7 Key Moments from Horse Racing in 2024
2024 was a fairly exciting one for fans of horse racing. You can argue that the sport’s profile rose, especially in the blue-chip global events. Evidence of growing crowd sizes and television figures underline that fact. The action on the course was just as strong as ever, yet we had some interesting outcomes, with plenty of hot favorites tasting defeat and plenty of shock winners sending value-hunting bettors home happy.
While everyone will have their favorite moments of the year, we have picked out seven that we consider key: stuff that will be recorded in the history books and remembered for a long time.
Mystik Dan Wins the Kentucky Derby
2024 bore witness to one of the best finishes to the Kentucky Derby, as 18-1 shot Mystik Dan seemed to come from nowhere to beat Sierra Leone and Forever Young. The highest television audience since 1989 watched the Run of the Roses, and they were treated to a classic. An excellent advert for the sport of horse racing.
Galopin Des Champs Underlines Greatness
Sometimes, it’s best to go with the consensus in horse betting markets. Many wondered if Willie Mullins’ brilliant Galopin Des Champs was vulnerable in the weeks leading up to the Cheltenham Festival. They need not have worried as Galopin moved through the gears to win the most fantastic prize in national hunt racing with consummate ease. https://www.youtube.com/embed/p110-zcuZpU
Romantic Warrior Makes History in Hong Kong
To win one Hong Kong Cup is an incredible accolade; two is even more of a rare feat. But three? James McDonald rode Romantic Warrior for an unprecedented hat-trick of Hong Kong Cup wins in December, cementing the horse as possibly the greatest to compete in Hong Kong.
A Longshot Fairytale in the Melbourne Cup
Could you imagine winning the Melbourne Cup in your first blue-chip race as a jockey? That’s precisely what happened to James Dolan, who saddled Knight’s Choice – a huge 80/1 shot – to victory in the 2024 Melbourne Cup. After the photo finish, Dolan looked shocked after the race, as did most of the Flemington Park crowd. The Melbourne Cup has made mincemeat of the favorites recently, something to bear in mind for the 2025 event.
Auguste Rodin Triumphs at Royal Ascot
There were plenty of thrilling races at the 2024 Royal Ascot Festival, but there must be special recognition for Auguste Rodin in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Dominating a world-class field, the Aidan O’Brien trained horse powered through to get the biggest cheer of the festival, cementing his legacy as one of the world’s best middle-distance runners.
Willie Mullins’ Golden Year
We could spend so much time picking out significant wins for Willie Mullins in 2024, but let’s narrow it down to his Grand National victory with I Am Maximus. Jockey Paul Townend ran a blinder in one of the world’s most notoriously tricky jumps races, but it seemed inevitable that he would celebrate with Mullins at the end of the grueling 4-mile chase. For Mullins, it appeared that he could do no wrong.
Rossa Ryan Triumphs in the Arc
2024 was a year of pulsating action in the world’s great horse races, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was no different. Owners had to pay a £100K supplement to get Bluestocking into the race, but the gamble paid off as Rossa Ryan rode home. The horse took a considerable amount of money in the lead-up to the race (someone knew something), so the punters who lumped on went home feeling pretty satisfied, too.