Most Beautiful Racecourses in India

Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in the world that was spread across the world by the British. Nowadays, horse racing is accepted by many nations and carefully nurtured to become a big player in the sporting industry.

Horse racing also found its way into India and has built a tradition for over 200 years. This is translated through their horse racing events, Indian breed racehorses where they are best known for their breed of stallions, and incredible racecourses.

Even though horse racing popularity in India is much lower than in other sports like Cricket, it still has a healthy horse racing scene and shows signs of growth in the past couple of years.

The best way to understand the situation of this sport in a country is to take a look at some of their most popular racecourses which, according to TwinSpires horse racing website, are home to the most important events in India’s horse race calendar.

So, in today’s article, we will examine some of the most beautiful racecourses in India, that provide support for the sport where all big events are organized.

Kolkata Race Course - Royal Calcutta Turf Club

We start off with the biggest and most beautiful racecourse in India, and it is maintained by the Royal Calcutta Turf Club.

The race season usually opens in November and lasts until March when horse racing enthusiasts can enjoy some horse racing action over the weekends.

The Royal Calcutta Turf Club is one of the biggest horse racing organizations in India, which explains why this racecourse is the most beautiful in the country.

Pune Race Course – Royal Western India Turf Club

Here we have another horse racing attraction point located in the Pune Cantonment area and it is managed by the Royal Western India Turf Club. This is another very popular Turf Club in India that runs the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai where one of the biggest horse races the Indian Derby is held, as well as the Pure Race Course.

The Pune Race Course is a 2.8kilometer-long racecourse that opened to the public as a jogging track, but it is quickly transformed into a horse racing course during the season from July to October.

Mahalaxmi Racecourse – Royal Western India Turf Club

As we mentioned before, Mahalaxmi Racecourse is another beautiful horse racing course that hosts one of the most popular races in the country. The Indian Derby is an annual Thoroughbred horse race run over 2.400 meters and it is held on the first Sunday of February.

The Mahalaxmi Racecourse is seated in Mumbai and its oval shape track stretches on approximately 225 acres of open land. This racetrack opens its doors for horse racing enthusiasts from November to April and many people say that this is the racetrack where champions are born.

Guindy Race Course – Madras Race Club

The Guindy Race Course may not have some significant races throughout the year, but it finds itself on this list since this is the oldest racecourse in India. It opened its doors in 1777 and organizes races each year during the winter season.

Madras Race Club is the organization that manages this racecourse and they officially obtained it back in 1837.

Bangalore Race Course – Bangalore Turf Club

If you ask some of the local horse racing enthusiasts which is the best racecourse in India, chances are that majority of the people will vote for the Bangalore Race Course and there is a good reason for that.

The Bangalore Race Course also plays an important role in the history of horse racing in India and its future. It is also home or stabling over 1000 horses and started operation of the combined Jackpot Pool along with Turf Authorities.

The most popular race is the Bangalore Derby held on the second Sunday of July, with a prize pool of around $130,000.

Hyderabad Racecourse – Hyderabad Race Club

The Hyderabad Racecourse is another beautiful race track in India and it is definitely one of the top racecourses in the country. The most popular race attracting thousands of fans is the Deccan Derby or Indian Thoroughbred horse race called Monsoon races or Winter Races.

Apart from horse racing, this sports venue is also a golf course, popo circuit, and lawn tennis grass courts.

Ooty Racecourse – Madras Race Club

This is another popular racecourse built for summer horse racing in India. It opens its doors in April and the horse racing season lasts until June. The racecourse is spread over 55 acres of land in the center of Ooty, which places it on the leaderboard for the best horse racecourses in India.

With its tradition of more than 100 years, the Ooty course has witnessed many incredible horse racing moments that pushed the sport to today’s level.

It is located 2,268m above sea level and placed in the heart of the town. The biggest race is called “The Nilgiri Gold Cup Race” were many spectators come to watch some horse racing action.

Mysore Race Course – Bangalore Turf Club

The Mysore Race Course opened its doors in 1891 by the king of Mysore Chamaraja Wadiyar. The original location of this race course was near president J.C College, but after the reconstruction in 1920, the Mysore Race Course moved to a more open area stretching 152 acres of land.

The Mysore Race Course is home to the Mysore Derby which is one of the oldest horse races in India. The season opens from November to February and after a break of a few months, it starts again from May to July.

The racecourse is not run by Bangalore Turf Club, and it is definitely a place worth visiting.

Final Words

These are some of the most beautiful racetracks in India. Fortunately, horse racing in the country is thriving, and with the rise in popularity, we expect to see even more racecourses and bigger events that are organized in the country.

With that said, it is safe to say that India has quite a rich tradition when it comes to horse racing. Just browsing through their collection of racecourses, you’ll feel the passion and tradition of the sport. So, if you are traveling to India, these are some of the best racecourses you should visit.