White Turf St. Moritz, horse racing on the frozen lake
Three Sundays of trotting, flat racing and Skikjöring on Lake St. Moritz, with free Family Days on the Saturdays. How a race day runs, how to attend and how to build a chalet week around it, checked against the organisers’ own pages.
White Turf is the international horse race meeting held on the frozen Lake St. Moritz every February, with racing on snow there since 1907. In 2027 the race days are Sundays 7, 14 and 21 February, and each one has six races between 11.30am and 2.45pm across three disciplines: trotting, flat racing and Skikjöring, in which skiers are towed by galloping horses. The Saturdays before (6, 13 and 20 February) are Family Days with free entry and pony races.
Picture a racecourse built from scratch each winter on a lake: an oval of pressed snow laid over thick ice, grandstands along the straight, a village of tents for lunch and the betting windows, and the mountains of the Engadin on every side. The organisers count more than 35,000 visitors over the racing days. It is part sporting meeting, part social Sunday, and you can enjoy it as either: some guests never leave the rail, others barely see a race between lunch and the prize draw.
This guide covers what happens hour by hour, the three disciplines, tickets and betting, what to wear, what the organisers’ terms say if a Sunday is called off, and how to plan a stay around one, two or all three race days. The other events on the lake in late January, Snow Polo and the classic-car concours, are covered in our guide to The I.C.E. St. Moritz.
White Turf in six sourced facts
Checked against official sources, so you can plan with confidence.
The 2027 racing days are Sundays 7, 14 and 21 February; the White Turf Family Days fall on Saturdays 6, 13 and 20 February 2027, with 6 February billed as the opening.
Source: White Turf St. MoritzInternational races have been run on the frozen lake since 1907, so 2027 marks 120 years of White Turf. Trotting has been part of it from the beginning; gallop races on the lake date from 1911.
Source: White Turf, racing daysThe race track is 1,800 metres long overall and 25 to 40 metres wide, with about 50 centimetres of pressed snow laid on ice 50 to 80 centimetres thick.
Source: White Turf, racing daysSkikjöring is run over a 2,700 metre course, with skiers towed by thoroughbred racehorses and starting together, as in a flat race.
Source: White Turf, SkikjöringOn each 2027 race day the site opens at 10.30am, lunch is served from 11am, six races run from 11.30am to 2.45pm and the event ends at 4.30pm. The programme is published subject to change.
Source: White Turf, programme 2027Experts inspect the track every race morning using radar, an infrared drone and test drilling; the track is only handed over once they release it, and no races take place if safety cannot be guaranteed.
Source: White Turf, animal welfare and safetyHow a White Turf race day actually runs
A race Sunday is short and well drilled. The gates open at 10.30am, lunch starts in the tents at 11am and the first race goes off at 11.30am. From then on there is a race roughly every 35 to 45 minutes, which leaves time to walk from the grandstand to the betting windows, collect any winnings and get back to the rail. After the last race the Prix d’Honneur draws are held, and the event closes at 4.30pm; once the sun drops behind the mountains, the cold on the lake arrives fast.
The big race of the meeting is the Grosser Preis von St. Moritz, a flat race over 2,000 metres; its 86th running is scheduled for the final Sunday, 21 February 2027. Each of the three Sundays also carries its own Skikjöring grand prix, and the trotting races, run with sulkies on aluminium runners instead of wheels, open the card.
| Time (2027 programme) | What happens | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| 10.30am | Site opens | Arrive early if you have unnumbered grandstand seats: the best ones go first |
| 11am | Lunch served in the tent village | Lunch is where the social side of the day happens: ask us to arrange it in advance |
| 11.30am | First race (trotting) | Watch one race before you bet, to see how the field handles the snow |
| 12.05pm to 2.10pm | Four more races across the disciplines | The middle of the day is when the sun is warmest on the grandstands |
| 2.45pm | Last race (flat) | On 21 February, the order of the card is worth checking for the Grosser Preis |
| After the last race | Prix d’Honneur draws | Keep your ticket to hand |
| 4.30pm | End of the event | Have your car or driver waiting: everyone leaves the lake at once |
Times from the organisers’ 2027 programme, published subject to change. The order of races differs from one Sunday to the next.
Trotting, flat racing and Skikjöring: horse racing in St. Moritz explained
If you have been racing in Britain, the flat races will feel familiar, only quieter underfoot: thoroughbreds run on packed snow in specially adapted shoes with spikes for grip, and the field kicks up a spray of white instead of turf. Trotting is closer to French harness racing, with the driver seated in a light sulky that glides on runners. Skikjöring is the one you have come to see: each skier is towed behind a galloping thoroughbred over a 2,700 metre course, and the start is a mass start, rider against rider and horse against horse.
| Discipline | On the lake since | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Trotting | The beginning of White Turf (1907) | Sulkies on aluminium runners; the race opens each Sunday’s card in 2027 |
| Flat racing (gallop) | 1911 | Spiked shoes for grip; the Grosser Preis von St. Moritz over 2,000 metres on the last Sunday |
| Skikjöring | Developed in the Engadin more than a century ago | The longest course of the day (2,700 metres) and one grand prix each Sunday |
Horses are checked by an independent vet before they start and followed by a veterinary team during each race, according to the organisers.
Tickets, seats and betting at the St. Moritz horse races
| Bet | You pick | You win if |
|---|---|---|
| Win | One horse | It finishes first |
| Place | One horse | It finishes in the places (first or second in fields of four to seven runners) |
| Win forecast | Two horses | They finish first and second (in the right order in fields of four to seven) |
| Place forecast | Two horses | Both finish in the first three (only in races of eight runners or more) |
| Trio | Three horses | They finish first, second and third in the right order, with smaller payouts for the first two or the winner only |
Summary of the organisers’ betting guide. According to the same page, 70 per cent of the betting pool is paid out to winners, and every bet has a minimum stake.
What to wear to White Turf
We have not found any formal dress code on the organisers’ pages, and the crowd shows it: ski jackets stand next to long wool coats, and fur hats next to bobble hats. What everyone has in common is that they will spend five or six hours on packed snow over a frozen lake, in strong mountain sun and, once the sun drops behind the mountains, real cold. Dress for that first and for the photographs second.
- Footwear decides the day: insulated winter boots with a deep, grippy sole. Heels and smooth leather soles are a hazard on trodden snow and on the ice near the grandstands.
- Layers under a long coat: thermal base layer, a knit or a fleece, then a coat that covers the hips, because the grandstand seats are cold.
- A hat and gloves you can bet and take photographs in; a scarf for the hour after 3pm.
- Sunglasses, and sun cream on the face: the glare off a snow-covered lake on a clear February day is intense.
- A small bag: you move between the grandstand, the betting windows and the tents all day, and bags may be checked at the entrance.
- For children, ski wear is the sensible choice, especially on Family Day Saturdays when they may want to try a pony ride or a Skikjöring taxi.
If the lake says no: refunds and plan B
White Turf runs on natural ice, and the organisers say it plainly: if safety cannot be guaranteed, there is no racing, and races are called off when there is doubt, even if conditions look broadly adequate. The ice under the track is usually 50 to 80 centimetres thick, but thickness is not the only test; experts also look at the quality of the ice and snow and at moisture between the layers.
The ticket terms are just as clear, and they are worth reading before you plan the trip. If a race Sunday is cancelled before 10.30am, admission tickets are refunded, on condition that you send them by registered post within 30 days. If it is cancelled after 10.30am, there is no refund, whatever the reason. The organiser is not liable for travel, food or accommodation costs if a day is cancelled or moved.
- Build the stay so that it is worth it without the races: the slopes, the lake walks and the spa at the chalet do not depend on the ice.
- With three Sundays in a row, a stay that covers two of them gives you a second chance.
- Keep your paper or printed tickets until the day is over, in case you need to claim a refund.
- Check the organisers’ site on the Saturday evening and the Sunday morning before you set off for the lake.
Race Sunday logistics, from the chalet to the rail
Most of our guests never think about the car park: at Chalet Azelia, Chalet Gus and Chalet Avalon a private chauffeur is part of the daily routine, and for the other houses we arrange one on request, so the drop-off is at the lake entrance and the pick-up is waiting at 4.30pm. If you drive yourself, the organisers point to the multi-storey car park directly opposite the main lake entrance, with a shuttle bus every 10 minutes from the Isola car park to the riding hall when it is full. In driving snow, the mountain passes may only be crossed with chains or a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Arriving in St. Moritz itself is covered step by step in our St. Moritz travel guide. In short: about three hours by train from Zurich, and about three hours by car from Milan over the Maloja Pass, according to the organisers.
White Turf and a chalet week: how to combine them
The race days fall on Sundays, which suits a chalet week well: arrive on the Saturday, spend the Family Day afternoon on the lake with the children, race on the Sunday, then ski the week ahead. For a family with grandparents, Chalet Gus, St. Moritz is described as within easy reach of the town centre, Corviglia and the lake, and its chef can serve early evening meals for younger guests before the adults’ dinner. Chalet Azelia has a private lift and is designed for full wheelchair accessibility, which matters when someone in the party finds a day on the snow tiring; its terrace has heated seating for the hour after the races. Chalet Nore, let self-catered with daily housekeeping, suits a group who would rather book a table in town after the Grosser Preis, with a chef available on request for the other evenings.
If your children’s February half-term overlaps one of the race weeks, our page on February half-term ski chalets explains how we plan those weeks. For a quiet day away from the crowds between two Sundays, neighbouring Pontresina is a short drive along the valley. All our houses are on our page of luxury chalets in St. Moritz, and some are available without being published online.
| Your plan | Suggested stay (2027) | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| One race day | Saturday 13 to Saturday 20 February | Family Day on arrival, racing on the 14th, a full ski week, then the Family Day of the 20th before you leave |
| The Grosser Preis | Saturday 13 to Monday 22 February | Two Sundays, including the 86th Grosser Preis on the 21st, with the first one as a fallback |
| All three Sundays | Saturday 6 to Monday 22 February | The opening Saturday, every race day and two ski weeks |
| The lake season | Late January to late February | Snow Polo and The I.C.E. in late January, then the three White Turf Sundays |
Arrival days and length of stay are agreed residence by residence with your advisor.
Our St. Moritz chalets for the race Sundays
Houses in St. Moritz, each visited by our team, all with an indoor pool to warm up in after an afternoon on the lake.
The residences side by side
Guests, bedrooms, bathrooms, space and wellness at a glance, before you ask us which house is free for your Sunday.
| Residence | Guests | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Living area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chalet AzeliaSt. Moritz | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1,000 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Hammam, Massage Room, Jacuzzi |
| Chalet GusSt. Moritz | 20 | 9 | 9 | 930 m² | Indoor Pool, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room |
| Chalet NoreSt. Moritz | 15 | 6 | 7 | 467 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room |
| Chalet AvalonSt. Moritz | 20 | 7 | 7 | 1,000 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
| Chalet CalistaSt. Moritz | 20 | 7 | 8 | 744 m² | Indoor Pool |
Rates are on request and depend on dates and services. Your advisor confirms availability and the final details of every residence.
What we arrange around White Turf
A race Sunday has a fixed start and a fixed end. Everything before and after it is ours to organise.
Tickets and lounges booked early
Event reservations are part of the concierge service: we book the grandstand category or lounge you want through the official channels as soon as your dates are confirmed.
Door to lake and back
Chauffeur service is daily at three of our St. Moritz chalets and can be arranged for the others, timed to the 10.30am opening and the 4.30pm close.
Saturdays for the children
On Family Day Saturdays the children can ride ponies on the lake; childcare and private ski instructors can be arranged for the rest of the week.
Sunday evening at the chalet
After the races, a private chef’s dinner at the house, or a table in town booked before you arrive: you decide when you book, not on the day.
White Turf St. Moritz: your questions
Anything else? Our team in Paris answers personally, usually within the day.
Ask our teamWhen is White Turf 2027?
The organisers have published three race days for 2027: Sundays 7, 14 and 21 February, on the frozen Lake St. Moritz. The Saturdays before, 6, 13 and 20 February, are Family Days, with 6 February as the opening. On race days the site opens at 10.30am and the event ends at 4.30pm. Check whiteturf.ch shortly before you travel, as the programme is subject to change.
What is the White Turf in St. Moritz?
White Turf is an international horse race meeting held on the frozen lake of St. Moritz since 1907. It combines three disciplines on snow (trotting, flat racing and Skikjöring) with a tent village for lunch and betting. The organisers count more than 35,000 visitors over the racing days, and 2027 marks 120 years of the event.
What do you wear to White Turf?
There is no formal dress code on the organisers’ pages, so dress for five or six hours outdoors on a frozen lake. Insulated boots with a grippy sole come first, then warm layers under a long coat, a hat, gloves and sunglasses. A long coat over ski layers works well; heels and smooth soles are a poor choice on packed snow.
What is Skikjöring?
Skikjöring is a discipline in which a skier is towed by a galloping thoroughbred. At White Turf it is run over a 2,700 metre course, with a mass start as in a flat race, and the organisers say it was developed in the Engadin more than a century ago. Each of the three 2027 race Sundays has its own Skikjöring grand prix.
Is White Turf free?
The race Sundays are ticketed, with standing, grandstand and VIP options sold online; prices are on the official website. The organisers’ ticket page states that children under 16 go free, listed with the standing tickets. The Saturday Family Days are free to enter, with pony races and children’s activities on the lake from 10.30am.
How thick is the ice for the horse racing on the lake?
According to the organisers, the ice under the track is usually 50 to 80 centimetres thick, covered by about 50 centimetres of pressed snow, and a minimum of 28 centimetres is required before the tent village can be built. Experts inspect the track every race morning, and if safety cannot be guaranteed, no races take place.
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Plan your White Turf week with us
Tell us which Sunday you have in mind, how many of you are travelling and whether children are coming. Nathalie Nguyen and Adam Haddad will come back within the day with the chalets available, published or not, and the tickets we can arrange. Prices on request. WhatsApp +33 7 80 98 05 43 or contact@lutetia-group.com.