Horse Racing “Start into the Green Season" Mülheim Raffelberg

“Start into the Green Season" — Horse Racing at the Season Opener

The new year begins for the German horse racing world with the Race Day “Start into the Green Season". On Sunday, March 22, 2026, the Mülheim a.d. Ruhr Racing Club invites you to the Raffelberg Racecourse in the Speldorf district. It is Germany’s first turf race day of the season — a tradition that the Mülheim Racing Club has maintained for decades and which attracts hundreds of horse enthusiasts, breeders, trainers, and betting fans from all over Germany every year.

Race Day Program

Racing starts around 11:45 AM. Several horse races will take place throughout the afternoon — handicap races, maiden races (for young horses running their first race), and higher-stakes classics, depending on the program of the Directorate for Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing. The track is a classic left-handed turf track 1,700 meters long — one of Germany's most beautiful and oldest facilities, inaugurated in 1912.

Betting and Wagering

Anyone experiencing horse racing for the first time should at least try a small bet — it's part of the tradition. Win and place bets from €1 per ticket, odds available just before each race, friendly cashiers in the betting area help beginners. Those who wish can also try more complex bet types like quinella, trifecta, and superfecta. The atmosphere before the race is focused; once the horses leave the starting gates, the noise becomes deafening.

Entertainment — Also for Non-Betters

The race day is explicitly designed as a family Volksfest (popular festival). There are:

• Snack stands with bratwurst, fries, coffee, and cake
• Restaurants overlooking the home stretch (reservations recommended)
• Children's program with pony rides, bouncy castle, and face painting
• Grandstand for comfortable viewing
• From 2:30 PM, a line dance party on the central grandstand — a Mülheim tradition to kick off the season

The Raffelberg Racecourse

The Raffelberg Racecourse in Mülheim-Speldorf is one of the most traditional horse racing venues in Germany. Opened in 1912 and operated by the Mülheim a.d. Ruhr Racing Club e.V., one of the few club-operated tracks. The facility is located directly on Akazienallee, nestled in the green Speldorf landscape. The track hosts several important race days per season.

Mülheim an der Ruhr — Horse Racing City in the Ruhr Area

Mülheim an der Ruhr, with around 170,000 inhabitants, is located in the western Ruhr area between Essen, Duisburg, and Oberhausen. The Speldorf district is the quieter, greener part of the city — along the Ruhr River and through old forests. Raffelberg Racecourse is one of the city's landmarks and a major attraction for the entire region.