To experience the excitement of a horse race, fans who can’t be at the track usually have to rely on TV or radio.

Follow horse racing with Alex Hammond on Sky Sports - get live racing results, racecards, news, videos, photos, stats (horses & jockeys), plus daily tips. Horse games give you the pet of every kid's dream at just a sliver of the responsibility. Live out your equine dreams online.

But in the future, virtual reality could bring a new 3D racing experience – thanks to ‘Get In The Race’, which has been developed by bookmaker William Hill.

After betting on a race, fans can then use a virtual reality headset such as Google Cardboard or Oculus Rift to experience the same in race in real time, as if from the jockey’s perspective and in a 3D environment, all while listening to the commentary.

To make this happen, each horse would be equipped with a GPS monitor that tracks their position around the course. This data is then converted into a visual 3D world, allowing the user to experience the race as the jockey does.

Director of Innovation Crispin Nieboer said William Hill has been looking at ways to use new technology for sporting events to “bring the customer closer to live sports.”

William Hill showcased the technology with a 3D model of Kempton Park – and we tried out it out at their labs in London, using Oculus Rift.

Check out to video above to find out more.

Horse Racing Reality Tv Show Youtube

During the race, you can look around to see the other racers. Glance at a horse, and the name appears above – so you can see exactly who is ahead of you. Look down, and you can see your horse’s heart rate, stride length and race position.

Horse Racing Reality Tv Show Channel

Google Cardboard provides a similar experience, but is far cheaper – and racing fans can assemble their own headsets to use at home.

Get In The Race is currently a concept product: William Hill is still testing it at live horse races around the country, using real-time race data to create a smooth riding experience.

Horse Racing Reality Tv Show Schedule

In the future, customers could download the William Hill app to their smartphone and use it with Google Cardboard glasses, which will be given away at race tracks or stores.

Horse Racing Reality Tv Show Host

Nieboer believes VR could transform the traditional racing experience: “You could be at Goodwood or Cheltenham, and see that there’s a massive queue to get to a race – so you’re only going to see the last few furlongs. So you might decide to stay where you are – and you and your friend can put on your goggles, and see where your horses are in the race.”

What do you think of William Hill’s ‘Get In the Race’ concept – would you use it? Let us know in the Comments section below.