The horse race, which once was the richest one in Europe, always takes place in the spa town of Merano at the end of September
The Merano South Tyrol Grand Prix has a long tradition: For more than 80 years, bettors, jockeys and racehorses have met every year on the last Sunday in September at the historic Merano-Maia Racecourse in the spa town. The 1st edition dates back to the ceremonial opening of the Merano Racecourse on October 26, 1935. The prize money at that time was 1 million lire (approx. 480 Euros), a record sum that made the Grand Prix famous at the time as the "Million Race".
Over the years, the Merano South Tyrol Grand Prix or Gran Premio Merano Alto Adige has become one of the most famous steeplechase races in Europe. It is held over a distance of 5,000 metres with 24 obstacles of various sizes and difficulties, including fences, water jumps and oxer. Most of the course runs directly in front of the stands, so you can watch the race without binoculars. Two days of races at the highest level await you in Maia Bassa (Untermais), a district of Merano.
