Giddy up: get back in the saddle for a new racing season

Opening Day at Klampenborg Racecourse, or just Galopbanen as most people call it, is back.

If you have been before, you know the setup. If not, it is fairly straightforward. You show up, find a spot, and stay for most of the afternoon. Some book a table in the restaurant and watch from the front row over lunch with drinks flowing throughout the afternoon. Others move between the track and the lawn.

There is no strict dress code, but people do make an effort. You will see dresses, suits and hats, depending on how far people want to take it. It is one of the few days where it actually makes sense to dress up a bit more than usual without it feeling out of place.

The programme features seven races across the afternoon, set against the racecourse’s green surroundings. It is as much a social day as a sporting one, with many arriving in groups and settling in with a glass of rosé or a G&T that this time will be served by Copenhagen Distillery.

Now in its 117th running, Klampenborg is tied to a sport with more than 300 years of breeding behind it. On shorter distances, the horses can reach speeds of over 65 km/h, something you notice along the final stretch as both pace and crowd build.

In total, 19 race days are planned for 2026, with highlights later in the year including the Bucherer Derby, traditionally run on a Saturday.

Read more and buy your tickets here.

What: Åbningsdagen 2026, Klampenborg Galopbane
When: 11 April 2026