There are many places in the UK whose names are inextricably linked with the industries that have thrived there. For Stoke it's the potteries, for Northampton it's shoemaking and for Newmarket it is undoubtedly horse racing.
Ever since the mid-18th Century it's been the spiritual home of the sport – that was when The Jockey Club moved their headquarters to the town from London - and its associations with the sport go further back than that.
This is because history states that over a century earlier, in 1605, King James I was passing through the area when a thick fog held up his journey. When it cleared he decided that this would be an ideal location for the closely-related activities of hunting and racing.
A short history lesson
The first ever officially-recorded race took place in 1619. Following Charles II's accession to the throne in 1660, five years later he set out the rules for the first ever official race in the country, the Newmarket Town Plate. In 1671 he won the race himself, the only ruling English monarch to have ever to have achieved this. Around the same time another prestigious race called The King's Plate was established.Over the years, more and more elements of the racing world began to be established in the area. These range from the countless stud farms that stretch to Chieveley and beyond as well as many of world's most successful trainers including the hugely successful Godolphin Stables.
With Tattersall's Horse Sales, and even the National Horseracing Museum, making their home on Newmarket the importance of the sport to the town's economy is impossible to overestimate. And with strings of horses riding out on the famous gallops every day and the roads full of horseboxes heading off to racecourses across the country it's also always very visible.
Newmarket's three courses
Newmarket itself consists of no less than three different flat racing courses – something it has in common with other major venues in the UK including Cheltenham and Aintree which also have more than one course.At Newmarket, these are the Round Course, the Rowley Mile and the July Course. The first of these is only used for one race a year, the historic Newmarket Town Plate, but the other two host numerous meetings from Spring to Autumn.
The Rowley Mile is named after one of Charles II's favourite horses, Old Rowley and is, in fact, one mile and two furlongs long. For races over a greater distances the Cesarewitch course is used which includes an additional bend before horses enter the straight of the Rowley Mile. The Rowley is famous for its punishing dip in the last two furlongs with a final uphill section that is notoriously challenging.
Whereas the Rowley Mile is used at the start and the end of the flat season, races in the Summer months are generally run on the appropriately-named July course. This is a mile long course but, like the Rowley, also uses a section of the Cesarewich for longer races, involving a much tighter turn.
Notable races
It's no surprise that Newmarket is where many of the racing calendar's biggest events are held. As you'll see in this guide on horseracingbetting.co.uk these include the classic 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas as well as many Group 1 races including the Falmouth Stakes and the July Cup.It's the first two of these that gain some of the biggest attention for a number of reasons. For example, they are the first of the flat season's classic races and for many people they mark the official end of steeplechasing until it starts up again in the Autumn. They also attract some of the best 3-year old horses with many of the winners, and even the runners-up, going on to achieve greatness.
Two prime examples are Brigadier Gerard who won the 2,000 Guineas in 1971 and which went on to win 17 of the 18 races he competed in. More recently, in 2011, the wonder-horse Frankel won by six lengths, a feat that had not been achieved since 1947. As even non-racing fans may know, he was unbeaten in all of his fourteen outings and is widely thought to be the greatest British racehorse of all time.
Looking ahead
While the 2022 season may still seem quite a way off in the future, excitement is already mounting for the Guineas weekend next year which is set to run over three days from Friday 29th April until Sunday 1st May. One jockey who will be particularly looking forward to competing is Newmarket resident, and legend, Frankie Dettori whose 2021 1,000 Guineas victory was the 20th Classic win of his career.Also for next year, several evening meetings in the Summer will culminate in performances from musical artists including Paloma Faith and The Script.
So, while Newmarket racecourse may have a long and distinguished history, it very much has its eye on the present, aiming to attract a whole new generation of racegoers. And, whether they visit for the excitement and spectacle of the racing or to see their favourites of another kind perform, it all promises to be a quite unforgettable experience.
