Newmarket Racecourse

Situated on the downs of Suffolk, Newmarket Racecourse is recognised as the headquarters of British thoroughbred racing. In addition to hosting some of the most prestigious flat races in the United Kingdom, Newmarket also serves as the largest thoroughbred training hub in the United Kingdom, with dozens of training stables within close proximity to the racecourse.

Newmarket hosts numerous race meetings throughout the year, and is best known for hosting the two opening Classics of the flat racing season, the 1,000 Guineas and the 2,000 Guineas. The racecourse hosts an additional 7 group one races, and is second only to Ascot in terms of the number of group one races hosted each season.

Newmarket Course Layout

Newmarket has two separate racecourses, the July Course and the Rowley Mile.

The Rowley Mile is a wide galloping track used to host the Newmarket Guineas. The track features an undulating 1 mile 2 furlong straight that turns into the right-handed 2 mile 2 furlong long Cesarewitch Course. The final mile of the Rowley Mile displays a pronounced increase in elevation, thereby placing the emphasis on stamina for all races run on this course.

The July Course is primarily used for races run during the peak of the English summer. The course covers a distance of 2 miles and 24 yards, with the one mile Cesarewitch Course turning into the 1 mile Bunbury Mile. The July Course runs downhill for most of its distance, with a pronounced climb over the final furlong.

Newmarket Racecourse Facilities

Newmarket Racecourse offers extensive spectator facilities. The Members’ Stand offers an Old World experience of thoroughbred racing, whilst the Grandstand and Paddock enclosures cater for families and spectators on a budget. Each of the enclosures offers bars, restaurants and cafes.

Newmarket Racecourse History

Racing in and around Newmarket can be traced back to the 13th century. The ‘modern’ history of the racecourse, however, dates back to the 17th century when Charles I constructed the first grandstand for spectators attending events at the racecourse.

Royal sponsorship of the Newmarket Racecourse ensured that its races attracted the finest racehorses throughout its history, and as a consequence races at Newmarket were recognized as some of the most prestigious in the United Kingdom. The first of the Newmarket Classics, the 2,000 Guineas, was introduced to Newmarket in 1809.