Man has been known to use horses for racing since this specie was first domesticated. Historical evidences reveal that as early as 4500 BC, the nomadic people of Central Asia has already developed systems of horse racing. In fact, the Greeks are known to have incorporated horse racing in the Olympics since 638 BC.
Both the chariot horse racing and the mounted horse racing were popular during these ages. These later became an obsession among Romans when they have adopted the sport.
For thousand of years that followed, this type of sports was known to be performed only for the noble men and royalties.
Modern racing is said to have started in the 12th century when the first breeding between Arabian and English horses were made. These were sparred by the return of the noble knights to the mother land after the Crusades. These are known to have produced sturdy horses with excellent speed. Thus, breeders maximized the potentiality of a racehorse and put them into tracks. This breed is the Thoroughbred that we know of today which is still the most popular breed in the United Kingdom.
King Charles II was known to have held horse races in his private courses...