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The European racing season is far from over, with plenty of monumental races poised to captivate. So far in 2025, it has been national hunt spectacles that have taken center stage.

At the Cheltenham Festival, the underdogs stole the limelight, upsetting huge favorites such as Constitution Hill, Ballyburn, and Galopin Des Champs to give the bookies one of their greatest-ever weeks. Then in Liverpool, Willie Mullins rubber-stamped his blockbuster season when he trained 33/1 shot Nick Rockett to become the second-longest winner at the Grand National in the last decade.

Now, however, attention turns to the future, and specifically the flat races. Some stellar showdowns are looming large on the horizon, and here are four of the biggest for fans to look forward to.

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

Regarded as the pinnacle of European flat racing, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe gathers the crème de la crème of international thoroughbreds at Longchamp. Spanning 1½ miles, this race has become a proving ground for global greatness. Its huge prize purse immediately makes it one of the planet’s biggest horse races, as does its roll of honor, which includes titans like Enable and Torquator Tasso.

Last year’s Arc was a tactical chess match ultimately claimed by Bluestocking, a Juddmonte charge with a devastating late kick. Her stunning acceleration in the final 200 meters turned heads, cementing her place as Europe’s champion mare. She isn’t expected to defend her crown this year, though, opening the door for a stellar supporting cast to have their own moment in the sun.

Horse racing betting providers make the likes of Sosie, Desert Flower, and Los Angeles the early favorites. However, with so much time still to go until the final runners are decided on, there is plenty of value to be had in the odds lists. For example, The Lion in Winter is currently listed all the way down at +3300, and considering the colt’s stellar resume thus far, he certainly seems like a good bet.

The Arc isn’t the only race that the horse race betting providers make the Aiden O’Brien horse a contender to win. The latest horse racing betting at Bovada odds also prices The Lion In Winter as a +4000 shot to win the end-of-year Breeders’ Cup over in America. If he were able to upset the odds Stateside, it would represent a huge victory for European racing, but first of all, he has to handle things on his home turf.

Ascot Gold Cup

Royal Ascot is without question the classiest festival on the calendar. Every year, members of the UK’s Royal family are in attendance, with the late, great Queen Elizabeth II heading to Berkshire countless times to take in the atmosphere. The 2 ½ mile Ascot Gold Cup is the jewel in the five-day extravaganza’s crown, taking place on the Thursday and separating the good from the great.

Kyprios remains the reigning monarch of this division. After terrorizing rivals in 2024, two years on from his first triumph in the showpiece fixture, Aidan O’Brien’s star chestnut is back for a potentially historic hat-trick. Last year, the then-six-year-old overcame a troubled past with a riveting comeback, holding off Sweet William in an unforgettable duel. Now, messers Smith, Magnier, and Tabor may well have the answer.

They are the proud owners of the in-form Illinois, the +225 favorite to win in Berkshire later this summer. He won his opening race of the season earlier this month with a stellar performance at Chester, and he will be gunning for further glory under the brightest lights.

Epsom Derby

The Epsom Derby is the UK’s most prestigious flat race, where three-year-old colts and fillies compete over an intense 1 ½-mile course at Epsom Downs. Last year saw Aidan O’Brien extend his dominance, clinching his record-breaking tenth title with City Of Troy. 12 months on, the champion trainer returns with another formidable lineup, led by The Lion in Winter, the prodigy who dazzled at York’s Acomb Stakes before an unfortunate injury ruled out the rest of his season.

His top rival? Charlie Appleby-trained Ruling Court, who has impressed with his turn of foot over longer trips. Could this year deliver another epic showdown between two of racing’s elite stables? Fans can also keep an eye on Ralph Beckett’s contender Stanhope Gardens, whose impressive stamina at Newmarket last season signals he could upset the hierarchy.

St Leger

The St Leger Stakes is the oldest Classic in the British racing calendar and is the conclusion of the prestigious Triple Crown. Held at Doncaster, its challenging 1 ¾-mile course forces the finest young thoroughbreds to dig deep to be crowned champion.

O’Brien again conquered last year, this time with Jan Brueghel. He stormed home on good-to-soft conditions last September to hold off a late surge from Lambourn and hand his trainer a ninth success in the race. Just like at Epsom, all eyes will be on the superstar trainer once again as Wordsworth and Damysus headline his 2025 entries. Both have shone in stamina trials, particularly Wordsworth, who claimed the Queen’s Vase at Ascot with aplomb.

The dark horse? Hotazhell, trained by Jessica Harrington, displayed flashes of brilliance in the Futurity Trophy and could rise to the challenge.