Ascot Racecourse is the standard-bearer for international racing within Europe and actively seeks to strengthen its programme through the participation of horses from all around the world.

In 2008, following recent victories for Takeover Target and Miss Andretti for Australia at Royal Ascot, the former led a two pronged attack on the Ascot sprints for the "Down Under" team. Although narrowly denied in the King's Stand Stakes by Spanish-trained Equiano, the pride of owner / trainer Joe Janiak managed to make it six fist four finishes from six Ascot runs in 2008 - a remarkable achievement and one which must make him amongst the world's most travelled racehorses of all time. Royal Ascot welcomed its first runner from New Zealand in 2008, that country's champion and a seven times Group One winner, Seachange. Also in the raiding party was National Colour from South Africa. Later in the year, Archipenko, handled by South Africa's most famous trainer, Mike De Kock, won the Group Two Summer Mile and became Ascot's first winner from that nation.

In 2005, Ascot set up a sprinting series, the Global Sprint Challenge, with partners from around the world and, additionally, the racecourse has tie ups in place with the VRC in Australia and the organisers of the Breeders' Cup in the USA. The VRC offers an Aus$500,000 incentive bonus for the winner of their Australian Cup in March, should that horse win the Prince of Wales's Stakes, and Ascot is proud to be involved in the Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" initiative, which sees the winners of three Ascot races at the September Festival qualify for the US Championships that following November.

Through many years of partnerships and relationship forming with owners, trainers, media and racing administrations around the world, Ascot is at the forefront of the global racing village. Ascot has welcomed runners from Australia, New Zealand, America, Hong Kong, Japan, South Africa and all over Europe this decade. Domestically, Ascot is delighted once again to be playing its part in the British Horseracing Board's Order of Merit series for the 2008/9 season. This which draws together jumps pattern races from around the country to identify an Order of Merit champion. The Order of Merit is playing an increasingly prominent role in the jumps season and includes six Ascot races.

Separate sections follow on the Global Sprint Challenge, Ascot's VRC tie ups and the Order of Merit. On the commencement of the 2010 European Flat Season, a section will be added with updates on the Breeders' Cup "Win & You're In" scheme. For further information on all aspects of international racing at Ascot, please contact Nick Smith, Head of Communications & International Racing, on nick.smith@ascot.co.uk or +44 7771 791 449.