Newmarket is where the British Jockey Club was based, and remained the headquarters of numerous national and global racing organisations until a few years ago when the British Horse Racing Board took over the running of racing.

Going back in history Newmarket thrived because of its local market and a highly profitable trade in accommodating all travellers and so this persisted for centuries, until King James I founded its Heath back in Feb 1604 as a major leisure venue for both his court and Newmarket's sports associations.

Newmarket is well served for easy transport links to the remainder of East Anglia in England, UK: the A14 road takes you about 20 minutes to get into Cambridge, where you can really enjoy the delights of the ancient University Town.

Newmarket racing itself is ingrained in Suffolk history and is well and truly one of the most exciting racecourses in the UK. Newmarket in the morning is a strange place, busy with the actions of hundreds of centaur-like figures, nonchalant but serious, all working as though unaware of the peril and absurdity of answering every rich man‘s whims by training racehorses to run faster.

Charles II‘s involvement in racing from the mid 17th century ensured Newmarket‘s future at the heart of British racing. Its local history is inextricably tied up with the history of horse racing. The historic centre of British racing is today the home of the world famous Newmarket racecourse, the National Stud and the must see National Horse Racing Museum.

Newmarket Racing

Newmarket is on the up and up, as it always boasts world class racing and amenities and the strikingly picturesque July Course, used in the summer months, offering its own unique brand of entertainment.

Bronze Age barrows, showed evidence of early occupation, were dotted across Newmarket Heath until the 19th century when they were cleared out to make better conditions for racing. The renowned Rowley Mile hosts racing of the very highest talent during both the spring and autumn, including two of Britain's five Classic races, run in early May: the 2000 and 1000 Guineas.

Racehorses

Of course, no stopover to Newmarket is complete without paying a visit to sites associated with its rich sporting tradition as the famous historic home of horse racing, breeding and training. You can visit the world famous National Stud, take a tour through the National Horse Racing Museum, and even arrange a tour of the town‘s training yards and gallops. The town has a unique environment consisting of the world's best training grounds (which are situated on the world's largest expanse of open managed grassland), over 2500 racehorses, nearly 70+ licensed trainers and numerous stud farms where the racehorses of the future are bred.

Race Track

The Rowley Mile racecourse now sports a brand new grandstand which is a beautiful addition to this wonderful course, and the July course has also been redeveloped.

The unique thing about the Rowley mile track is that it is straight and has a large dip about two and a half furlongs out which can catch out a number of horses, as you need to have a very well balanced horse to ensure an even tempo going into the dip and then have plenty of stamina to come back up the dip to complete the race. In the autumn the Rowley Course stages two further outstanding meetings in the Cambridgeshire and Champions' Day race days.

Have a fantastic day out at Newmarket racing.

The History Of Aintree Grand National Horse Race