Downpatrick Racecourse in Co. Down, Northern Ireland | Horse racing

The 2025 horse racing calendar is set to deliver an exhilarating year of prestigious events, showcasing the sport’s finest equine athletes and their connections. From iconic flat races to challenging steeplechases, fans can anticipate world-class action across the globe.

Featuring the English Classics, the Grand Nationals, Gold Cups and The Derby, the British horse racing calendar is action-packed throughout the year. Internationally, the biggest horse racing events to look forward to include the Dubai World Cup, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the Melbourne Cup, and major races in the United States: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and Breeders’ Cup.

Here we look at the major horse races, festivals and events taking place in the UK and around the world in 2025.

Main image: Downpatrick Racecourse in Co. Down, Northern Ireland

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Major UK horse races in 2025

New Year’s Day Racing at Cheltenham

When: 1 January 2025
Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Cheltenham Festival

When: 11-14 March 2025
Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, England
Feature races (jumps): Unibet Champion Hurdle, Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase, Cheltenham Gold Cup
Website, tickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Ulster National Raceday at Downpatrick

What: seven races will be on the card, including the feature race, the Randox Ulster National
When: 30 March 2025
Where: Downpatrick Racecourse, Co. Down, Northern Ireland
Website: downpatrickracecourse.co.uk

Grand National Festival at Aintree

When: 3-5 April 2025
Where: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England
Feature races (jumps): JLT Melling Steeple Chase, Randox Health Topham Steeple Chase, Grand National
Website, tickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk

The Grand National at Aintree

When: 5 April 2025
Where: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England
Website, tickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Scottish Grand National Festival at Ayr

When: 12 April 2025
Where: Ayr Racecourse, Scotland
Feature races (jumps): Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle, Coral Scottish Grand National
Website: scottishgrandnationalfestival.co.uk

Bet365 Jump Finale at Sandown Park

When: 26 April 2025
Where: Sandown Park, Surrey, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Betfred Guineas Festival at Newmarket

When: 2-4 May 2025
Where: Newmarket Racecourse, England
Feature races (flat): 2000 and 1000 Guineas
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Epsom Derby Festival

When: 6-7 June 2025
Where: Epsom Downs, Surrey, England
Feature races (flat): The Oaks, The Derby
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Royal Ascot

When: 17-21 June 2025
Where: Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, England
Feature races (flat): Gold Cup, St James’s Palace Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Coronation Stakes, Golden Jubilee Stakes
Website: ascot.co.uk

Old Newton Cup Festival at Haydock Park

When: 3-5 July 2025
Where: Haydock Park, Merseyside, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

The July Festival at Newmarket

When: 10-12 July 2025
Where: Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket, England
Feature races (flat): Darley July Cup, Princess of Wales’s Stakes, Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Summer Plate Ladies Day at Market Rasen

When: 19 July 2025
Where: Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, England
Feature races (jumps): Summer Plate Grade 3 Handicap Chase, Summer Handicap Hurdle
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

King George Weekend at Ascot

When: 25-26 July 2025
Where: Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, England
Feature races (flat): King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Website: ascot.co.uk

Qatar Goodwood Festival

What: “Glorious Goodwood” is a flat racing festival
When: 29 July-2 August 2025
Where: Goodwood Racecourse, West Sussex, England
Feature races (flat): Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, Qatar Sussex Stakes, King George Qatar Stakes
Website: goodwood.com

York Ebor Festival

When: 20-23 August 2025
Where: York Racecourse, York, England
Feature races: Juddmonte International, Darley Yorkshire Oaks, Coolmore Nunthorpe, York Ebor
Tickets: yorkracecourse.co.uk

BetMGM Summer Celebration Saturday at Sandown Park

When: 30 August 2025
Where: Sandown Park, Surrey, England
Feature races: Solario Stakes
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Sprint Cup Celebration at Haydock Park

When: 4-6 September 2025
Where: Haydock Park, Lancashire, England
Feature races: Betfair Sprint Cup
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse

When: 11-14 September 2025
Where: Doncaster Racecourse
Featured races (flat): Doncaster Cup; St Leger Stakes; Leger Legends Day charity race
Website: doncaster-racecourse.co.uk

The Autumn Meeting at Warwick

When: October 2025 TBC
Where: Warwick Racecourse, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket

When: 10-11 October 2025
Where: Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket, Suffolk, England
Feature races: bet365 Fillies’ Mile, Darley Dewhurst Stakes, Cesarewitch Handicap
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Jump Season Opener at Carlisle

When: 16 October 2025
Where: Carlisle Racecourse, Cumbria, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Season Opener at Wincanton

When: October 2025 TBC
Where: Wincanton Racecourse, Somerset, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

The Showcase at Cheltenham

When: 24-25 October 2025
Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

The November Meeting at Cheltenham

When: 14-16 November 2025
Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, England
Featured races (jumps): Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Handicap Chase, Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase, Unibet Greatwood Hurdle
Website, tickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Warwick Winter Festival

When: November 2025 TBC
Where: Warwick Racecourse, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Betfair Tingle Creek Festival at Sandown Park

When: 5-6 December 2025
Where: Sandown Park, Surrey, England
Feature races (jumps): Betfair Tingle Creek Chase, Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, Winter Novices’ Hurdle
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

The Christmas Meeting at Cheltenham

When: 12-13 December 2025
Where: Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, England
Feature races (jumps): Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase; JCB Triumph Hurdle trial; Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle trial
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Celebrate Christmas Raceday at Exeter

When: December 2025 TBC
Where: Exeter Racecourse, Devon, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Boxing Day Racing at Aintree

When: 26 December 2025
Where: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Boxing Day Racing at Wincanton

When: 26 December 2024
Where: Wincanton Racecourse, Somerset, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Ladbrokes Christmas Festival at Kempton Park

When: 26-27 December 2025
Where: Kempton Park Racecourse, Surrey, England
Featured races (jump): King George VI Steeple Chase, Mare’s Handicap Hurdle Race, Wayward Lad Novices’ Steeple Chase, The Desert Orchid Chase
Website, tickets and hospitality: thejockeyclub.co.uk

Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow

When: 27 December 2025
Where: Chepstow Racecourse, Chepstow, Wales
Featured races (jump): Welsh National, Finale Junior Hurdle, Championship Bumper
Website: chepstow-racecourse.co.uk

The Betfred Last Fling at Haydock Park

When: December 2025 TBC
Where: Haydock Park, Merseyside, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

New Year’s Eve Raceday at Warwick

When: 31 December 2025
Where: Warwick Racecourse, England
Website and tickets: thejockeyclub.co.uk

The Jockey Club hosts racing fixtures throughout the year at its 14 racecourses, plus music concerts, festivals and other events. See thejockeyclub.co.uk for its full schedule.

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Major global horse races in 2025

Dubai World Cup Carnival

When: January to March 2025
Where: Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, UAE
Website: dubairacingclub.com

Pegasus World Cup

When: 25 January 2025
Where: Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, Florida, US
Website: pegasusworldcup.com

Saudi Cup

When: 21-22 February 2025
Where: King Abdulaziz Racetrack, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Website: jcsa.sa

Dubai World Cup

When: 5 April 2025
Where: Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, UAE
Website: dubairacingclub.com

Kentucky Derby

When: 3 May 2025
Where: Churchill Downs Racetrack, Louisville, Kentucky, US
Website: kentuckyderby.com

Preakness Stakes

When: 17 May 2025
Where: Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland, US
Website: preakness.com

Belmont Stakes

When: 7 June 2025
Where: Belmont Park‎, ‎Elmont, New York‎, US
Website: belmontstakes.com

Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

When: 4-5 October 2025
Where: Longchamps, Paris, France
Website: francegalop-live.com

The Everest

What: the world’s ‘richest race on turf’
When: 18 October 2024
Where: Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia
Website: theeverest.com.au

Breeders’ Cup

When: 31 October to 1 November 2025
Where: Del Mar, San Diego, California, US
Website: breederscup.com

Melbourne Cup Carnival

When: 1-8 November 2025
Where: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Races: Derby Day (1 November); Cup Day (4 November); Oaks Day (6 November); Stakes Day (8 November)
Website: vrc.com.au

Melbourne Cup Day

When: 4 November 2025
Where: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Website: vrc.com.au

Japan Cup

When: 24 November 2025
Where: Tokyo Racecourse, Tokyo, Japan
Website: japanracing.jp

Editor’s note: Sports Tourism News works with affiliate partners such as The Jockey Club, Ticketmaster, and See Tickets. Any tickets or packages are sold directly by agents and operators. We may earn a commission should you choose to book any tickets or packages. All details are provided by affiliate partners. All events and prices subject to change.