English Classics Races Guide
Since the early 19th Century, the highlights of the "Sport of Kings" in England have been the five tests for three-year-olds now generally known as the "Classics".
2000 Guineas
Run over a mile at Newmarket in early May, mainly a test of speed but the uphill finish to the Rowley mile has found many a colt wanting for stamina over the years.
1000 Guineas
The fillies' equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas; run over the same course and distance at the early May meeting.
The Oaks
At Epsom in early June sees fillies' stamina tested over the one and a half undulating miles of Epsom Downs.
The Derby
The "Blue Riband" of the English turf. Three-year-old colts (fillies are eligible but rarely compete these days) stretch every sinew and nerve as they hurtle round Epsom's switchback mile-and-a-half. This is a true test of stamina for young horses.
St Leger
The St Leger at Doncaster's Town Moor in September is the last chance of classic glory for many entries these days. No horse since the great Nijinsky has completed the "Triple Crown" of Guineas, Derby and Leger, and the marathon 1m 6f 132yards and glamorous alternatives such as the Arc and Breeders' Cup lead Derby and Guineas winners' connections to set their sights elsewhere.
United Kingdom Classic Races
In United Kingdom horse racing, The Classics are a series of horse races run over the flat (i.e. without jumps). Each classic is run once each year and is restricted to horses that are three years old.The five races are:
- Two Thousand Guineas Stakes
- One Thousand Guineas Stakes
- Oaks Stakes
- Epsom Derby Stakes
- St. Leger Stakes
From a betting angle, there are few more satisfying things than holding a long-odds ante post voucher on the winner of a Classic, but early bets are not without risks - will the horse have "trained on" and reproduce the promise that caught your eye in its juvenile year or live up to its blue-blooded pedigree?
Unlike other races such as the Arc de Triomphe or the Grand National, the Classics come around only once for any horse. Classic success can make a colt worth tens of millions of pounds as a potential stallion, and remains the true measure benchmark of success for every jockey, trainer and owner.
