A Weekend In Newmarket

5th August - 6th August 2023

An explorer comes upon a quiet town early in the morning having ventured across the Suffolk countryside. He takes a seat on a bench on the high street. The occasional vehicle trundles along at a leisurely pace. The explorer examines the surroundings, a clock tower at the far end of the high street and businesses beginning to open up for the day's trade. All is quiet and seems normal for an ordinary town.
In the distance, the sound of metal clinking can be heard with faint chatter and laughter. The curious explorer walks deeper into the town as the sounds begin to grow louder. Turning the corner, he is greeted by a field as vast as the eye can see and approaching him from out of the mist, a group of horses full of eager energy accompanied by their high vis jacket wearing riders. Further out in the field, horses stride powerfully up the gradual incline, their toned muscles catching the eye in full flight.

 The explorer discovers a welcome sign proclaiming the town's name. It was at this moment where the explorer realised the location. He had found Newmarket, home of the racehorse. A place where stars are born and dreams are realised, a town which buzzes with activity every morning, a town with two racecourses, a town with centuries of history, a town where the horse takes main priority. Newmarket is a town like no other.  

Part One: A Stable Environment

As the saying goes, "if you make a wrong turn in Newmarket, you'll always find the entrance to a stable" and that rings true in this small and busy town. With over sixty individual racehorse trainers in the area, including some of the country's very best, there are horses wherever you look as the sun begins to rise. Road traffic is temporarily halted as groups of excitable and valuable racehorses make the crossing, their riders graciously raising a hand in acknowledgment to the drivers. The destination is Warren Hill, the main gallops in Newmarket with its arrow straight track lasting over a thousand metres with a gradual slope upwards to test the horse's fitness. 
You can set your watch by it every day, as the sun begins to rise, stables all around Newmarket begin to wake up. Stable staff greet their horses and saddle up before gently navigating the twists and turns of Newmarket town centre. The clinking sound of metal hooves on the pavement is rhythmic and almost soothing.  The horses are the main athletes, but each member of staff at the stables are a vital component to keeping the sport going. Their dedication and passion for the industry is second to none, with the horses earning treatment fit for a King. 

Part Two: A Day At The Races

Newmarket is the only venue in the world to have two racecourses entwined into one. At the very top of the racecourse is the two and a quarter mile starting point, a long way home for any horse. A gentle bend at two thousand metres takes competitors onto the famous Rowley Mile, synonymous with horse racing across the world. A daunting and testing straight fills the eyes of horse and rider and with hidden dips and occasional strong breezes, timing is the difference between winning and losing. 
The first racing action was recorded in 1636, the first official racing action in Britain ever recorded. Decades and centuries have passed and the very best of racehorses have stepped foot on this iconic racecourse at one point in their lives. From Frankel to Nijinksy, Sea The Stars to Brigadier Gerard, Dancing Brave to Mill Reef, superstars of the modern era have all won on the famous Rowley Mile. 

As the racecourse begins to arc its way towards the Rowley Mile straight, a dog leg bend is also found which makes up the July course. Following an identical path to its neighbouring Rowley Mile, the July Course holds its own personality and characteristics. With a tree lined final stretch and garden-like features to please the eye, the July course is the place to be for a summer racing party. While the prestige and honour of the Classics take place on the Rowley Mile, the July Course holds its own high class racing throughout the summer. The popular July festival hosts Group One action and has been the scene of rags to riches stories like Shaquille's July Cup Stakes win and some brilliant moments in the sport, such as Frankel's debut win and star names such as Oasis Dream, Green Desert and many more.
This weekend would provide my first visit to a Newmarket racecourse, the destination being the July course. A memorable day, the atmosphere and location lived up to everything I could have imagined.

Part Three: Dreams Are Born.

A short drive out of Newmarket's town centre takes you to The National Stud. Home of former champions and birthing place of future champions. First opened in 1916, the venue was deemed to be the forefront of Britain's racehorse breeding industry. A location close to nearby racing stables and the Tattersalls sales ring, it lies in a perfect spot for its purpose. Vast amounts of paddocks provide horses young and old which ample space to play and share their many stories throughout life. The statue of Mill Reef, one of the stud's earliest superstar exports, greets visitors who arrive daily on organised visits to the famous tree lined driveway. 
The National Stud is now the only place where members of the public can meet one of Flat racing's greatest stayers in history up close and personal. Stradivarius captured the hearts of many racing fans and the wider public with his exploits on the track and he has since moved into the next stage of his life at the National Stud to create the next chapter of stayers. Alongside the stayer supreme is a sprinting star and national hunt royalty. The pair of The Tin Man and Lord Windermere are close friends with their new companion Stradivarius and the both enjoyed success at the very highest level in their racing days. 
Lord Windermere, now seventeen years old, looks as well as ever in retirement and landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup back in 2014 to the surprise of some, but envy of the others as the trophy sits proudly on his achievements. The Tin Man also enjoys a retirement lived to the fullest at the stud and he too landed races on the grandest stage. Trained in Newmarket by James Fanshawe, the now eleven year old is a relatively recent arrival to the Stud as age and injuries caught up with the sprinter. Best known for his love of Ascot, he won four times at the Berkshire venue, most importantly the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at the Royal meeting. After many near misses, questions lingered whether that elusive Royal Ascot win would happen, but to the delight of many, The Tin Man achieved his target in 2017. 
All three former racehorses have a catalogue of memories to discuss during their remaining years.

Part Four: Racing History

Located on the high street of Newmarket, the National Racehorse Museum is a must for any horse racing fan young or old, experienced or novice. Opened in 2016 by the late Queen Elizabeth II, the attraction has been a major success with its insights and history.

With each step throughout the plethora of rooms and exhibitions, visitors delve deeper in to the history of the racehorse and sport. From replicas of some of racing's oldest trophies to interactive videos of nostalgic footage of bygone eras, the National Horseracing Museum helps to keep the foundations of the sport alive.
The Rothschild section of the museum was once the site of a racing stable and the remnants are kept in top shape to this day. The final trainer to use the site was Bruce Hobbs and he sent out the Irish Derby winner Tyrnavos in 1980. The land was owned by the Rothschild family and is now home to the ex-racehorses on site. 
Retraining Of Racehorses is a key racing charity whose goal is to take on racehorses of all ability as they retire and keep them active and sharp in new disciplines. From polo to showjumping, dressage to hacking, the goal to keep these healthy horses fit and full of life is so important to horse welfare.