There are few more popular social events on the international calendar than going to a day at the horse racing. The sport is exceptionally popular across North America and Europe, with some of the biggest events typically seeing those that don’t normally attend a day at the sport pass through the gates.
There are few more popular events on the calendar than the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes in the U.S., while eye-catching events on the British schedule include the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot.
After they place horse racing bet, what are some of the traditional dishes that Racegoers tend to enjoy?
Mint Julep
One of the most synonymous drinks that goes hand-in-hand with the Triple Crown in the United States is a Mint Julep. The drink is served regularly at the biggest events on the U.S. calendar, but it is most popular at the Kentucky Derby.
The drink is widely associated with Southern America, and is primarily includes bourbon. As well as this, there is shaved ice, fresh mint, sugar and water included to make the drink. The history of the drink dates back to the 1700s, but it didn’t get mainstream attention across the United States before being offered to politicians at the White House by senator Henry Clay.
Nowadays, it is a go-to drink for visitors at the Kentucky Derby, with stats showing that over 120,000 juleps were sold during the two-day meet at Churchill Downs in 2009. Such is the success of the drink that collectable glasses are now available when ordering the Kentucky drink at the track.
Fish and Chips
Unsurprisingly, the most popular dish to enjoy when taking in a day of racing in the United Kingdom is fish and chips. The national dish is offered regularly at the racecourses across the UK, with many stalls often priding themselves on offering the best meal for Racegoers.
The hot meal originated from England, but it is widely considered to be popular in all nations that are English-speaking. It has been enjoyed by Brits throughout history, with the first chip shops opening up around the 1860s. Such was the popularity of the meal that by 1910 there were over 25,000 establishments around the country.
Brits are crazy about their fish and chips, and due to that reason it was one of the few meals during the two World Wards that weren’t subject to rationing by the government. Nowadays, the price of the dish at the racing can be more on the expensive side, but that doesn’t stop fans from ordering the dish when they are at the track enjoying the racing.
Irish Stew
There are few more popular sports to attend in Ireland than horse racing, with hundreds of thousands of visitors passing through the gates annually to witness jumps action. Flat racing is also popular within the nation, but the popular jumps events on the calendar such as the Dublin Racing Festival and Punchestown Christmas meet rank among the best attended.
There is no shortage of dining options when visiting Irish tracks, but due to the cold temperatures for jump racing during the winter months, Irish Stews typically rank among the most popular. The dish consists of either lamb or beef, and it is served with potatoes, carrots, onions, and cooking wine. Such is the popularity of the dish within the country that it is regarded as Ireland’s national dish.
The roots of Irish stew date back to an ancient method of cooking which is common throughout the world, with the first stews typically consisting of goat meat before being replaced by beef and lamb which are common in this modern day. Stew was first served in the nation back in the 1600s, before it was given its first official recipe by Countess of Thomond in the early 1700s.
Guinness
The second Irish entry on this list comes in the form of Guinness, which is an exceptionally popular drink when attending the racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Despite the price of the drink exceeding record highs at the racing, with consumers having to pay £7.50 per pint at the Cheltenham Festival, it remains exceptionally popular. That is echoed by the stats from the 2024 Festival, which saw over 220,000 pints being brought at Cheltenham, seeing bars at the track take over £1.65 million in Guinness sales. Guinness was founded in Dublin in the 18th century, with Arthur Guinness stumbling upon the Irish delicacy.
Nowadays, the drink is brewed in over 50 countries across the world, with sales back in 2011 reaching record highs of 850 billion. Since opening, the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin has become one of the most attended tourist attractions in the city, with over 20 million visitors having been welcomed at St. James’s Gate.
