Horse Racing in Georgia
Tbilisi Hippodrome · Georgian Derby · Caucasus Racing
Georgia occupies a unique position at the crossroads of Europe and Asia — a country with one of the world's oldest equestrian cultures, Soviet-era hippodrome heritage, and an emerging post-independence thoroughbred programme centred on the Tbilisi Hippodrome.
Overview of Georgian Horse Racing
Georgia's relationship with the horse is ancient and profound. The region of Colchis — the western lowlands of modern Georgia drained by the Rioni river, known to the ancient Greeks as the destination of the Argonauts — was one of the ancient world's most significant horse-breeding areas. Colchian horses were traded across the Black Sea and into the Mediterranean world, and the equestrian culture of the Kartvelian peoples (Georgia's indigenous population) predates written records.
Formal hippodrome racing came to Georgia as part of the Russian Imperial and later Soviet system, with Tbilisi developing as one of the Caucasus's significant racing cities during the Soviet period. Standardbred harness racing was the dominant form across Soviet hippodromes, and Georgia's racing programme followed this pattern. The Tbilisi Hippodrome became an established institution in the city's social life.
Since Georgian independence in 1991, racing has evolved under the Georgian Equestrian Federation, which oversees both the formal racing programme and broader equestrian disciplines. Thoroughbred flat racing has been developed alongside the harness tradition, with a spring-to-autumn racing season appropriate for Tbilisi's warm, semi-arid climate. The programme has rebuilt gradually from the economic disruptions of the 1990s.
Racing Authority
- Body: Georgian Equestrian Federation
- Main track: Tbilisi Hippodrome
- Dominant type: Thoroughbred flat
- Surface: Dirt
- Season: Spring–Autumn
Major Races
- 🏆 Georgian Derby
- 🏆 President's Cup Georgia
- 🏆 Tbilisi Classic
- 🏆 Caucasus Cup
Georgian Racetracks
Tbilisi Hippodrome
2.0 ★Georgia's premier horse racing venue in the capital Tbilisi — the Tbilisi Hippodrome has roots in the Soviet era and hosts the Georgian Derby, President's Cup Georgia, and the national racing programme administered by the Georgian Equestrian Federation.
Kutaisi Hippodrome
1.6 ★Georgia's secondary racing venue in Kutaisi — the country's second city and the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Colchis — providing thoroughbred racing for the Imereti region and a western Georgia racing circuit that complements the Tbilisi programme.
Major Races & Events
Georgian Derby
The national Classic for three-year-olds — Georgia's most prestigious race, run over classic middle-distance at the Tbilisi Hippodrome.
President's Cup Georgia
Open-age weight-for-age championship race run at Tbilisi Hippodrome, typically drawing the strongest horses in the national programme.
Tbilisi Classic
The Tbilisi Hippodrome's premier handicap for older horses — a competitive autumn fixture that often decides the season's handicap championship.
Caucasus Cup
A regional prestige race that reflects Georgia's position at the crossroads of the emerging Caucasus racing corridor linking Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.
Colchian Horse Heritage & the Soviet Legacy
Western Georgia (ancient Colchis) is one of the earliest attested horse-breeding regions in the ancient world. Greek sources from the 5th century BC describe Colchian horses as prized trading commodities, and the region's prosperity was partly founded on the horse trade that connected the Black Sea world with the Greek colonies. The Georgian highland equestrian tradition — associated with the Svan, Khevsur, and other mountain peoples — has maintained continuity across millennia.
The Kartuli (Georgian) horse — a native breed developed in the Georgian highlands — is a compact, sure-footed mountain horse traditionally used in warfare, herding, and ceremonial contexts. While not a racing breed, the Kartuli represents the indigenous equestrian heritage that underpins Georgia's deep cultural connection to the horse.
The Soviet hippodrome system brought standardbred harness racing to Georgia as part of the USSR's planned sport-and-breeding programme. Soviet hippodromes were not merely racing venues but also served as state breeding stations, training centres, and entertainment facilities — a dual function that shaped their design and the structure of Soviet horse racing as a whole.
Georgia's post-independence racing programme has maintained elements of the Soviet structure while evolving toward thoroughbred flat racing, which offers greater international integration potential. The Georgian Equestrian Federation's development agenda includes seeking IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities) membership and stud book integration with international registries.
Betting on Georgian Horse Racing
Domestic wagering
Georgian racing operates pari-mutuel wagering at the Tbilisi Hippodrome. Wagering is available on race days through on-track pools — the formal programme is managed by the Georgian Equestrian Federation.
International availability
Georgian racing has limited international bookmaker coverage. It does not currently appear on major European fixed-odds platforms or exchanges — access for international bettors remains restricted.
Regional context
Georgia sits within the emerging Caucasus racing corridor. Turkish programme coverage (Veliefendi, Bursa, Ankara) is the nearest major international racing market with strong European bookmaker access.