The variety of horseracing on offer in Britain is unparalleled anywhere in the world and the fifty-nine racecourses, each with its own particular character and atmosphere, offer a wide range of experiences and cater for all tastes and all budgets. The more you know about what's going on, the more fun you'll get from a day at the races.

British racecourses stage two ‘codes’ of horseracing, flat and jumping, both of which take place all year round.

Flat racing features the five Classics: The Stan James 2000 and 1000 Guineas, The Vodafone Oaks, The Vodafone Derby and The Ladbrokes St Leger. There are a number of major flat meetings such as Royal Ascot, where you will see the world’s most valuable thoroughbreds, members of the Royal family and a host of celebrities. However, cheering home one of the leading jockeys such as Frankie Dettori or Jamie Spencer at any of the many flat meetings staged around the country can be equally exciting.

Jump racing over steeplechase fences or hurdles, features the Easibed Summer Jumping Championships from April to October and the winter months build up to a climax with the Cheltenham National Hunt Festival in March and the John Smiths Grand National Meeting at Aintree in April.

A typical raceday consists of 6 - 8 races, taking place roughly at half hour intervals.

Racecard

One of the first things you need to do when you get to the racecourse, is buy yourself a racecard. It contains useful information about the course including a map indicating the various facilities.

The racecard will tell you everything you need to know about the races, runners and riders you’re about to see and will help you select the horse with the best chance of winning. Most racecards include a diagram explaining how to read the card – here’s an idea of what to expect:

'Studying Form' is simply the information and facts about a horse's past performances. You can find a summary of form in the national newspapers. If you would like a more detailed analysis, then the Racing Post has a wide range of statistical information.

Some factors worth taking into consideration when looking at form are whether the horse has won previously over a certain distance or going, the weight it's carrying compared to previous races or whether it is going up or dropping down significantly in the class of the race.

Before they are saddled up, the horses are walked around the pre-parade ring. This is a good place to get your first glimpse of the horses and is often less crowded than the Parade Ring area. You can then give yourself enough time to have a bet and find a good spot to watch the race.

Studying the form can assist in picking winners but it's not the only component and it’s definitely worth actually having a look at the horses before the race, either in the pre-parade ring or the Parade Ring, to see how they’re looking.

The sort of signs you should be seeking in a potential winner are:

• A good muscle tone, often referred to as 'condition'
• Match this with a shiny coat, bright eyes, forward-pointing ears and an alert manner and you’re in with a good chance
• Pay attention to how the horse moves. A relaxed forward stride is ideal but watch out for unnecessary agitation - the horse could well be wasting energy
• Profuse sweating can be an indication of nerves, but don’t cut this out altogether as for some horses this is normal
• Equally, don’t be put off by blinkers or visors, which are worn to help channel the horse’s concentration during the race

Watching the race

The grandstand is the obvious place to watch a race and there are also TV screens around the course. Some of the bigger meetings also have giant screens on which you can follow the action.

One of the best places is to stand right by the rails so you can see the horses thundering past. If you're at a Jumps meeting, it’s often possible to stand next to one of the hurdles or fences so you can get a sense of the energy and power of the horses as they fly past.

Winners Enclosure

Share the triumph of the winners as they are presented with their trophies in the Winner's Enclosure.