Horse racing has given the film world some of its most compelling stories. True tales of underdogs, comeback kings, human courage, and the extraordinary bond between horse and rider, it’s material that practically writes itself.
From Golden Age Hollywood to Disney blockbusters, the genre has produced some genuinely brilliant films. We’ve got the best horse racing board games for family nights on site, now it’s time to look at some on-screen entertainment.
Here are the five best horse racing films.
1. Seabiscuit (2003)
- Director: Gary Ross
- Cast: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Banks
- IMDb Rating:3/10
If there’s one horse racing film that transcends the sport entirely, it’s Seabiscuit.
Based on the best-selling 1999 non-fiction book by Laura Hillenbrand, the film recounts the story of one of America’s most beloved racehorses, a small, crooked-legged thoroughbred who rose from obscurity to become a national hero during the Great Depression.
The genius of the film is that Seabiscuit himself is almost secondary to the three broken men who surround him.
Jeff Bridges plays a grieving businessman, Chris Cooper a quiet and instinctive trainer, and Tobey Maguire a jockey with a history of brutal injuries, all three outsiders who find purpose through an unlikely horse.
The result is a film about America itself as much as it is about racing, and director Gary Ross captures both the period and the action beautifully.
Seabiscuit was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and earned over $148 million at the global box office.
It remains the gold standard of horse racing cinema, and the climactic match race against War Admiral is as good a sporting scene as you’ll find in any film of the era. Available to stream via various platforms in the UK.
2. Secretariat (2010)
- Director: Randall Wallace
- Cast: Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Dylan Walsh
- IMDb Rating:2/10
A Disney production that punches well above its weight, Secretariat tells the story of arguably the greatest racehorse that ever lived.
Diane Lane plays Penny Chenery, who takes over her ailing father’s Virginia stables despite having little knowledge of the sport, and with the help of eccentric trainer Lucien Laurin, played by John Malkovich, goes on to develop Secretariat, the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years, in 1973.
What makes the film work is Lane’s performance. This is a story about a woman navigating a stubbornly male-dominated industry and refusing to be pushed aside, carrying it with warmth and steel in equal measure.
Malkovich, meanwhile, brings comic flair to Laurin and is an absolute joy every time he’s on screen.
Produced by Walt Disney Pictures on a $35 million budget, the film grossed over $60 million worldwide.
The race sequences, particularly the Belmont Stakes, where Secretariat won by a staggering margin, are breathtaking, and the film has found a loyal long-term audience well beyond its theatrical run. Currently available on Disney+.
3. Champions (1984)
- Director: John Irvin
- Cast: John Hurt, Edward Woodward, Jan Francis
- IMDb Rating:1/10
For British racing fans, this is the one. Champions is based on the true story of Bob Champion, a successful jump jockey with 350 winners to his name who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1979 and given only eight months to live.
Rather than accept that prognosis, Champion underwent gruelling chemotherapy, made a full recovery, and returned to win the 1981 Grand National on Aldaniti, a horse who had himself been on the verge of retirement through injury.
John Hurt is outstanding in the lead role, chronicling Champion’s professional setbacks and personal suffering during treatment alongside the parallel rehabilitation of Aldaniti, culminating in their improbable triumph at Aintree.
The film was shot at real racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham, and Sandown, and the authenticity shows throughout.
Edward Woodward provides excellent support as trainer Josh Gifford, and the film features early roles for both Kirstie Alley and Alison Steadman.
It’s a distinctly British story, understated, moving, and deeply rooted in the world of jump racing. Compared to the Hollywood gloss of Seabiscuit or Secretariat, Champions is a rawer, quieter film, and all the more powerful for it.
Bob Champion himself was an advisor on set, and Hurt’s portrayal is considered one of his finest performances. Available to buy on Amazon.
4. Phar Lap (1983)
- Director: Simon Wincer
- Cast: Tom Burlinson, Martin Vaughan, Ron Leibman
- IMDb Rating:2/10
This 1983 Australian biographical drama tells the story of Phar Lap, a chestnut thoroughbred purchased for just £168, who went on to become one of the most dominant racehorses in history, winning 37 of his 51 starts and capturing the hearts of a nation during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Many cheap racehorses have won big prize money over the years, and Phar Lap is definitely a horse in that category.
Tom Burlinson plays Tommy Woodcock, Phar Lap’s devoted strapper (the term for a stable hand), and the human story here is really about the bond between man and horse rather than the racing itself.
The story never lags and is beautifully shot, with Burlinson the standout in a film that has aged remarkably well.
Phar Lap is less well known in the UK than it deserves to be, largely because it’s an Australian production that didn’t receive the marketing push of its American counterparts.
But for anyone with even a passing interest in racing history, it’s essential viewing. The horse’s mysterious death in California in 1932, still debated to this day, lends the film a genuinely haunting quality in its final act. Available on DVD and various streaming platforms.
5. Ride Like a Girl (2019)
- Director: Rachel Griffiths
- Cast: Teresa Palmer, Sam Neill
- IMDb Rating:1/10
Before wrapping up, it would be remiss not to include a modern entry, particularly for a UK audience.
Ride Like a Girl tells the true story of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, achieving the feat in 2015 aboard Prince of Penzance at odds of 100/1.
It’s warm, funny, and genuinely inspiring, a modern addition to a genre that doesn’t always do justice to women in racing. If you’ve worked through the other four, this is the perfect next watch.
