Horse racing vs greyhound racing: Which is better?
When it comes to speed-loving sport fans, a day watching horse racing or greyhound racing is a great day out filled with drinks with friends, action and betting.
Racing is a popular sport and there are many similarities between horse racing and greyhound racing so fans of either will no doubt enjoy both. But what separates these two sports, and which is the better option for a day out?
Features of horse racing
With horse racing, races are limited to a specific number of horses and there are regulatory structures and a racing code that has to be followed. There are different types of racing, including jump racing, flat racing, harness racing, steeplechasing and endurance racing. The most common of these globally is flat racing which takes place on an oval course.
There are also different breeds of horses which are used in each of these forms of racing, such as thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Appaloosa and Paint. Quarter Horses are used in jump and flat racing, while Standardbreds, French and European Trotters are commonly used for harness racing. The most famous horse racing events around the world are the Grand National, Epsom Derby, Dubai World Cup, the Japan Cup, the Melbourne Cup, Kentucky Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Features of greyhound racing
As with horse racing, there are regulatory structures and a racing code in place with greyhound races, as well as a specified number of dogs for each race. There are just two forms of greyhound racing though – track racing which takes place on an oval track and coursing which sees the dogs chase a mechanical lure.
The most popular and famous greyhound racing events include the Melbourne Cup for greyhounds, Golden Easter Egg, Irish Derby, English Derby and the Greyhound Night of Stars.
Betting on horse and greyhound racing
Horse and greyhound racing provide great opportunities for those who enjoy gambling and placing their bets on sport events with Timeform, either in person or online. Both of these sports allow the opportunity for pari-mutuel better and for bookmakers to make odds markets too. There are different bet types for both horse and greyhound racing as well, such as win or place. Both of these sports usually stipulate the race distances, handicap rules and other factors which affect the racing codes.
Which is better?
If you want to just focus on the thrill of the race itself, greyhound racing is an easier race with less wait time between races and much cheaper to attend. Events like Ascot are packed with glamour and activities, but they do come at a higher cost and have longer wait times throughout the day. Horse racing is a more social event that’s perfect if you want to really make a day of it and soak up the atmosphere. If you’re just looking to watch some racing though, greyhound racing is probably a better option for you. Finally, horse racing gets a lot busier and viewing can be a bit difficult at events like flat race meetings, while you won’t have as much of an issue at dog tracks.
