If ever there were two countries with a love of both sports and gambling it has to be Australia and the United States. While I’ve personally been to the latter (and seen the bright lights, sights and sounds of Las Vegas for instance!), I have to confess that partially on account of distance I’ve never ventured to Australia. I’ve checked out the best au online casino sites on account to see their take on ‘pokies’ and the like, and enjoyed Australian TV and movies but that’s about as far as it’s gone.
Despite that fact, both I and everyone else not living under a rock will be well aware that the biggest horse race annually in Australia is The Melbourne Cup. This world famous race takes place each year at the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria and attracts a ‘who’s who’ of racing talent. The 3200 meter thoroughbred race is one part of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and dates way back to 1861, so is not only an unmissable event but is also steeped in tradition. Current course record holder is (American thoroughbred!) Kingston Rule in 1990 and last years winner was the Joseph O’Brien trained Twilight Payment.
Stateside, we’re spoiled for choice as far as racecourses and races go. Some will no doubt opt for the Preakness Stakes (Pimlico Course), or Belmont Stakes (Belmont Park) but for me the pick of the bunch has to be the Kentucky Derby. Rather conveniently, along with the other two aforementioned races it forms the ‘Triple Crown’ of thoroughbred racing (in the history of the triple crown only 13 horses have won all three races).
Punters from far and wide are drawn in by the famous Kentucky Derby race. While some enjoy playing on the best big win casinos USA, for racing fans it’s the headline races that hold maximum appeal. Held each year in Louisville, Kentucky, this grade one race for three year olds dates back to 1875 and beats the attendance figures of all the aforementioned races, as well as the Breeder’s Cup. Medina Spirit won the 2021 Kentucky Derby race – which was held on May 1st over a 1 1/4 mile dirt track. Legend of racing Secretariat holds the course record over this distance, doing so in 1973. The 2019 event was eventful due to Country House winning as result of the disqualification of Maximum Security. What will next year’s race have in store I wonder?