flat racing

flat racing
noun
: the sport of riding in flat races

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flat racing noun
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Main Entry:flat

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flat racing UK US noun [uncountable]
horse racing on flat ground with no fences or jumping
Thesaurus: horse racing and other horse riding competitionshyponym

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flat racing,
racing, especially horse racing, on a track without jumps or obstacles.

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ˈflat racing noun uncountable
the sport of horse racing over flat ground with no jumps
Culture:
racing [flat racing racing]
Horse racing has been popular as a spectator sport throughout the British Isles for hundreds of years. It was also the first sport organized in the American colonies. This was in 1664 on ↑Long Island, New York. Four years later the first American sports trophy, a silver bowl, was presented there.
There are two main types of horse racing. In flat racing horses run against each other over a set distance. In National Hunt racing, also called steeplechasing, horses jump over fences and ditches round a course. The main flat races in Britain each year are the English Classics, five races for three-year-old horses. These are the Derby and the Oaks (both run at ↑Epsom), the Thousand Guineas and the ↑Two Thousand Guineas (run atNewmarket) and the St Leger (run atDoncaster). The four-day ↑Royal Ascot meeting is an important social occasion, attended by members of the ↑royal family. The most famous steeplechase is the Grand National, which was first run in 1836 and which takes place each spring at ↑Aintree. Many people who take no interest in horse racing have a bet on this race. Racing attracts people from all levels of British society but only the rich can afford to own and train a racehorse.
In the US flat racing is called thoroughbred racing or just racing; steeplechasing is not often seen. The most famous race is the Kentucky Derby, which began in 1875 and is run each year at ↑Louisville, Kentucky. This is a big event on national television, and informal bets are made in offices and homes, even in states where gambling is illegal. Other important races are the Preakness at ↑Baltimore, Maryland, and the Belmont Stakes at Elmont, New York. The three together are called the triple crown.
Famous British and US jockeys have included Willie Carson, Pat Eddery, Lester Piggott, Peter Scudamore, Willie Shoemaker, Laffit Pincay, Angel Cordero, Steve Cauthen, Kieren Fallon and Frankie Dettori. Horses famous in Britain have included Arkle, Desert Orchid, Nijinsky, Red Rum, Best Mate and ↑Shergar, and in the US Galant Fox, Secretariat, Affirmed, Man o’ War, Native Dancer and Cigar, which was chosen Horse of the Year in 1995 and 1996.
A type of race popular in America is harness racing, in which a horse pulls a small two-wheeled cart called a sulky with its driver. The most famous race is the Hambletonian, popularly called the ‘Hambo’, at the Meadowlands Racetrack in ↑New Jersey. Harness racing’s triple crown is the Hambletonian, the Kentucky Futurity, and the Yonkers Trot.
Betting on the result of a race is for many British people an important part of the sport and contributes to the atmosphere of excitement and tension at a racecourse. Before a race starts bookmakers take bets, calculate the odds and say which horse is the favourite. People can also bet on a race on the ↑Internet or at a bookmaker’s or betting shop. Betting shops show live television broadcasts of races.
Americans also like to play the ponies. People can bet beside the track or off-track. Telephone bets can be made in some states. Even though many Americans do not approve of betting, most have accepted horse racing as an exciting sport and a US tradition. This is reflected in popular culture. ↑Camptown Races is one of Stephen Foster ‘s most popular songs. Damon Runyon set many of his short stories at race tracks, the mystery novels of Dick Francis are set in the world of racing and ↑Hollywood has produced popular films about racing such as National Velvet (1945) and The Black Stallion (1980).
See also greyhound racing

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Flat racing — is a term commonly used to denote a form of horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing over hurdles. The race is a test of speed, stamina and the skill of the jockey in… …   Wikipedia

  • flat racing — flat .racing n [U] BrE horse racing without any fences on flat ground →↑steeplechase …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • flat racing — N UNCOUNT Flat racing is horse racing which does not involve jumping over fences …   English dictionary

  • flat racing — ➡ racing * * * …   Universalium

  • flat racing — noun (U) horse racing without any fences on flat ground compare steeplechase (1) …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • flat racing — UK / US noun [uncountable] horse racing on flat ground with no fences or jumping …   English dictionary

  • flat racing — noun see flat race …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • flat racing — /ˈflæt reɪsɪŋ/ (say flat raysing) noun horseracing on courses without jumps …  

  • British flat racing Champion Owner — The Champion Owner of flat racing in Great Britain is the owner whose horses have won the most prizemoney during a season. The list below shows the Champion Owner for each year since 1894. * 1894 Harry L. B. McCalmont * 1895 Leopold de Rothschild …   Wikipedia

  • British flat racing Champion Jockey — The Champion Jockey of flat racing in Great Britain is the jockey who has ridden the most winning horses during a season. The list below shows the Champion Jockey and the number of winners for each year since 1840. * 1840 Nat Flatman 50 * 1841… …   Wikipedia

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