5 Great Races to Look Forward to in the Latter Half of 2025
With summer on the wane, it’s fair to say that most of the UK’s big races and major racing festivals are done and dusted until 2026. Cheltenham, the Aintree Grand National Festival, Royal Ascot, and the Derby Festival at Epsom delivered incredible highlights in 2025, leaving lasting memories and whetting the appetite for 2026.
Yet, plenty of brilliant racing action will come in the latter half of the year. The action never stops, so we have picked out five of the best races, both at home and abroad, and across different disciplines, to watch for as the autumn draws closer.
St Leger Stakes (UK, Flat) – September 13
The final fixture in Britain’s five-race flat Classic series, the St Leger Stakes, occurs at Doncaster. A Group 1 race over 1 mile 6 furlongs for three-year-olds is a kind of curtain closer for the summer racing season. It’s all about staying powerful and rewarding those horses who have built up some nous over the summer campaign. Lambourn and Scandinavia top the odds in the online horse betting markets in the lead-up to the race, but that could change over the coming weeks.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=MP-2PgY4nPM%3Fsi%3DZ1MzxlLvGdQRjcC5
Irish St Leger (Ireland, Flat) – September 14
The Curragh hosts the Irish St Leger a day after its English counterpart. Despite the common name, there are different rules for each race. The Irish version is shorter by half a furlong, and it is also open to older horses. Yet, one of its most interesting aspects is that plenty of the runners, at least some of those who are successful, will go on to compete in the Melbourne Cup (see below). Irish trainers have made no secret of targeting Australia’s biggest race, so watching the action at the Curragh may arm you with some insider-type knowledge.
Melbourne Cup (Australia) – November 4
Speaking of the Melbourne Cup, the 165th running of Australia’s legendary race will take place on its usual first Tuesday in November at Flemington Racecourse. Dubbed “the race that stops a nation,” it shares a quality similar to that of the Grand National: it transcends sport to become almost a cultural event, nearly a public holiday. The 3,200 m handicap features a massive $8.66 million prize and draws premier stayers from across the globe. And as we have said, Irish interest is always, especially from Willie Mullins.
Breeders’ Cup Classic (USA) – November 1
Closing the American year in racing, the Breeders’ Cup Classic is the showpiece of the World Championships at Del Mar, which is probably the closest US equivalent to the Cheltenham Festival. This year, it should be all about Sovereignty, the horse who won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes earlier this year. While the horse swerved in the Preakness Stakes, meaning Sovereignty won’t be going for the Grand Slam, a successful bid for this triple will stamp greatness on the Bill Mott-trained horse.
King George VI Chase (UK, National Hunt) – December 26
Arguably, the star of the King George has been on the wane in recent years as some of the biggest names have been placed elsewhere or held back in preparation for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Yet, it is still the centrepiece of the biggest race day on the British calendar. The Boxing Day races across Britain (and Ireland) are unique, and the gruelling test of the King George throws up some wonderful moments. Those still happen, even if the race no longer attracts legendary names like Kauto Star and Long Run.