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Horse racing is an equestrian sport, involving two or more jockeys riding horses over a set distance for competition.

Horse races vary widely in format. Often, countries have developed their own particular horse racing traditions.

Variations include:
restricting races to particular breeds
running over obstacles
running over different distances
running on different track surfaces
running in different gaits.

It is one of the most ancient of all sports and its basic premise - to identify which of two or more horses is the fastest over a set course or distance - has remained unchanged since the earliest times.

Horse racing has a long and distinguished history and has been practiced in civilizations across the world since ancient times. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in Ancient Greece, Babylon, Syria, and Egypt It also plays an important part of myth and legend.

In later times, Thoroughbred racing was, and is, popular with the aristocrats and royalty of British society, earning it the title "Sport of Kings."

Many of the sport's greatest jockeys, most notably Sir Gordon Richards have been British.

At many horse races, there is a gambling station, where gamblers can stake money on a horse.