made about it
Josef Vana has celebrity status over there, he’s rode the winner 8 times & then trained the winner 10 times, with a film made about it
2 - BIRDSVILLE - AUSTRALIA 
Nobody understands why but once a year 8,000 travel to the middle of nowhere in the Australian desert for a massive piss up. Nobody cares about the racing, it’s all about the fashion, the booze and the good times. The racing’s actually terrible
Nobody understands why but once a year 8,000 travel to the middle of nowhere in the Australian desert for a massive piss up. Nobody cares about the racing, it’s all about the fashion, the booze and the good times. The racing’s actually terrible
Birdsville has 130 residents in the town yet the airstrip attracts 150 plans in the week before the meeting with 8,000 travelling to the course.
It’s either a flight or a 22 hour car ride!
The hotel/lodge/campsites are rammed with visitors as well as the bars!
It’s either a flight or a 22 hour car ride!
The hotel/lodge/campsites are rammed with visitors as well as the bars!
Think Royal Ascot/Glorious Goodwood but in the Australian outback, and with the worst racing ever. You can’t even see the horses for the dust and everyone’s getting smashed anyway!
The racing isn’t shown anywhere so there’s no SP and bookmakers make up their own odds!
The racing isn’t shown anywhere so there’s no SP and bookmakers make up their own odds!
1 - PIAZZA DEL CAMPO - ITALY 
This isn’t a racetrack but it is a big race, an absolute bat shit crazy race at that & one that’s steeped in loads of tradition with zero welfare
The track is basically a square in the heart of Tuscany & is home to the Palio Di Siena
This isn’t a racetrack but it is a big race, an absolute bat shit crazy race at that & one that’s steeped in loads of tradition with zero welfare
The track is basically a square in the heart of Tuscany & is home to the Palio Di Siena
The race is basically to determine which area of the city is the best. The city is split into regions based upon churches with each area massively passionate about their own area and with each area having fierce rivalries with their neighbours
The race is just mental. There’s a draw, when your name comes out you get to pick a jockey. Obviously the best jockeys get chosen first.
If jockeys win the race, they are absolute kings & treated like gods. If they lose, you can imagine what they’re treated like, it’s barbaric.
If jockeys win the race, they are absolute kings & treated like gods. If they lose, you can imagine what they’re treated like, it’s barbaric.
The riders are bareback and there are literally no rules. Foul play is actually celebrated & jockeys often push/barge others its that mental. Horses often fall victim due to tight angles, barging and no space on the track especially with the right angle turns.
The race is simple, it’s 3 laps of the track and the first horse past the winning line.
The even crazier thing? A horse can still win the race without a jockey. This has happened before, famously a few yrs ago when a jockey thought he won, only to realise the riderless horse won
The even crazier thing? A horse can still win the race without a jockey. This has happened before, famously a few yrs ago when a jockey thought he won, only to realise the riderless horse won
Owners offer up horses for the race, the draw is a lottery for jockey but the race is absolutely rife with corruption and often the big money men will bribe to get the better horses/jockeys.
Not only that, but some jockeys will be bribed to throw the race as well
Not only that, but some jockeys will be bribed to throw the race as well
Whips are allowed and there are no limits. You can smack your opponents at the start to put them off as well.
You’re allowed to hit your jorse anywhere and everywhere and you’re even allowed to smack other horses and even other jockeys. Yes it’s that bad.
You’re allowed to hit your jorse anywhere and everywhere and you’re even allowed to smack other horses and even other jockeys. Yes it’s that bad.
The winning trainer/jockey are lavished with gifts for weeks and treated like kings, with celebrations going on for weeks
The rivalry can be that strong, that even if you finish 5th but finish ahead of your rival, celebrations are just as mental, with taunting etc
The rivalry can be that strong, that even if you finish 5th but finish ahead of your rival, celebrations are just as mental, with taunting etc
If you fall, you have 15 seconds before they come around again
Here’s one of the best videos showing what the Palio di Siena is all about
Here was the 2019 Palio di Siena, the TV commentators wrongly called the horse with the jockey as the winner, in fact the horse with no jockey won it for La Selva “the woods”
Even more interesting, the rider Giovanni Atzeni is the cousin of @Atzenijockey but fell off
Even more interesting, the rider Giovanni Atzeni is the cousin of @Atzenijockey but fell off
The team who thought they would celebrated by running into the track with horse/jockey only for the photo to reveal that the riderless horse had won.
OCA (the goose) have won the most with 62 whilst the poorest Contrade AQUILA (the eagle) have only won 24, no win since 1992
OCA (the goose) have won the most with 62 whilst the poorest Contrade AQUILA (the eagle) have only won 24, no win since 1992
Here’s the video of the 2019 Palio Di Siena with Remorex winning for La Selva in a photo with no jockey
