What You Need To Know About The History Of Horse Racing In An Area Near You

The third most popular spectator sport in an area near you after Football and Rugby is horse racing. It is also known to be a popular betting activity among Australians. The Melbourne Cup, VRC Oaks, Victoria Derby, Caulfield Cup, Golden Slipper Stakes, and W.S. Cox plate are the most well-known thoroughbred horse racing events in the area. Flat racing and hurdle racing on the other hand are the most popular in thoroughbred horse racing in other parts of the world. You can find a lot of race courses here in comparison to other nations. It comes in second to America in the amount of horses that race each year, and falls in third after the United States and Japan in terms of the amount of the prize money handed out on a yearly basis.

The first horses to arrive with the First Fleet were composed of one stallion, one colt, two filles, and three mares coming from Cape Town, South Africa on January 26, 1788. One of the first Thoroughbred horses imported into Australia was Rockingham followed by the stallion, Northumberland and Old Hector. The first ever recorded General Stud Book horse to arrive in Australia was Mano, followed by the stallion Pater Fin and mares Cutty Sark and Spaewafe in 1826. Robert Cambell, and Lt. William Lawson were among of the first Australian horse breeders. It eventually came to a point that Australia would export champion thoroughbred stallions to America. Some of these horses included Royal Gem, Shannon, Berborough, and Sailor's Guide.

The pioneers of the crouched riding style were the Australian jockeys. On October 1810 in Hyde Park, Sydney, the first official horse race was held. Victoria on Batman's Hill in Melbourne held the first official horse races in 1838. Out of the merger of the Victoria Jockey Club and Victoria Turf Club, the Victorian Racing Club was made. The home of horse racing is considered to be in Victoria, Australia. New Zealand born Phar Lap was one of the top Australian Thoroughbreds of all time. Due to his death from a sudden illness, he became the third highest stakes winner on earth.

In the year 2000, the Australian Racing Hall of Fame was created. It honored the champion horses such as Northerly, Ajax, Phar Lap, Rising Fast, and Sky High. It also honored the champion jockeys such as George Moore, Billy Cook, Darby Munro, Bobby Lewis. Champion trainers were also honored; Tommy Smith, Bart Cummings, and James Scobie were one of them. After years of going through a lot of Thoroughbred horses, champion jockeys, horse racing events and champion horses, this is what made horse racing in quite an exciting and popular sport.

The author writes for http://www.championpicks.com.au which provides information regarding horse racing in Australia.