The big races
Canonical guides to the famous individual races on the British and Irish calendar — Group 1 Flat, Grade 1 Jumps and the iconic handicaps. Recent winners, conditions and what to watch.
Jumps — Grade 1s & iconic handicaps
Cheltenham Gold Cup
Grade 1Cheltenham · 3m2½f · 10–14 runners · Cheltenham Festival
The Blue Riband of National Hunt racing. Run on the closing day of the Cheltenham Festival, the Gold Cup brings together the best 3-mile chasers in Britain and Ireland. A test of stamina, jumping and class.
2025 winner: Inothewayurthinkin (16/1) — Gavin Cromwell
Champion Hurdle
Grade 1Cheltenham · 2m½f · 8–12 runners · Cheltenham Festival
The opening-day championship event at the Cheltenham Festival. The premier 2-mile hurdle race in Europe and the test that defines the season for the top hurdlers.
2025 winner: State Man (8/15F) — Willie Mullins
Queen Mother Champion Chase
Grade 1Cheltenham · 2m · 6–10 runners · Cheltenham Festival
The premier 2-mile championship chase, run on Festival Wednesday. A test of speed, jumping and acceleration on the run for home up the Cheltenham hill.
2025 winner: Marine Nationale (9/2) — Barry Connell
Stayers' Hurdle
Grade 1Cheltenham · 2m7½f · 8–14 runners · Cheltenham Festival
The Festival Thursday championship for staying hurdlers. Three miles of testing flights over a galloping circuit — pure attrition.
2025 winner: Bob Olinger (12/1) — Henry de Bromhead
Randox Grand National
Handicap (Class 1)Aintree · 4m2½f · 34 runners (max) · Aintree Grand National Festival
The most-watched race in British racing. Thirty fences over four-and-a-quarter miles around Aintree's unique left-handed track — Becher's, The Chair, Foinavon, Valentine's. A national institution.
2025 winner: Nick Rockett (33/1) — Willie Mullins
King George VI Chase
Grade 1Kempton · 3m · 6–9 runners · Kempton Christmas Festival
Boxing Day's premier 3-mile chase. A flat, right-handed track that puts a premium on jumping accuracy and tactical speed — often a Cheltenham Gold Cup prep race for the older chasers.
2024 winner: Banbridge (16/1) — Joseph O'Brien
Flat — Classics & Group 1s
Betfred Derby
Group 1Epsom · 1m4f6y · 10–18 runners · Epsom Derby Festival
The most prestigious Classic. A unique mile-and-a-half on the undulating Epsom course tests stamina, balance and class — a brutal final furlong test that decides the year's best three-year-old.
2025 winner: Lambourn (13/2) — Aidan O'Brien
Betfred Oaks
Group 1Epsom · 1m4f6y · 8–14 runners · Epsom Derby Festival
The fillies' Classic at Epsom, run the day before the Derby. Same distance, same camber, same brutal final furlong — the championship test of the season's three-year-old fillies.
2025 winner: Minnie Hauk (8/15F) — Aidan O'Brien
Betfred St Leger
Group 1Doncaster · 1m6f115y · 8–12 runners · St Leger Festival
The world's oldest Classic, run since 1776. The final Classic of the season tests stamina over almost 1m6½f and crowns the year's best staying three-year-old.
2024 winner: Jan Brueghel (10/3) — Aidan O'Brien
Gold Cup
Group 1Ascot · 2m4f · 8–14 runners · Royal Ascot
The headline race of Royal Ascot's third day (Ladies' Day). Britain's premier staying race at 2m4f — a championship test for the older horses and the route to the Stayers' Million.
2025 winner: Trawlerman (9/4) — John & Thady Gosden
Platinum Jubilee Stakes
Group 1Ascot · 6f · 12–22 runners · Royal Ascot
The sprint championship of Royal Ascot's closing day. Six furlongs straight, often the deepest sprint field of the year — international challengers come to mix it with the home division.
2025 winner: Spritely Stride (12/1) — Christophe Soumillon
Prince of Wales's Stakes
Group 1Ascot · 1m2f · 7–11 runners · Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot Wednesday's middle-distance championship. 1m2f at Group 1 level — often the year's deepest mile-and-a-quarter field as European and US-based older horses converge.
2025 winner: Anmaat (5/2) — Owen Burrows
Queen Anne Stakes
Group 1Ascot · 1m · 8–14 runners · Royal Ascot
The Royal Ascot opener — the year's first Group 1 over a straight mile, traditionally run at exactly 2:30pm on the Tuesday. Sets the tone for the entire week.
2025 winner: Rosallion (11/4) — Richard Hannon
Sussex Stakes
Group 1Goodwood · 1m · 5–10 runners · Glorious Goodwood
Wednesday of Glorious Goodwood — the mid-summer mile championship, traditionally pitting the three-year-old generation against the older milers. The 'Duel On The Downs'.
2025 winner: Notable Speech (2/1F) — Charlie Appleby
Goodwood Cup
Group 1Goodwood · 2m · 6–10 runners · Glorious Goodwood
Tuesday opener of Glorious Goodwood. The second leg of the Stayers' Triple Crown — Ascot Gold Cup → Goodwood Cup → Doncaster Cup — and a championship 2-mile test.
2025 winner: Trawlerman (2/1) — John & Thady Gosden
Juddmonte International
Group 1York · 1m2f56y · 5–9 runners · York Ebor Festival
The opener of York's Ebor Festival and historically one of the most rated middle-distance Group 1s in the world. Frankel, Sea The Stars and Authorized all won this on their way to championship status.
2025 winner: Anmaat (7/2) — Owen Burrows
Champion Stakes
Group 1Ascot · 1m2f · 6–12 runners · QIPCO British Champions Day
The headline race of British Champions Day. Often the year's championship-deciding middle-distance Group 1 — often soft autumn ground separating the field's true heavyweights.
2024 winner: Anmaat (16/1) — Owen Burrows
All races A–Z (17)
| Race | Course | Code | Distance | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betfred Derby | Epsom | Flat | 1m4f6y | Britain |
| Betfred Oaks | Epsom | Flat | 1m4f6y | Britain |
| Betfred St Leger | Doncaster | Flat | 1m6f115y | Britain |
| Champion Hurdle | Cheltenham | Jumps | 2m½f | Britain |
| Champion Stakes | Ascot | Flat | 1m2f | Britain |
| Cheltenham Gold Cup | Cheltenham | Jumps | 3m2½f | Britain |
| Gold Cup | Ascot | Flat | 2m4f | Britain |
| Goodwood Cup | Goodwood | Flat | 2m | Britain |
| Juddmonte International | York | Flat | 1m2f56y | Britain |
| King George VI Chase | Kempton | Jumps | 3m | Britain |
| Platinum Jubilee Stakes | Ascot | Flat | 6f | Britain |
| Prince of Wales's Stakes | Ascot | Flat | 1m2f | Britain |
| Queen Anne Stakes | Ascot | Flat | 1m | Britain |
| Queen Mother Champion Chase | Cheltenham | Jumps | 2m | Britain |
| Randox Grand National | Aintree | Jumps | 4m2½f | Britain |
| Stayers' Hurdle | Cheltenham | Jumps | 2m7½f | Britain |
| Sussex Stakes | Goodwood | Flat | 1m | Britain |
- Betfred Derby
- Course
- Epsom
- Distance
- 1m4f6y
- Betfred Oaks
- Course
- Epsom
- Distance
- 1m4f6y
- Betfred St Leger
- Course
- Doncaster
- Distance
- 1m6f115y
- Champion Hurdle
- Course
- Cheltenham
- Distance
- 2m½f
- Champion Stakes
- Course
- Ascot
- Distance
- 1m2f
- Cheltenham Gold Cup
- Course
- Cheltenham
- Distance
- 3m2½f
- Gold Cup
- Course
- Ascot
- Distance
- 2m4f
- Goodwood Cup
- Course
- Goodwood
- Distance
- 2m
- Juddmonte International
- Course
- York
- Distance
- 1m2f56y
- King George VI Chase
- Course
- Kempton
- Distance
- 3m
- Platinum Jubilee Stakes
- Course
- Ascot
- Distance
- 6f
- Prince of Wales's Stakes
- Course
- Ascot
- Distance
- 1m2f
- Queen Anne Stakes
- Course
- Ascot
- Distance
- 1m
- Queen Mother Champion Chase
- Course
- Cheltenham
- Distance
- 2m
- Randox Grand National
- Course
- Aintree
- Distance
- 4m2½f
- Stayers' Hurdle
- Course
- Cheltenham
- Distance
- 2m7½f
- Sussex Stakes
- Course
- Goodwood
- Distance
- 1m
Recent winners are best-effort and updated after each running. Always cross-check official records. 18+ only · Bet responsibly · BeGambleAware.org