| Horse racing has been a popular sport around the | | | | where the term "gee-gees" comes from. |
| world for hundreds of years, particularly here in Britain. | | | | King Charles II (1660 -1685) became thoroughly |
| The following article takes a look at the origins and | | | | enamoured by the early Thoroughbreds and helped to |
| history of British horse racing. | | | | establish Newmarket, one of the main venues in British |
| It is believed that the sport of racing horses originated | | | | racing. Queen Anne (1702 -1714) followed this by |
| in Central Asia, where the first organised races took | | | | opening Ascot racecourse in 1711. |
| place. Horses were first introduced to the British Isles | | | | Even today, the Royal Family takes an intense interest |
| around 1500 BC as horse racing became part of | | | | in British horse racing, both on the flat and over hurdles. |
| religious and social festivals. In particular, the Celtic | | | | Regulation of British Horse Racing |
| goddesses Epona was honoured with horse racing. | | | | The Jockey Club was formed at Newmarket in 1750 |
| The Development of the Thoroughbred | | | | to help set guidelines for the ever growing sport. In the |
| The breed of horse used in most professional horse | | | | 1800's, they decided to close the Thoroughbred stud |
| races in the world is the Thoroughbred, also known as | | | | book. They also would not allow American-born |
| the English thoroughbred. According to the International | | | | Thoroughbreds to be imported into the UK for fear of |
| Encyclopaedia of Horse Breeds, the breed originally | | | | their not being purebreds. This rule was overturned in |
| developed for British horse races was the small and | | | | 1949. |
| sturdy Galloway, a breed which is now extinct. | | | | Since June 2007, British horse racing has been |
| In the 1700's, Galloways were crossed with many | | | | governed by the British Horseracing Authority, a |
| different breeds from the Middle East and Central | | | | merger of 2 bodies, the British Horseracing Board and |
| Asia. The breeds used in British horse races gradually | | | | the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, which previously |
| became taller, with longer legs for a greater stride and | | | | held the governing and regulatory authority for the |
| a deeper chest for greater lung capacity. By the | | | | sport respectively. |
| 1800's, the Thoroughbred was well established, with | | | | Horse Racing Today |
| British horse racing conducted on the flat in heats of | | | | Racing today is very popular all around the UK, and is |
| several miles. | | | | becoming much more accessible for people who |
| The Sport of Kings | | | | wouldn't normally have gone to watch race meetings. |
| King Stephen (1135 -1154) was one of the first | | | | In addition, many race courses offer corporate |
| recorded English monarch to import horses from | | | | entertaining in order to provide a fantastic days racing |
| different nations for war and for racing. There was | | | | for individuals and companies alike. |
| racing in Chester, at the Roodee Fields, in 1539, during | | | | If you're looking for a day out with a difference, or |
| the reign of Henry VIII. Consent for this race was given | | | | somewhere different to take your clients, why not |
| by the Lord Mayor of Chester, Henry Gee, which is | | | | consider a race meeting? |