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In the UK, horse racing is rather more than simply a pastime: it is a custom that’s steeped in history, and one of the country’s most watched and extremely profitable sports. With 60 licensed race courses across Britain and two in Northern Ireland, horse racing trophies are much publicised occasions and the formal gown code anticipated of spectators at these occasions provides to the general ambiance of ceremony. For those who’re a complete newcomer to British horse racing cups, here is a fast guide to three you can not miss.

Perhaps probably the most well-known horse racing event in Britain is the Grand National, a three-day occasion held at Aintree Racecourse close to Liverpool each April. The first Grand Nationwide is generally believed to have taken place in 1836 (though there may be some debate about this) and right now it is one of the most lucrative Nationwide Hunt occasions in the nation, with a prize fund of £950,000 in 2011. Regardless of starting as an area event, the Grand Nationwide is now a televised global phenomenon, with an estimated 500 to 600 million viewers across the world.

Another well-known horse racing event is the four-day Cheltenham Gold Cup, which takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire yearly in March. The course declares itself as “the house of Nationwide Hunt racing” and boasts a scenic location within the Cotswold Hills. Although the Grand Nationwide may have a extra illustrious international profile, the Gold Cup is definitely the older occasion, first happening in 1819 earlier than being inaugurated as a jumps race in 1924. The prize fund, however, is around half that of the Grand National.

Nevertheless, whereas the Grand Nationwide and the Cheltenham Gold Cup are major fixtures on the British horse racing calendar, the event that usually stirs up the most pleasure in the public and the media is Royal Ascot. Held on the Crown Estate-owned Ascot Racecourse close to Ascot in Berkshire, the event is strongly related to the Royal Household and was based by Queen Anne in 1711. Even at the moment, Queen Elizabeth II attends Royal Ascot in a horse-drawn carriage and a Royal procession happen at the beginning of every race day.

Royal Ascot takes place over five days in June (Tuesday to Saturday) and over £three million is obtainable in prize money. However, whereas the precise horse racing is a vital a part of the event, this is typically overshadowed in the information headlines by Women Day, slated for the Thursday of Royal Ascot week. Ladies Day is dominated by socialites in glamorous outfits and ostentatious hats – however some of them have been known to take it too far, to the point where it virtually seems like they’re in fancy dress. That being mentioned, in keeping with the centuries-outdated traditions of British horse-racing, there are strict guidelines governing girls clothes, such at the least length for clothes and no bare shoulders or midriffs.

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pRichard Hannon will be hoping for better luck with Memory this weekend as he sends his top-class filly for the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh./p
pHannon’s top colt Strong Suit was beaten in the Phoenix Stakes at the track earlier this month, so it is now the turn of his best filly to live up to her exalted reputation./p
pThis has been the plan for some time and Hannon is counting down the hours after the ante-post favourite for the 1000 Guineas came through a workout on Saturday morning with flying colours under Richard Hughes./p
p”Hughesie was really pleased with Memory and although the filly messed about at home in the spring, she has become so much more professional,” the trainer told www.richardhannonracing.tv./p
p”She is fresh and raring for another race, so Sunday cannot come quick enough.”/p
pTo date the daughter of Danehill Dancer has done absolutely nothing wrong, winning her maiden at Goodwood, the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Cherry Hinton at Newmarket./p
pShe will face one extra rival as connections of the Jessica Harrington-trained Laughing Lashes have, as expected, supplemented her for the Group One./p
pAidan O’Brien is strongly represented as usual, with Misty For Me possibly the best of his six remaining entries./p
pShe was a length behind Laughing Lashes in the Debutante Stakes last time out, while stablemate Wild Wind beat the Harrington filly in a maiden, although she was having her first run on that occasion./p
pKevin Prendergast has two options, with Seeharn and Kissable./p
/body.contentimg src=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BritishHorseracingAuthorityNewsHeadlines/~4/cJKlKarNsOI” height=”1″ width=”1″/

Aidan O’Brien is looking forward to seeing Rip Van Winkle in action in Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

Last year’s Sussex Stakes winner just failed in his bid to land back-to-back renewals of the one-mile feature at Glorious Goodwood when Canford Cliffs pounced late last month.

That was only his second start of the campaign after making his reappearance at Royal Ascot, also over a mile in the Queen Anne. He now steps back up to 10 furlongs, a distance he arguably put up a career-best effort over when second to Sea The Stars in the Eclipse last season.

“We were delighted with him in the Sussex. Obviously he started off at Ascot where he just got tired in the last half a furlong,” said O’Brien.

“We were happy with that and we’re looking forward to him having a second run. We thought he’d progress after his first run and we expect him to progress again.

“Everything has been good with him this year. We started him later this year but he went very well over the winter and so far everything has been good.

“The horse has always shown loads of speed, as he did again at Goodwood, but we felt as the year went on he would progress. He won’t mind dropping back to a mile if he ever needs to, but he’s a big cruiser and quickens very well.

“The only time he ran over a mile and a quarter last year was in the Eclipse where he ran very well. He’s very versatile. We thought he’d progressed after Ascot and we think he’s progressed since Goodwood, we are looking forward to seeing him run.”

Mawatheeq has been ruled out of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday.

The five-year-old has endured an interrupted campaign having been forced to miss the Dubai World Cup through injury and he was well beaten on his sole appearance of 2010 in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He was withdrawn at the start of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown after failing to enter the stalls and trainer Marcus Tregoning does not feel his charge is ready to compete in Ascot’s Betfair-sponsored summer showpiece.

“We were going to work him somewhere this weekend but we decided against it and that means he will miss the King George,” said Tregoning.

“We’ve just decided to give him a bit more time as we don’t feel he’s going to be ready for Ascot.

“We haven’t decided where we’re going with him yet but we just feel he wants a bit more time after the injury problem he had in the spring.”

Starspangledbanner completed a big Group One double when he followed up his Golden Jubilee Stakes victory at Royal Ascot by taking the Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

Aidan O’Brien’s speedball (2-1 favourite) slightly missed the kick and was soon chased along behind fellow Royal Ascot hero Equiano, with Johnny Murtagh steering him over to the far rail.

He looked to have it to do a furlong out as 66-1 chance Alverta threatened, with Fleeting Spirit and Kingsgate Native just behind, but the ex-Australian ace found plenty for pressure to foil the gallant Equiano by a neck. Alverta finished third.

O’Brien said: “He’s very tough, he’s a serious horse. Johnny made the decision to go over to the far rail and it paid off.

“He’s got some courage and great pace. Very few horses have that much courage when they are so fast. It was great that the two Ascot winners were first and second, it’s great when they come together like that.”

Murtagh added: “Not many horses win this after winning at Ascot, but he’s not just got class, he’s got plenty of guts and he’s hardy.

“I thought the rail would help my horse, I had to make my own mind up and it helped win the race. Stamina helped us win it, some Australian horses don’t go up the hill but this lad does.”

Connections now face a decision on whether Starspangledbanner goes to stud or stays in training.

O’Brien explained: “We have to decide by midnight if he is going to go to Australia for the covering season.

“John (Magnier), Michael (Tabor) and all the lads (at Coolmore) will debate hard over the next few hours and we will only know after that if he is going to go into quarantine. I’ll give my penny’s worth and as you all know I’d love to see him stay here and keep on racing.”

Golden Jubilee hero Starspangledbanner features among 17 confirmations for the Darley July Cup next Friday.

The Australian import got off the mark on European soil with an impressive win at Royal Ascot and is likely to sign off his racing career at Newmarket next week, when his trainer Aidan O’Brien could also be represented by Alfred Nobel.

A number of those beaten in the Golden Jubilee are set to reoppose, including the runner-up Society Rock, the American-trained third Kinsale King and last year’s July Cup winner Fleeting Spirit.

She finished fourth in the Golden Jubilee on her first start of the season, despite being done no favours by the draw.

Marchand D’Or won this in 2008 and is another who could bid for a second win in the Group One contest.

King’s Stand winner Equiano could step back up to six furlongs, as could Australian speedster Nicconi.

John Gosden has left in both Meezaan and Showcasing, Alain de Royer-Dupre could be represented by Varenar and War Artist, while Balthazaar’s Gift, Kingsgate Native, Prime Defender, Alverta and Serious Attitude complete the possibles.

Michael Jarvis admits it is highly unlikely his exciting prospect Opinion Poll will line up in Saturday’s John Smith’s Northumberland Plate at Newcastle.

The four-year-old has hit the target twice in Listed company this season and was due to carry top-weight in this weekend’s feature contest.

He also has an entry in the At The Races Curragh Cup, but Jarvis is not willing to risk his charge on unsuitably fast ground and said: “He probably isn’t going to run anywhere unless the weather changes in the next 24 hours, which looks highly unlikely.”

The trainer continued: “It’s just down to the ground and this horse is well worth waiting for. We’re not halfway through the year yet and there are plenty of races for him, so we’re in no great rush. The rain will come eventually – it always does.”

Jane Chapple-Hyam has two possibles in Macarthur and Tyrrells Wood, although the former seems more likely to take his chance at present.

Both were in action at Royal Ascot last week with Macarthur unplaced in the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap and Tyrrells Wood down the field in the Ascot Stakes.

“I haven’t made my mind up yet, although I’m swinging towards running Macarthur and we’ve got to make a decision about Tyrrells Wood,” said the Newmarket trainer.

“I haven’t put a saddle on Macarthur since Ascot, he’s been turned out in the field to try to freshen him up. I’ll weigh him and see if he’s put the weight back on and make a decision. At this stage I’m targeting him for there.”

Prime Defender will head to Newmarket next month following his solid performance at Royal Ascot.

Barry Hills’ six-year-old entire finished ninth behind Starspangledbanner in the Golden Jubilee Stakes on Saturday. Winner of a white-hot renewal of the Duke of York Stakes on his penultimate start, the son of Bertolini will next be sighted in the Darley July Cup.

“We were delighted with Prime Defender’s effort in the Golden Jubilee,” Barry Hills told www.barryhills.com.

“It felt like every top six-furlong horse in the world was in the paddock before the race, and if he had been drawn a couple of stalls lower he could have tacked across to the near side and maybe finished a bit closer.

“Nevertheless, it was a great effort and we are going onto the July Cup next with him.”

Dermot Weld has a plethora of options, including a possible return to hurdling, to consider for Rite Of Passage following his Gold Cup triumph at Royal Ascot on Thursday.

The six-year-old, having his first start since finishing third in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, grabbed Group One glory after a pulsating battle with Age Of Aquarius.

Weld is now eyeing more major prizes on the Flat, and perhaps in time back over obstacles, with his exciting chestnut.

The trainer told At The Races: “It was run in a record time and the third horse (Purple Moon) was a long way ahead of the rest, so it was a very good Gold Cup.

“Rite Of Passage will go on a summer break now and the most likely race he could come back in could be the Irish St Leger.

“Then we’ll take it one day at a time and see how he’s training before we make any long-term plans for him, but he’ll be entered for the Melbourne Cup and we’ll see what weight he gets.

“In time the Champion Hurdle could well be a race for him. He’s a very athletic horse and he’s a super leaper over hurdles.”

Starspangledbanner followed in his sire’s footsteps as the son of Australian champion Choisir blazed to victory in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Aidan O’Brien warned jockey Johnny Murtagh before his British debut at York last month that he would need a parachute to slow the four-year-old, such was his blistering speed.

And while he may have been beaten that day, the colt showed his true colours on the final day of the Royal meeting as he made all on the stands rail to take the six-furlong dash.

Murtagh stole an advantage breaking from his inside berth and was never headed as the 13-2 joint favourite blitzed his way to a length-and-three-quarter success from Society Rock and Kinsale King.

O’Brien said: “If he hit the gates the way we thought he could, then we knew it would be straightforward as there is no horse who can lead him. I have not seen the time of the race but can believe it is quick as he sets serious fractions at home.

“He worked coming here and did the second-last furlong in just over 9.5 seconds. We have never had that before and I have never seen a horse do less than 10 seconds. He is one of those very unusual beasts.

“He’s the fastest we’ve had, no doubt. We’ve never had one go that fast furlong by furlong. We will look forward to the July Cup, hopefully. He’s an incredible sprinter.”

Choisir landed the Golden Jubilee in 2003 and went on to finish second in the July Cup.

Murtagh added: “Aidan was very confident coming into this race. He told me just to jump him out and let him use that stride. Everything just worked perfect. He jumped well, travelled really well, a good strong gallop all the way.

“I sensed them coming to him at the two and when I let him go, he ran straight up the rail. He responded very well and went all the way to the line. I couldn’t pull him up. He’s a great horse. He’s very similar to his sire Choisir, big and strong.”