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Flat racing is a form of horse racing which is run on a level racecourse. It is run over a predetermined distance from up to and is either test of speed, stamina or both, whilst the skills of the jockey is determined by his ability to restrain the horse or impel it. Flat racing does not require horses to jump over any obstacles such as is required for hurdling or Steeplechase. It differs from harness racing where horses are pulling a sulky and wear a harness. While in many countries flat racing is the most common form of horse racing, in Britain and Ireland it is used to describe the racing season that comes after the Jumps racing which is traditionally held over the winter period. Many different horse breeds are used in flat racing worldwide, but the Thoroughbred is the most dominant. The races take place on track surfaces suitable for horses. Worldwide, the most common is a natural grass surface, called "turf". In North America, the most common surface is a harrowed "dirt" surface, often based primarily on a mixture of sand and local soil. Most winter flat races in Britain and other parts of the world are run on a synthetic or all-weather surface, generally a blend of sand with synthetic fiber and/or rubber, often coated with wax or a similar substance. ==Flat racing in Great Britain== Flat races in Great Britain are run over a variety of distances from five furlongs () to over and are generally called sprints, middle distance, or stayers races. In Great Britain (and the majority of Europe), flat racing is split into two distinctive bands, conditions races and handicaps. *Conditions races are further split into: * *Pattern races, also commonly known as group races * * *Group 1 - (classics and other races of major international importance) * * *Group 2 - (less important international races) * * *Group 3 - (primarily domestic races) * *Listed races - have less prestige than the group races, but are still more important than handicaps. *Handicap races - where the Jockey Club official handicapper gives horses a different weight to carry according to their ability, are the bread and butter daily races, although some of these are also quite prestigious. Classic Races - In British horse racing, the classics are a series of horse races run over the flat (i.e. without jumps). Each classic is run once each year and is restricted to intact horses (in other words, geldings are barred) that are three years old; two of them are further restricted to fillies only. The five classic races are: *2,000 Guineas Stakes *1,000 Guineas Stakes *Epsom Oaks *Epsom Derby *St. Leger Stakes 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「flat racing」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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