The Crown Jewels of British Horse Racing: A Guide to the Classics

Horse racing is a sport, it is fun to watch and to bet on; however, it is also a quality indicator of the British Thoroughbred breed. Generally, horses of this breed are at their peak form when they are three years old; therefore, it is the time for the most important races of their lives – the Classics. Moreover, the British Classics are unique in another manner as they were the first races of such kind. Any other Classic race worldwide was derived from these five jewels we cover in this article.

2000 Guineas Stakes

All the Classics belong to the G1 series, which are the most prestigious races globally. The 2000 Guineas Stakes is the first of the Classic jewels and the first part of the Triple Crown that we discuss later. This mile-long event is held in one of the oldest racecourses in the United Kingdom, Newmarket, and it is open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It takes place at the beginning of May and tests the participants over a straight turf course.

Recently, the race has been dominated by Irish horses, and Aidan O’Brien has become the most winning trainer of the 2000 Guineas Stakes. His colts usually belong among the favourites here; however, he has been luckless in the past three years.

1000 Guineas Stakes

As the 2000 Guineas take place on Saturday in May, the 1000 Guineas Stakes is the pinnacle of the Sunday card at Newmarket. The race is totally identical with one exception—it is open only to three-year-old fillies. Although Aidan O’Brien has been very successful recently with his trainees here, the most prominent trainer of the 1000 Guineas Stakes is still Robert Robson, who lived in the 19th century.

Although the race is not considered as prestigious as the 2000 Guineas Stakes, it always attracts the best three-year-old fillies, who usually go to Epsom to compete in the next Classic for fillies, the Epsom Oaks.

The Oaks

The third Classic of the season runs over a mile and four furlongs at Epsom and is meant only for three-year-old fillies. It was established as an easier race for fillies so they do not have to face colts in the Derby as the event is identical. Robert Robson also holds the record here, even though Aidan O’Brien fillies have delivered some outstanding performances here. Most notably, it was Snowfall in 2021 who scored the race by abysmal 16 lengths.

The Derby

The Derby is sometimes called the most important race in the world. Every single horse that wins this Classic race over a mile and a half becomes a part of history and will never be forgotten. The sound of the Derby is a unique one, and the UK horse racing betting sites offer intriguing opportunities for it, as simply everybody wants to bet on such an occasion.

The Derby was established in 1780 and is open to three-year-old fillies and colts, but fillies rarely compete there. Without a hint of doubt, Aidan O’Brien is the most successful trainer of the race in modern history, given his horses have gathered nine Derby victories since 2001, when legendary Galilio triumphed. Usually, the winners get a massive chance at the stud, but not before they take on the older horses during the rest of the season.

St Leger Stakes

The oldest and longest Classic race has always been held at Doncaster in September. Three-year-old fillies and colts cover the distance of a mile and six furlongs, which is perceived as ultra-long, and only true stayers can celebrate victory there. Unfortunately, breeding such stayers hasn’t been very popular in recent years, so the quality of the race varies year by year. Usually, not even the Derby winner travels there. Still, it is a marvelous meeting that is worth visiting just because of the atmosphere that is always festive.

Triple Crown

In the USA, it is common for teams to attempt winning the Triple Crown, but in the UK, it is currently seen as an almost impossible feat to score the 2000 Guineas, the Derby, and the St Leger Stakes. Having such a versatile horse winning at three various distances against the elite of the three-year-olds would be almost a miracle today. The last horse who managed it was Nijinsky in 1970.

Since then, the will to accomplish the Triple Crown has dwindled, and even Aidan O’Brien attempted it just once. In 2012, Camelot won the 2000 Guineas and the Derby but came in close second in the St Leger Stakes.