Horse racing fans have plenty to look forward to in 2023, with the horse racing calendar packed with a ton of major meetings in the United Kingdom.
Regardless of whether you prefer betting on National Hunt or flat racing, you are completely spoilt for choice over the coming months.
Read on as we pinpoint the top horse racing meetings taking place this year, before highlighting some of the major Festivals we cannot wait to watch.
Top UK Horse Racing Meetings 2023
- Cheltenham Festival – March 14-17
- Grand National Festival – April 13-15
- Newmarket Guineas Festival – May 5-7
- Epsom Derby Festival – June 2-3
- Royal Ascot – June 20-24
- Newmarket July Festival – July 13-15
- Goodwood Festival – August 1-5
- York Ebor Festival – August 23-26
- Doncaster St Leger Festival – September 14-17
- Ascot British Champions Day – October 21
- Sandown Tingle Creek Festival – December 8-9
- Kempton Christmas Festival – December 26-27
Cheltenham Festival – March 14-17
The Cheltenham Festival in March is the pinnacle of the National Hunt season in the UK and provides punters with a plethora of betting opportunities over the four days.
Bettors will be clamouring to access free horse racing tips during the Festival to boost their chances of ending the meeting with a significant profit.
The are Grade 1 races on each day of the meeting, with the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the final day the showpiece race of the entire event.
Grand National Festival – April 13-15
The eyes of the racing world will be on Merseyside in April as the prestigious Grand National Festival takes place at Aintree Racecourse.
The Grand National itself dominates proceedings, attracting a massive global audience and generating huge interest among regular and casual bettors.
Many of the supporting races are top-class events in their own right, making the three-day meeting a genuine celebration of National Hunt racing.
Royal Ascot – June 20-24
With its unique mix of top-class horse racing, high-end fashion and pageantry, Royal Ascot has a special place in the hearts of fans of the sport.
The five-day festival is packed with Group races, attracting the best horses from the UK, Ireland, Europe and other major racing jurisdictions.
Horses that win at Royal Ascot often reappear at the same course on British Champions Day in October – a single-day event that is truly star-studded.
York Ebor Festival – August 23-26
With a history dating back to the 18th century, the York Ebor Festival is the highlight of the flat racing calendar in northern England.
The four-day meeting features numerous iconic races including the Gimcrack Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks, but the Ebor Handicap is unquestionably the centrepiece.
It is the most valuable flat handicap in Europe and generates a massive amount of interest in the ante-post market and on the day of the race itself.
Kempton Christmas Festival – December 26-27
We head back to the National Hunt scene for our final recommendation – the superb two-day Christmas Festival at Kempton Park.
The meeting revolves around the three-mile King George VI Chase on Boxing Day – a staying race that is second only to the Cheltenham Gold Cup in terms of prestige.
Legendary winners of the race include the dashing grey Desert Orchid, who became a household favourite due to his exploits at Kempton.
Michael specializes in journalism, digital content production and social media management. He has a passion for numerous sports including football, horse racing and ice hockey. Michael currently works on a freelance basis, producing daily content for various outlets within the sports industry.