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Throughout the year, we’ll have daily horse racing tips posted on the site and social media from our team of experts - Alan Kelly, Charlie McCann, and Ed Quigley.
Where to Spend Horse Racing Free Bets this Week?
Last updated, December 11, 2023
Cheltenham returns this weekend, with a two-day meeting across Friday and Saturday.
Headlining the first day of the meeting, we have a veterans chase and cross country chase, both of while will feature some of the most popular horses in training.
While on the Saturday, the December Gold Cup is the feature event, a highly competitive handicap where plenty of runners will have a chance.
ITV Racing will have the top-class action covered on both Friday and Saturday, so make sure to check out our ITV Racing Tips.
Horse Racing Free Bets
At Freebets.com, we love horse racing. Our industry experts provide free betting tips for all high-profile events and daily racing selections with regular Nap of the Day selections, ITV Racing Tips, and antepost betting advice.
You will also find an unrivalled selection of free bet offers and money-back specials on our site, which can be used on flat and jump racing.
Best Horse Racing Betting Offers
Since the dawn of Newmarket, Britain has been a nation obsessed with horse racing. Today, there are races every day, and when the Classics roll around, the whole country picks a horse and crosses their fingers.
But while many of us simply love a cheeky bet on the Epsom Derby or the grab one of the Royal Ascot betting offers, some punters are hard workers, studying the form and top tips to maximise winnings.
At Freebets.com, we strive to bring you the best horse racing offers from some of the finest bookmakers across the UK. Ahead of all the major meets, bookmakers will be offering some fantastic offers with the likes of Grand National betting offers, Cheltenham enhanced odds and Royal Ascot betting promotions, all opportunities you simply have to grasp.
All year round, though, you’ll get some fantastic horse racing betting offers, especially for new customers. We’ve collated a few of our favourites for you to enjoy below.
- Enhanced Odds – Also known as ‘Price Boosts’, these betting offers give you much bigger odds on certain runners. The very big horse racing betting odds enhancements are usually restricted to new customers only and limited to small stakes (around £1-£5). However, nowadays, many sportsbooks offer regular (but smaller) enhanced odds boosts to their existing customers too, although much bigger stakes are allowed.
- Antepost – Antepost betting (also known as ‘Futures’ betting) is where you bet on a horse race well in advance (often many months) of the scheduled starting time. The benefit of antepost betting is that you can often get huge prices on your fancies, but the downsides are that it ties up funds for long periods, and if your horse does not take part, you will still lose your stake.
- ‘Non Runner No Bet’ (NRNB) – A fairly recent phenomenon, ‘NRNB’ protects you against one of the big downsides of betting very early, as described above in antepost betting. The ‘Non Runner No Bet’ concession provides a safety net so that if your horse does not run in the specified race, then your stake will be refunded in full and in cash rather than free bet tokens. For the Cheltenham Festival in March, these NRNB markets usually start appearing in early January.
- Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) – This is an excellent horse racing betting bonus offered by many of the big names, such as Coral, William Hill, and bet365. Put simply, it means that if the SP (Starting Price) of your horse ends up being bigger than the price you took, then you will be paid out at the bigger odds. This promotion is usually automatically applied, but look out for a ‘BOG’ icon or graphic near the top of the racecard to make sure you’re covered.
- Fallers Insurance – A fantastic promotion occasionally offered by a few bookmakers such as Paddy Power and BetStars, the ‘Fallers Insurance’ concession will refund your stake on specific race(s) if your horse falls, unseats the jockey or is brought down to a limited amount (usually around £20/£25) as a free bet token. Be aware that it sometimes only pays out if they fall at the first or last fences, but sometimes it is at any fence! Check the relevant Sportsbooks promotions page for the full offer terms & conditions.
Latest Horse Racing News
Freebets.com Horse Racing Betting on Social Media
It is important to have the most up-to-date information possible when it comes to Horse Racing betting – that’s where our social media coverage comes in.
We will have the latest horse racing betting tips, big race information and analysis across our social media platforms.
Key Races of the UK & Ireland National Hunt Season
| Race | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Old Roan Chase | Aintree Racecourse | Sunday, October 29 |
| Charlie Hall Chase | Wetherby Racecourse | Saturday, November 4 |
| Haldon Gold Cup | Exeter Racecourse | Friday, November 10 |
| Betfair Chase | Haydock Park Racecourse | Saturday, November 25 |
| Morgiana Hurdle | Punchestown Racecourse | Saturday, November 25 |
| John Durkan Memorial Chase | Punchestown Racecourse | Sunday, November 26 |
| Fighting Fifth Hurdle | Newcastle Racecourse | Saturday, December 2 |
| Drinmore Novice Chase | Fairyhouse Racecourse | Sunday, December 3 |
| Hatton’s Grace Hurdle | Fairyhouse Racecourse | Sunday, December 3 |
| Henry VIII Novices Chase | Sandown Park Racecourse | Saturday, December 9 |
| Tingle Creek Chase | Sandown Park Racecourse | Saturday, December 9 |
| Long Walk Hurdle | Ascot Racecourse | Saturday, December 23 |
| Kauto Star Novices Chase | Kempton Park Racecourse | Tuesday, December 26 |
| Christmas Hurdle | Kempton Park Racecourse | Tuesday, December 26 |
| King George VI Chase | Kempton Park Racecourse | Tuesday, December 26 |
| Tolworth Hurdle | Aintree Racecourse | Tuesday, December 26 |
| Welsh Grand National | Chepstow Racecourse | Wednesday, December 27 |
| Christmas Hurdle (Leopardstown) | Leopardstown Racecourse | Thursday, December 28 |
| Savills Chase | Leopardstown Racecourse | Friday, December 29 |
| Matheson Hurdle | Leopardstown Racecourse | Thursday, December 29 |
| Challow Novices Hurdle | Newbury Racecourse | Saturday, December 30 |
International Horse Racing
Horse racing is not just popular in the UK and Ireland, it’s a worldwide sport taking place in many countries.
French racing regularly hosts the highest calibre races at courses such as Longchamp, Auteuil, Chantilly, Deauville, and Saint-Cloud. French racing can be viewed in Britain on Sky Sports Racing and on the websites of many bookies.
Florida-based tracks like Gulfstream Park, Tampa Bay Downs, and Will Rogers Downs have carried American racing. There are many quality courses throughout America, though, with some of the best racing taking place at Santa Anita, Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, Saratoga, Meadowlands, Del Mar, and Keeneland. And, of course, the highlight of American horse racing is the annual Breeders Cup.
In the Far East, the unique setting of Happy Valley Racecourse has delighted many racing fans in recent weeks, whilst there are four crown jewels in Japanese racing – Tokyo, Nakayama, Kyoto, and Hanshin.
Horse racing in the Middle East is very big business these days, with some of the richest races in the world. The courses at Meydan, Abu Dhabi, and Jebel Ali are among the best in the region, with the biggest races regularly live-streamed.
Australian horse racing is also incredibly popular and includes valuable races, like The Everest, the Cox Plate, and Melbourne Cup. The pick of Australian racecourses includes Royal Randwick, Flemington, Caulfield, Rosehill, and Moonee Valley.
So keep an eye on our betting tips page for horse racing tips for the big races around the globe.
Horse Racing Live Streaming
There is nothing quite like being able to cheer home a winning bet, whether at the racecourse in person or from the comfort of your own home.
- Watch live horse racing on mobile and tablet at bet365 All you need is a funded account or to have placed a bet in the last 24 hours to qualify, but geo-restrictions apply.
- Watch all UK & Ireland races at Betfair - all you need is to place a minimum bet of £2 on the particular race. New customers place £50 worth of bets to receive £20 in free bets. Repeat up to 5 times to receive a maximum of £100. Min odds 1.2 (1/5). Multiple bets included. Exchange bets excluded. Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply. The live streaming options provided by the best online bookmakers is now really impressive and allow you to experience the thrill of horse racing from home or, increasingly, wherever you are via their mobile apps.
For all the latest information about where and how to watch these live streams, make sure to visit our Horse Racing Live Streaming page.
Horse Racing Totepool Betting
Totepool betting is an alternative way to bet on horses and is very similar to parimutuel betting in France. It differs from traditional ‘fixed odds’ betting in that you do not get a set price on your horses when you strike your bets.
In years gone by, it was how people used to bet at the racecourse where all the money wagered is collected into a big ‘pool’ and then (after a ‘house-take’ deduction) distributed back out to all the winning tickets as a dividend. So, the final odds you end up with, depend upon the number of winners.
The final Tote odds are usually fairly similar to bookmakers starting prices (SP’s) but they can often be much bigger, especially on the outsiders. These days you do not have to be on the racecourse to bet directly into the Tote pools (as was the case) since most major online bookmakers allow you to place bets on the Tote. There are also a number of special Tote bets which offer potentially big payouts. They are the Tote Jackpot, Tote Placepot, Tote Quadpot, Exacta, Trifecta, Scoop6 and Tote Swinger.
Horse Racing Tips
Around the world, horse racing is one of the most betted on and most exciting sports. In the USA, you have the Kentucky Derby, in Europe, there’s the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and there are plenty of major races across the Middle East, Asia, and Australia which offer up some of the biggest prize pots in the sport.
This means there’s plenty for you to bet on too. One thing to keep an eye on, whether you’re just betting on British races or worldwide, is the track type. There are numerous types of tracks from grass to dirt, to synthetic tracks and on natural tracks the weather can often play a part in the firmness of the ground.
Different horses suit different tracks, and it’s well worth studying your horse and the track before placing a bet.
Flat races are run over numerous distances from 5-furlong sprints to test speed to 2 mile 4 furlong long distance tests of stamina, with middle-distance races providing horses with a test of both speed and stamina.
International races such as those mentioned above attract large audiences worldwide, with plenty of betting to be had on the races leading up to the big events themselves.
The big UK flat races are the 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks, Epsom Derby, and St Leger, with meetings such as Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood also of huge interest.
Horse racing betting tips feature heavily in our free tips section, where you will find all the latest big race tips for flat horse racing and National Hunt / jumps racing.
As well as expert betting tips for the weekend feature races, many of which come with free horse racing live streaming feeds, FreeBets.com also regularly publish early Cheltenham Festival betting tips and tips for other big events such as Royal Ascot, the Epsom Derby, the Melbourne Cup and many more.
How To Bet On Horse Races
There are generally a few type of players when it comes to betting on horse racing. There are those that dip in every year for the Grand National free bets, back the horse with the best name. Then there are those who have a casual punt, know to at least study the odds, horses and jockeys, and then there are those who know the sport inside out.
For those who are unfamiliar with horse racing, there are numerous types of bet you can make.
Win Bet
A win bet is a straightforward bet that is backing a horse to win a race - it’s really that simple.
Each-Way Bet
A little more complex is an each-way bet. You’ll likely have heard of one of these but may not completely understand it. An each-way bet is, in practice, two bets, one going on the horse to win and the other on it to place. The odds of the place part bet are usually a quarter of the main odds.
This means if you place a £5 each-way bet on a horse at 10/1, you’ll be wagering £10, and if it wins, you’ll receive winnings on both bets. You’d receive £50 in winnings plus your £5 stake for the win part, and you would win £12.50 from the place part, plus your £5 stake. Giving you a total return of £72.50.
If your horse only placed, your win part of the each-way bet would be beaten but you would get £12.50 plus your £5 stake for the place part of the bet, giving you a total return of £17.50.
The best way to check the returns on your each-way bets is on our each-way bet calculator.
Single Bet
This is the simplest form of horse racing betting and is essentially you backing one horse in one race. For example, you might want to back Fairy Lights at the 12.30 at Newmarket, this could either be a win bet or an each way bet.
Multiple Bets
This is almost like a football accumulator in which you’d back multiple horses in one wager. You’d get a combined odds and if one horse was to let you down, you’d lose your whole wager.
Straight Forecast
Horse racing straight forecast odds are bets where you have to predict the top two horses in a race in the correct order.
Reverse Forecast
This is the forecast version of an each way bet and requires two wagers but allows the horses to finish in any order.
Tricast
This can be a really lucrative bet and requires you to predict the top three finishers in order.
Top Flat Jockeys
Having a talented jockey in the saddle is often the difference between a horse winning and losing, and there have been some masters or riding over the years, such as Lester Piggott and Willie Carson and, more recently, the likes of Frankie Dettori, Kieren Fallon, and Richard Hughes.
Below is a list of the last ten British flat racing Champion Jockeys according to most wins per season.
| Year | Jockey | Number of Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | William Buick | 135 |
| 2022 | William Buick | 157 |
| 2021 | Oisin Murphy | 153 |
| 2020 | Oisin Murphy | 142 |
| 2019 | Oisin Murphy | 168 |
| 2018 | Silvestre de Sousa | 148 |
| 2017 | Silvestre de Sousa | 155 |
| 2016 | Jim Crowley | 148 |
| 2015 | Silvestre de Sousa | 132 |
| 2014 | Richard Hughes | 165 |
| 2013 | Richard Hughes | 208 |
Top Flat Trainers
Some trainers just seem to have a knack for getting that extra bit out of a horse, and siding with the ones who regularly pick the right races for their runners can help your betting returns.
The Champion Trainer of flat racing in Great Britain is the trainer whose horses have won the most prize money during a season, of which the past ten are listed below.
| Year | Trainer |
|---|---|
| 2023 | John & Thady Gosden |
| 2022 | Charlie Appleby |
| 2021 | Charlie Appleby |
| 2020 | John Gosden |
| 2019 | John Gosden |
| 2018 | John Gosden |
| 2017 | Aidan O’Brien |
| 2016 | Aidan O’Brien |
| 2015 | John Gosden |
| 2014 | Richard Hannon |
| 2013 | Richard Hannon Senior |
National Hunt Racing
Also known as jumps racing, National Hunt racing requires horses to run over longer distances while negotiating hurdles or the more demanding larger fences in a chase. You’ll find races from around two miles to four miles, so studying how far a horse has run before is well worth checking before placing your money on it.
The National Hunt season begins in the Autumn and continues through the winter months before culminating in the showpiece event in March - the Cheltenham Festival. The following month, Aintree stages the Grand National before the Punchestown Festival in Ireland marks the end of the season.
Tony McCoy is, of course, the most famous jump jockey and was named British Champion Jockey for 18 straight seasons before retiring in 2015.
Other leading players such as Ruby Walsh, who never fails to earn people a few quid at Cheltenham, while Barry Geraghty and up-and-coming riders like Sam Twiston-Davies are also favourites with punters.
The top National Hunt Jockeys across the last decade can be found below.
- 2013/14 – Tony McCoy – 218 wins
- 2014/15 – Tony McCoy – 231 wins
- 2015/16 – Richard Johnson – 235 wins
- 2016/17 – Richard Johnson – 180 wins
- 2017/18 – Richard Johnson – 176 wins
- 2018/19 – Richard Johnson – 200 wins
- 2019/20 – Brian Hughes – 141 wins
- 2020/21 - Harry Skelton - 152 wins
- 2021/22 - Brian Hughes - 204 wins
- 2022/23 - Brian Hughes - 165 wins
Top National Hunt Trainers
Fred Winter and Martin Pipe were leading trainers in jumps racing back in their day, but Paul Nicholls has largely dominated the last 10 years. The Ditcheat-based handler finally landed the big one in 2012 when Neptune Collonges won the Grand National by a nose, and he has trained many a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, including Gold Cup winners Kauto Star and Denman.
Other notable trainers include Willie Mullins, Jonjo O’Neill, Nicky Henderson, Gordon Elliott, Donald McCain and Venetia Williams, to name but a few.
As you can see from the list below, Nicholls’ runners have earned the most prize money in six of the past ten seasons to land him the trainers title.
- 2012/13 – Nicky Henderson
- 2013/14 – Paul Nicholls
- 2014/15 – Paul Nicholls
- 2015/16 – Paul Nicholls
- 2016/17– Nicky Henderson
- 2017/18 – Nicky Henderson
- 2018/19 – Paul Nicholls
- 2019/20 – Nicky Henderson
- 2021/22 – Paul Nicholls
- 2022/23 – Paul Nicholls
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