What Are Best Places to Watch Horse Race Events in Pakistan?
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Pakistan isn’t, perhaps, the most famous equestrian venue on the planet. Yet, there are some great places here for you here if you want to experience the thrills of horse racing and other events of this type.
Here are our top picks if you enjoy watching horse related sports in the country.
This is the country’s biggest and most exciting horse racing venue. It has been around for over a century, although it was moved to a new venue in the 1980s. Sunday is the best day to visit here, as there are up to 10 races run on this day each week. In addition there are a few annual races to look out for too.
The historic Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup is run over 2,400 meters and in 2019 Big Bravo made history by becoming the first horse to win this race three times. Look out for this event in the winter Gymkhana race meeting that is held at the Karachi Racecourse in December each year.
Other big events held at the Karachi Race Club include the Karachi Derby and the New Year Cup. While there is no major race here to match the excitement of the Kentucky Derby odds or this year’s Dubai Gold Cup, you can enjoy a fine day out at any of these events.
Across in Lahore, Punjab, the Lahore Race Club was established in 1924, although there are some suggestions that it may have been around since the 19th century. It remains a popular destination and it is worth pointing out that the electricity here comes entirely from solar power.
The Race Club in Lahore isn’t in its original location. It used to be in Jail Road, where Jilani Park is now, but moved to its current location, in Kot Lakhpat, in 1980.
Probably the biggest horse race in the country is held here, which is the Pakistan Derby. This glamorous event was won by Royal Ransom in 2020. It followed the National Breeders Cup classic, which was won by Churchill.
This is one of the world’s oldest polo clubs, and the sport has been played here for at least a thousand years. The main ground at the Lahore Polo Club is known as the Aibak Ground and it has been visited over the years be celebrities, royals, and political leaders.
The polo season runs from October through to the middle of May and admission is free for all of these games. February and March see the big goal tournaments where foreign players regularly take part.
Other interesting events are the tournaments and exhibition matches involving teams that travel from abroad to play here. The polo teams from England, Australia, Brazil and USA are a few of the big teams that have come here to play in the past.
If watching other people ride horses puts you in the mood for getting out and riding, there are some ways of doing this in Pakistan too. The country has a range of exciting horse riding tours and safaris where you can get out to see the natural beauty of the landscape from a wonderful vantage point.
The rugged north of Pakistan is one of the very best parts of the country to get out and explore on horseback. Gilgit-Baltistan is a region that it best discovered on a horse riding tour, as this approach allows you to get out and see the area while feeling in touch with nature.
No matter how you choose to enjoy your equine adventures, Pakistan is a great destination that lives long in the memory.
Since 2017, Saba Ghani has been serving as the talented and dedicated chief content writer for Pakistan Tour and Travel & EMHI Solutions. With her exceptional writing skills and in-depth knowledge of the travel industry, she has been instrumental in crafting engaging and informative content that captivates the audience. You can catch her at [email protected] or Twitter
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