The Maia Race Course of Merano is one of Europe’s  most beautiful equitation facilities, it was created in 1935 on an area of 40 hectares. Today the Maia race course is the setting of one of the most spectacular and challenging horse races you are ever likely to see, the 5000m steeplechase. Here competitors from all over the world converge to race on this elegant race track. This event, the Grand Prix of Merano Forst, is linked to both the National Lottery and the European Lottery. Therefore the prize of the first steeplechase run in 1935 was the incredibly high sum of 1 million of Lire, (more than 1 million Euro in today’s terms), and so the Grand Prix of Merano Forst entered the history of horse races as „The Million’s Race“.  Recently it has achieved a wider European dimension, when the new competitors from Eastern Europe joined the German and Italian competitors along with the traditionally strong  steeplechase jockeys from France.

History

The first hippodrome facility in the district of Maia was opened in the 19th century and so horse racing has a long tradition here. This race course was intended to be an integral part of Merano’s tourist facilities, which even then was considered one of the most popular destinations among Europe’s wealthy and noble families. The first race course was inaugurated at the 22nd April of 1900. The new construction, in the 1930’s, was carried out by the architect Vietti Violi who returned from Ankara to complete the task. To guarantee its success, the first steeplechase run was linked with the National Lottery and the European Lottery and the enormous prize of one million of Lire.
Even today the prize money on offer in the Grand Prix of Merano Forst, which takes place every year on the last Sunday of September, makes it the highest valued steeplechase in Europe. Another highlight of the race course is the traditional „farmers’ gallop race“, this race is a tribute to the world renowned Haflinger horses that come from the village Hafling above Merano. Apart from these highlights the race course of the hippodrome of Merano is also the setting for many derbies throughout the year. A colourful support programme for the whole family enriches the race course events with art, music, fine food and folklore.

For more information on the race, the favourites and how to bet:
www.meranomaia.it