Stirrup the Conversation: Are the Races an Event or Just a Sport?

Horse racing is a sporting event steeped in British history, well known for its lively grandstands, colourful jockeys, and, of course, the fastest horses in the country. And when it comes to student day at Musselburgh, there is much to be excited about, especially that extra twenty quid that came home in my pocket after experiencing some beginners’ luck on the bets. Although, amongst the drinking and socialising, are the horses really the main event?

Horse racing itself is on the extreme end of the sporting spectrum: the fate of the winner comes down to speed, strategy, and safety of both the horse and its rider. There are typically two race types — flat or jump racing — over a selection of distances from five furlongs (roughly 1000 meters) to two miles. Though when watching thoroughbreds pacing it around the track, the longer distances hardly look far.

It can also be extremely dangerous, with the chances of seeing a fallen jockey or horse extremely high over the period of a day’s races. Ambulances follow the track while races take place for precautionary measures; this is the only sport in the world where this occurs. The intensities of this sport are evidenced purely by the risks taken and technicalities involved alone. But would it be wrong to say that I cared slightly more about who had the winning stride when I had a jockey’s name and colourway to shout for?

That leads me to the financial aspect of the races. With big prize money to win, it is not surprising that glamorous and prestigious events are put on annually in the British racing calendar, say the Royal Ascot, Derby, or Cheltenham Festival. And with the aforementioned potential winnings, there certainly is a strong financial charm to the races. For many popular sports in British media, one could easily bet amongst friends or in a betting shop, but to be at a sporting event when betting booths are everywhere makes the races unique. Within seconds, the favourite can change, making the mental maths a sport within themselves — even for the most seasoned experts. 

For students, however, it may seem hard to believe that a sport which revolves so much around money is so popular across the country. Winning can obviously bring some extra cheer to the day, but it is the adrenaline, megaphones, pace of the horses, and day guaranteed free from the library that makes it the event that it is. Trying to distinguish your friends from the sea of other university students in tweed (like a more chic grandpa convention), may be the most stressful aspect of the event.

However, the student experience does not take away from the sport, rather it keeps its elevated presence in British media, especially as it is currently the second most popular spectator sport in the country. It is most definitely an athletic spectacle which has a rich history of being a surreal and extraordinary event, promising a fun day with no long faces in sight and plenty to laugh about.

Image by Alice O'sullivan