The Queen’s Cup is the biggest horse racing event in the Charlotte region. The best horses flock to take each other on, much like we see elsewhere around the world, including in the UK.
When it comes to horse racing, the UK is one of the leaders, with huge events that draw worldwide interest. One of those big events is the Cheltenham Festival, loved by local fans but also viewed around the world. Headlining the festival is the Gold Cup, ran on the final day of the meeting and the latest Cheltenham betting lists Galvin alongside A Plus Tard as the +333 joint-favorites. Both horses are from Ireland, which highlights their dominance in this event.
Despite taking place in the UK, many Irish runners descend on the meeting, and last year, they completely dominated proceedings with 23 winners from 28 races at the meeting. Once again, the Irish look to have a strong hand, with the current Prestbury Cup betting odds listing Ireland as -2000 favorites to take home the trophy for winning the most races at the meeting.
Fans from the UK look forward to the Cheltenham Festival all year, just like fans in Charlotte look forward to the Queen’s Cup all year, but how does the event in Charlotte compare, and can it grow using the UK model?
What Can the Queen’s Cup Learn from UK Racing Festivals?
The Queen’s Cup has history, running for over 20 years, and for that reason, it has become part of the racing scene in Charlotte that many will continue to support. But when you compare this one-day event to the Cheltenham Festival, the biggest event in the UK, there is a lot of room for growth.
The Cheltenham Festival is run over four days, with a total of 28 races across those days, meaning it is far more than just one race. At the center of it, the Cheltenham Gold Cup is run on the final day, a race won by Minella Indo back in 2021. However, both on that day, and the previous three days, there are many other exciting events, turning this into more like a carnival of horse racing, rather than just one event.
Minella Indo leads them home in the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup!
🏆 @HenrydeBromhead has won the ‘Holy Trinity’ at the Cheltenham Festival with a one-two finish!#ITVRacing#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/ndc7njTGvO
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 19, 2021
If the Queen’s Cup wants to grow into something special for horse racing in the USA, this is the path it has to take, with growth in the number of days the event is on for, plus additional quality races to attract fans.
The 2021 Queen’s Cup was live streamed for fans to watch at home, another big move that could be used in the future. Accessibility is key, and again, Cheltenham set the tone for this. Each day at the Cheltenham Festival, the majority of races are available on free-to-air TV, which puts the racing in front of many people.
Streaming may be the best start for the Queen’s Cup, but, ultimately, their goal should be the same, to put their action in front of as many people as possible, to build up interest.