Horses have been raced for competitive sport for hundreds of years, and countries around the world continue to embrace the cultural spectacle of horse racing. The sport and its spectatorship are associated with prestige and money, with fans wagering for prizes through online horse betting as well as betting at the events themselves.
The glory of these spectacular races is captured and remembered through a variety of mediums – from literature, film and news reporting to professional photography, high quality artwork and prints.
Horse racing art is the perfect display piece for any fan of the sport, and there are a number of artists who specialize in this sort of work. For those looking for some new art, here are some of the best horse racing pieces you can buy:
Racecourse Scenes
July Shadows
There are a number of top racecourses that are associated with the most prestigious events in the horse racing calendar, including Cheltenham, Ascot and Newmarket.
David ‘Mouse’ Cooper is an artist who specializes in this type of work. Born in London, England, Cooper is a talented painter who also enjoyed a successful career in racing. During his time at Newmarket, he painted a number of fantastic pieces, including ‘July Shadows.’ This piece shows spectators against a leafy green background, watching a horse passing by.
This artist’s prints are limited edition, numbered, and signed by David Cooper himself.
Kauto Star
Another talented equestrian artist you may have come across previously is Stuart Herod. He is a Yorkshire based self taught painter that specializes in using thinner layers of paint built up to add muscle definition. He takes inspiration from artists such as Susan Crawford and Richard Stone Reeves.
His Kauto Star piece shows a scene from the Gold Cup at Cheltenham Racecourse. It is another limited edition artwork that is signed by both Stuart and Trainer Paul Nicholls.
Specific racehorses
Master & Pupil – Sir Henry Cecil and Frankel
Born in 1949, the British artist Peter Smith comes from a long line of talented painters, including his grandfather from Portugal. Smith has always been a fan of horses and learned to paint them during his studying time at the Carlisle and Glasgow Art School.
The star of his portrait, the racehorse Frankel, is considered to be one of the best racehorses in history. Frankel was a flat racing superstar and was unbeaten for 13 races during his career. He was owned by businessman Prince Khalid Abdullah and trained by Sir Henry Cecil.
Now retired, Frankel is still considered a legend in the racing world. Just last year, he was voted the People’s Champion by readers of the Racing Post.
Tiger Roll – The Grand National, Aintree
Another famous Peter Smith painting is of the champion horse Tiger Roll at the Grand National and Aintree racecourse. Tiger Roll is a now-retired Irish racehorse who won the Grand National in both 2018 and 2019. It was the jockey Davy Russell who rode him on both occasions.
The painting shows Tiger Roll is a bay gelding with a white star. He stands fairly short for a racehorse at just 15.2 hands.
Scenic Pieces
Some of the most memorable paintings show memorable or intriguing scenes of horse racing.
Cheltenham Colours
If vibrant colors are your thing then the works for artist Terence Gilbert are sure to impress. The artist focuses on contemporary scenes and fine tuned his skills at the Camberwell Arts School in London. Much of his work focuses on equestrian art but he has also been commissioned for many portraits.
Cheltenham Colours depicts a busy scene at Cheltenham racehorse and is a limited edition, signed print.
Going To Post
Considered to be one of the most talented artists on the equestrian scene, Hubert de Watrigant is deeply passionate about horses and studied them at his father’s stables.
This artist’s work is very contemporary and focuses heavily on little details that are emphasized in ink and watercolor. The Going To Post piece depicts jockeys and their horses in action on the racetrack.
The amount of color and realistic detail in this print is impressive and illustrates the artist’s love of the races.
How Can I Find Horse Racing Art to Buy?
If you are interested in purchasing horse racing art, searching online should be your first port of call. This is the quickest and easiest way to track down authentic limited edition pieces. You can easily browse art sites, read more about the context of the piece, and find information on the artist.
For the most exclusive prints, you may need to search auction houses and consult art dealers that specialize in equestrian and racing artwork.