Horse racing is one of the most ancient sports known to mankind. The history of horse racing shows that domesticated horses were raced by primeval inhabitants of Central Asia as long ago as 4500BC. Today, the 'sport of kings' is avidly supported because it is basically a legalized form of gambling.
Horse racing is the next most popular spectator sport in the US after baseball. It is also has a huge following Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand, South America, Australia, South Africa and Europe. Modern day horse races are competed over various distances with jockeys riding superb thoroughbreds.
By the time mankind learnt how to write, horse racing was being held in every major civilization, right from Central Asia through to the Mediterranean. Even the 638BC Greek Olympics included chariot and mounted horse races as events. During the Roman Empire period, the public became fanatical with the sport.
The modern format of the sport was first evident during the 12th Century. On their return from the Crusades, English knights brought home a number of fine Arab horses. During the next 400 years stallions were imported to England for stud purposes. When bred with the fine English mares, the offspring had amazing endurance and remarkable speed. They were ideal for horse racing.
In the early 1700s, when Queen Anne was on the throne, horse racing was classified as a professional sport. Races comprised of several horses and jockeys pitting their skills against each other. Race courses sprung up all over England and, with ever increasing purses, breeders and owners were turning huge profits.
It then became evident that some sort of controlling body was necessary to monitor the sport. And so the first Jockey Club was formed at Newmarket in 1750. The Club devised comprehensive rules and regulations, and each race meeting had to conform to these. To this day it has total control over horse racing in England.
In 1665 horse racing was introduced to Americans with the arrival of English settlers who came with their horses. The first track was constructed at Long Island. After the Civil War and the subsequent recovery of the industrial economy, there was an explosion in the popularity of horse racing. By 1890 the USA boasted 314 race tracks.
There was no governing body at the time and therefore the sport was rife with domination by unsavory elements. This forced stable and track owners to meet in New York to form the American Jockey Club which was modeled on the same lines as the English Jockey Club. This body took a firm hand and a lot of the corruption was eliminated.
Horse racing is the next most popular spectator sport in the US after baseball. It is also has a huge following Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand, South America, Australia, South Africa and Europe. Modern day horse races are competed over various distances with jockeys riding superb thoroughbreds.
By the time mankind learnt how to write, horse racing was being held in every major civilization, right from Central Asia through to the Mediterranean. Even the 638BC Greek Olympics included chariot and mounted horse races as events. During the Roman Empire period, the public became fanatical with the sport.
The modern format of the sport was first evident during the 12th Century. On their return from the Crusades, English knights brought home a number of fine Arab horses. During the next 400 years stallions were imported to England for stud purposes. When bred with the fine English mares, the offspring had amazing endurance and remarkable speed. They were ideal for horse racing.
In the early 1700s, when Queen Anne was on the throne, horse racing was classified as a professional sport. Races comprised of several horses and jockeys pitting their skills against each other. Race courses sprung up all over England and, with ever increasing purses, breeders and owners were turning huge profits.
It then became evident that some sort of controlling body was necessary to monitor the sport. And so the first Jockey Club was formed at Newmarket in 1750. The Club devised comprehensive rules and regulations, and each race meeting had to conform to these. To this day it has total control over horse racing in England.
In 1665 horse racing was introduced to Americans with the arrival of English settlers who came with their horses. The first track was constructed at Long Island. After the Civil War and the subsequent recovery of the industrial economy, there was an explosion in the popularity of horse racing. By 1890 the USA boasted 314 race tracks.
There was no governing body at the time and therefore the sport was rife with domination by unsavory elements. This forced stable and track owners to meet in New York to form the American Jockey Club which was modeled on the same lines as the English Jockey Club. This body took a firm hand and a lot of the corruption was eliminated.
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Spending time at the Australian horse races is great fun, especially when you are winning! Start making every trip to the track a great one when you have the horse racing tips that will give you the winning edge today!
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