Horse Racing in Mauritius

Unknown to some, horse racing played a vital role in the history of the island of Mauritius. It brought peace in a time of war, and it has grown to become one of the most popular sports in Mauritius, second to football. Every Saturday the pavilion of the Champ de Mars is packed with spectators, waiting anxiously for the starting gates to open and a day of exciting horse racing action to begin. For the locals of Mauritius, horse racing is a part of their tradition and daily lives.

St Leger Start for Snow Fairy

The St Leger Stakes was inaugurated in 1776 and is one of the five classic and oldest thoroughbred horse racing events in Britain. It forms part of the English Triple Crown, of which the other legs of the championship are the 1 000 Guineas and Oaks, and the 2 000 Guineas and Derby. It is hosted by the Doncaster Racecourse and is an event for three-year-old fillies and colts. Run over a distance of 2 937 meters, the St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 event that is not to be missed.

Irish Oaks Fairy Tale

The inaugural Irish Oaks was run in 1895, and the race has become a part of Curragh's history, as well as one of the most prestigious horse racing events on the Irish racing calendar. Numerous three-year-old fillies enter into this magnificent Group 1 race, and on Sunday, 18 July 2010, the starting gates were once again filled with sixteen worthy competitors. It was one of the biggest fields of competitors for the Irish Oaks and was an event to remember, as Snow Fairy sped ahead and won by eight lengths.

George Steinbrenner Remembered

After the magic of Joe DiMaggio and Babe Ruth began to fade, George Michael Steinbrenner III stepped in to buy the Yankees Baseball Club in 1973 and build it back up. With eleven pennants and seven World Series baseball titles, George Steinbrenner managed to put the New York Yankees back on top. But there was another side to Steinbrenner, a sport he was passionate about and in which he immersed himself with confidence and determination, namely horse racing. Few people know of the contributions and successes he had in the horse racing industry, even though his biggest dream eluded him to the end.

Gold for Awesome Gem

The Hollywood Park Racecourse once again set the stage in California for the running of the 2010 Hollywood Gold Cup. It is a Grade I thoroughbred horse racing event that has a very long history in the horse racing industry, being inaugurated in 1938. Some of the winners at the Hollywood Gold Cup have become legendary, such as Cigar, Affirmed, Citation, Lava Man and Best Pal. Not much has changed since these greats won the title, except for a cushion synthetic dirt track being installed. As usual, the pressure was high and the excitement uncontrollable as the gates swung open for the 2010 Hollywood Gold Cup.

Unforgettable Performance by Memory

Every July since 1947, Newmarket Racecourse has been hosting the Cherry Hinton Stakes, or as it is known today, the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes. In the year 1996, the race gained Group 2 status. It lures numerous top two-year-old fillies to its starting gates each racing season. Held on the first day of the three-day Newmarket July Festival, the Cherry Hinton Stakes are an important part of the racing celebrations. This year, an unforgettable filly named Memory claimed the victory on Wednesday, 7 July 2010.

Queen's Plate Spectacular

With the Queen's Plate being inaugurated in the year 1860, it is the oldest thoroughbred horse racing event in North America. Run at the Woodbine Racecourse in Toronto, Canada, the Queen's Plate is a racing event for horses that are three-years-old and have been foaled in Canada. There is also a maximum of only seventeen contenders allowed in the field for the safety of horses and jockeys. This year's event was especially memorable, as not only was there nail-biting horse racing action to enjoy but it was attended by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.

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