England's Horse Races Trivia Quiz

Answer:

The Grand National was first run in 1839. The race covers a distance of over four miles, with 30 jumps to be negotiated. The names of some of the fences are very well known, such as Becher's Brook and The Chair. Probably the most famous winner is Red Rum who ran the race five times, winning three of the races and finishing second in the other. Aintree is in Merseyside, in the north west of England and is near Liverpool.

The Cheltenham Festival is held each March in Gloucestershire, over several days. Originally a two day festival, it was extended to four days in 2005. It is another National Hunt event, with the highlight being the Gold Cup race, run on the final day. Winners of this have included Arkle, who won three successive races from 1964-1966 and Best Mate who replicated the feat between 2002 and 2004.

The Ascot Gold Cup is a flat race, part of the Royal Ascot Meeting held in June. The race is for horses known as 'stayers', i.e. those who can maintain their speed over a longer than normal distance in flat racing. The race was first run in 1807 and among the winners are Yeats, who won in four successive years, and Sagaro who won three times in the 1970s.

The St. Leger, dating from 1776, is held at Doncaster, in South Yorkshire. It is open to both colts and fillies, but is restricted to horses aged three (young in horse terms) so there are no repeat winners in this race.

The Oaks is run at Epsom Downs, which is also home to the prestigious flat race called the Derby. The Oaks Stakes, to give the race its full name, dates from 1779 and only three year old fillies are eligible to run in it. Both the Oaks and the Derby are in the five Classic races along with the St Leger, the 1,000 Guineas and the 2,000 Guineas. Both the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas are held at Newmarket over a course known as the Rowley Mile. The 1,000 Guineas is for fillies and the other race is normally only run by colts, although there is no restriction on fillies taking part. The Cesarewitch Handicap is a longer race, over two miles, and is open to horses aged three or over.

The King George VI Chase is held on 26 December as part of the Christmas Festival at Kempton Park, in Surrey. As the name tells you, it is a steeplechase with eighteen fences to be jumped. It began in 1937, named for the then new King, although World War II meant it was run only twice prior to 1947. Sandown Park, in Sussex, is the venue for the Eclipse Stakes, established in 1886 and named for a famous racehorse of the previous century. It is a flat race, normally held in July.

If you know your history, the name of the Ebor Handicap might have told you to pick York as Eboracum is the name the Romans gave to what is now the city of York. The race is usually held in August and dates from 1843. It is called a handicap as different weights are allocated for each horse based on ability and previous results. It is a way of evening up the chances of each competitor.

The Sussex Stakes is one of the races held during the Glorious Goodwood Festival, held towards the end of July or early August. The course is in West Sussex, and the race was first held in 1841. It is a Group I race, the highest category, and attracts the best horses and jockeys of the era.