Horse Racing -- There are three racetracks in Vienna, but by far the oldest, most venerable, and most prestigious is the Rennbahn Freudenau, at Trapprenbahnplatz on the grounds of the Prater (tel. 01/728-9531). Established in 1836, it operates from April to November, and traditionally includes both trotting and flat racing. The Vienna Derby, one of the season's highlights, takes place here in late June. A "competing" racetrack, smaller and less interesting in terms of architecture, lies on the opposite side of the Prater fairgrounds: Rennbahn Krieau (tel. 01/728-0046) operates trotting races every week of the year, except for during July and August, when the venue is closed, and when race fans head to a racetrack in the outlying resort of Baden for a short, 2-month season. Newer than any of the above-mentioned racetracks, and permeated with a deliberate dose of hypermodern style that's directly influenced by Las Vegas, is the Magna Racino racetrack and casino complex in the Viennese suburb of A-2483 Ebreichsdorf (tel. 02254/9000; www.magnaracino.at), 30km (19 miles) south of Vienna. Inaugurated in 2004 and funded by a Canadian billionaire of Austrian descent, it's the site of a casino, several restaurants, an ongoing series of cabaret with girls-and-glitter shows, and horse races, which run between April and early November. At press time, it was fighting for market shares in the tight-knit world of Austrian horseracing. It's the home of the Austrian Derby, presented in late June.
Soccer -- Football, as it's known in Europe, tends to draw a slightly less impassioned response in Austria than it does in Germany or Italy, but it still exerts a powerful appeal on sports fans throughout town. The city's two soccer teams are Rapide-Wien, Hannappi Stadion, Keisslergasse (tel. 01/91001; U-Bahn: Hütteldorf), and the Austrian national team (Österreichische National Team), based at the Horr Stadion, Fischhofgasse (tel. 01/688-0150; U-Bahn: Reumannplatz). Bigger than either of those stadiums, and usually used for soccer matches of above-average international interest drawing massive crowds, is the Ernst-Happel-Stadion (sometimes known simply as Weiner Stadion), Meiereistrasse 7 (tel. 01/728-0854; U-Bahn: Praterstern, then tram no. 21 to Meiereistrasse). For tickets and information about upcoming events, call the stadiums.
