Horse Racing all the odds from Willhill

Flat or Hurdles the choice is yours! - Bet Now with William Hill

National Hunt racing a parochial sport here in the UK, but Flat racing known as the sport of kings has spread across the globe with glamour meetings held across Europe as well as in the USA, Australia, Middle and the Far East. Making flat racing a multi million pound industry where breeding is all-important. Would you like to find out more about horse racing why not visit our Horse Racing origins page.

The traditional Flat season lasts from March to November. Although all weather tracks have ensured that you can enjoy this sport most of the year.

The major fixtures to watch out for in the UK are the Epsom Derby, Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, not just race meetings but important events in the social calendar.

France has the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - America - The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes The Belmont Stakes the famous triple crown but don't forget the Breeders Cup. Hong Kong brings us the International Invitational at Sha Tin, Japan provides the world with The International Invitational in Toyko, Australia won't be left out with the Melbourne Cup, even Canada gets in on the act with the Queen's Plate a big race for Canadian 3 year old thoroughbreds.

2006 Horse Racing Calendar -
January 28 Cheltenham Pillar Property Chase, 29th Leopardstown: AIG Champion Hurdle, February 11 Newbury Totesport Trophy Hurdle, 18 Haydock Red Square Vodka Gold Cup, Wincanton Axminster Kingwell Hurdle, 25 Sandown Racing Post Chase,
March. 14 Cheltenham Smurfit Champion Hurdle, 15 Queen Mother Champion Chase, 16, Ladbrokes World Hurdle, 17 Totesport Chelthenham Gold Cup, 25, Doncaster Stanleybet Lincoln Handicap,
April, 9 Aintree John Smith's Grand National, 17 Fairyhouse Irish Grand National, 20 Newmarket, bet365 Craven Stakes, 22 Ayr Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National, 26 Punchestown Punchestown Gold Cup,
May,The Kentucky Derby (first Saturday in May.) 6 Newmarket ultimate poker.com 2000 guineas, 7 Newmarket ultimate poker.com 1000 guineas, 14 Leopardstown, Derrinstown Derby Trial, 18 York Totesport Dante Stakes, 20 Newbury Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes, 27 The Curragh Boylesports Irish 2000 guineas, 28 The Currach Boylesports Irish 1000 guineas,
June,2 Epsom Vodafone Oaks, 3 Vodafone Derby, 20 Royal Ascot, St James Palace Stakes, 21 Prince of Wales Stakes, 22 Royal Ascot 23 Royal Ascot Coronation Stakes, 24 Golden Jubilee Stakes,
July,1 Newcastel John Smith's Northumberland Plate, 2 The Curragh Budweiser Irish Derby, 8 Sandown Coral Eclipse Stakes, 14 Newmarket Darley July Cup, 16 The Curragh Darley Irish Oaks, 24 Ayr Daily Record Scottish Derby, 29 Ascot King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes,
August,1-5 Glorious Goodwood 12 Ascot Blue Square Shergar Cup Day, 22 York Juddmonte International Stakes, 23 Totesport Ebor, 24 VCBet Nunthorpe,
September, 2 Haydock William Hill Sprint Cup, 9 Doncaster Ladbrokes St Leger, 9 Leopardstown Baileys Irish Champion Stakes, 16, Ayr Totesport Ayr gold cup, The Curragh Irish St Leger, 23 Ascot Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, 28 Newmarket Sky Bet Cheveley Park, 29 Shadwell Stud Middle Park, 30 Totesport Cambridgeshire,
October,1 Longchamp Prix De L'arc de Triomphe, 14 Newmarket, Darley Dewhurst Stakes, Totesport Cesarewitch,
November,4 Kentucky USA The Breeders Cup 11 Cheltenham Paddy Power Gold Cup, 18 Haydock Betfair Lancashire Chase, 19 Aintree Totesport Becher Chase, 25 Newbury Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup,
December, 2 Sandown William Hill Tingle Creek Trophy, 9 Sandown December Gold Cup, 16 Ascot Totesport.com Long Walk Hurdle, 26 Kempton Stan James King George VI Chase 27 Chepstow Coral Welsh Open.

Specialised Betting
Horse racing is a natural for specialised betting, that is don't bet on all races pick out a field, find out all you can about it and then stick to it. You'll very quickly find that you're not actually gambling.
What are these areas the obvious are Flat, National Hunt and All Weather Courses, you can then whittle this down by keeping an eye on up and coming horses follow them for a season then the next year start to bet on them, you could limit this even further by sticking to set distances, you'll find your work load dropping dramatically. Watch for track bias add this to your equations and you'll soon find you'll have a group of horses you can bet on with confidence.

National Hunt Racing

Personally I prefer the jumps the outcome is always in doubt and you can have some thrilling encounters and can anything compare to the greatest show on earth the Grand National from Aintree. If you've never been, you should, it's held in that friendliest of UK Cities Liverpool. Famous for the Beatles, you can watch the race then go and visit the famous Waterfront view the famous Mersey River.

You can't of course ignore Cheltenham probably the Grand Old Lady of National Hunt Racing home to the Gold Cup and another gem set in the English countryside. Described as a visual treat Cheltenham is a testing course with tricky fences and a stamina strapping uphill finish. During the Festival the course is split into two courses The Old Course is one and half miles with nine fences built into the circuit. The New Course is slighlty longer has ten fences to the circuit and unusually features two obstacles in the home straight.

Points to note about Cheltenham horses carrying over 11 stone have a poor winning rate, this is handy because you can eliminate half the field before you start, cuts your odds down and increases your chances. Horse who run well at the Festival have a habit of doing it time and again, some horses seem to love the tricky contours. Royal & Sun Alliance Novice Hurdle Wed 15 March. ignore any horse in this race that hasn't finished in the first two of any previous run over hurdles, out of 21 runners last year only five made this list. Finally in the four championship races pick your horses from runners who have finished in the top three on their last outings. The last ten winners of the Champion Hurdle The Queen Mother World Hurdle and Gold Cup have had 24 wins 12 second/thirds on their previous runs.

You can bet on all these events with Willhill or Totesport and get free bets while your at it.