The Hippodrome Wellington is a horse racing track built in 1883 on the dune grassland west of the city centre, named after the Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon at nearby Waterloo. It was renovated in 2011 and runs both flat racing and trotting from July through September, with the Night of the Horse in August as the highlight of the season — an evening meeting that draws large crowds and has been running for decades.
Race days at Wellington have a relaxed atmosphere typical of Belgian provincial racing — entry is cheap, betting is available, and the grandstands are close enough to the track to feel the horses pass at speed. The location on the dunes gives the track a seaside character unlike any inland course. Check the schedule at jockey-club.be.