As soon as the afternoon dawns, entailing the low tide, the spectacle begins. It concerns the horse races of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, which take place this year between the 4th and the 6th, as well as between the 18th and the 20th of August. It is supposed, that more than 200 horses take part in this year's issue of the event, which is looking back at a 161-year-old tradition. Long ago the races of Sanlúcar can adorn themselves with the attribute „from international tourist interest”.

   In the course of the event there are 24 races for thoroughbred horses, thus two of them are reserved for English Arabs; all that on this unique course, which only is formed of humid sand between the beaches “Bajo de Guía” and “Las Piletas” when the tide is out.

   So, the annually changing starting times of the races adapt themselves to the tides and, therefore, to the nature. In the afternoon the spectacle begins as a rule against six thirty, to reach then, possibly about 21.30 o'clock, its end. During this period more than 30,000 spectators enjoy the unique composition from sundown and on the beach galloping thoroughbred horses, all this before the scenery of the nature reserve Doñana.
No matter whether one enjoys the play from the spectator's ranks out or directly on the beach, where it costs no entry, the beach races are always the summer event of Sanlúcar at all.

   A total of 26 races for thoroughbred horses are battled, whose winning rate adds up to 164.000 Euros. Among the prices, the “Ciudad de Sanlúcar” deserves special mention.

    Only the target area takes about 20,000 m² and, amongst others, encloses the bet counters and the paddock.

   For the children kite flight or sand castles construction-competitions are organized.

   Naturally, the gastronomic offer plays a very important rule in the course of the races. Traditionally this means in Sanlúcar the sherry like Manzanilla wine and the famous long tail prawns.


   Simultaneously with the first part of the races the trade fair "Expoturf" takes place.
Conferences and classical concerts complement the cultural days, which are organized between the first and the second racing circle.


To the 19-th century regressing tradition

   Mythology says, that God Febos was in habit to untack the fire horses of his state coach on the beach of Sanlúcar in order to have a rest there.

   However, some historians think that the tradition of the horse races on the beach arises from the fact that it were horses who pulled the fish boxes about the sand in former times.

   Nevertheless, this hypothesis doesn’t seem to have too much possibilities to be well founded, because this concerned load horses and not racing horses of English style. 

   The horse races of Sanlúcar are organized since 1845 and today some of the best Jockeys take part in them.

   The 2006 issue of the races of Sanlúcar encloses five big prices: on the 6th of July, as a part of the first cycle, the “Gran Premio la Caixa”. Then, from 18th July on and already as a component of the second cycle, it is about the “Gran Premio de Telefónica”, the “Premio de Cepsa”, the “Premio de Andalucía”, the latter ever on the 19th of July and, finally, the ”Premio Ciudad de Sanl&uac