Newmarket – certainly not a one horse town

  • Published
  • By Judith Wakelam
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office
RAF MILDENHALL --  If like me, you love horses you'll enjoy a visit to Newmarket. To me, horses are magnificent, noble beasts, and Newmarket has some of the best in the world. 

Newmarket is the home of British horseracing; the first recorded race took place in 1622. In 1660, King Charles II began visiting Newmarket to indulge his passion for the turf and had Palace House built in the town to accommodate him and his entourage for their twice- yearly visits. 

The house is still standing and is now used for various functions and exhibitions. Not far from Palace House is Nell Gwyn's cottage, it's well chronicled that Nell was a very, very close friend of Charles II. 

Newmarket has two race-courses, the July course and the Rowley Mile course, the July course being the original. The second course is said to have been created because the king had difficulty seeing when he rode at certain times of the year, due to the sun being low in the sky. 

This second course solved the problem as he was no longer riding into the sun. He named the new course after his favorite hack, Old Rowley, and it's still known as the Rowley Mile today. Racing takes place at both courses between April and October. 

Not far from the racecourses you will find the National Stud, where some of the best thoroughbred stallions in the world stand at stud and bloodstock is bred. The Stud is open to the public from February to September and runs guided tours. There are many stud farms in the area and mares and foals can often be seen grazing in paddocks during the day. 

In 1750, the Jockey Club came to Newmarket and is situated in the High Street. It's easy to find with its life sized bronze statue by sculptor John Skeaping of "Hyperion" the smallest horse ever to win the Derby, having pride of place in front of it. The National Horseracing Museum is also located in the high street and is well worth a visit. 

The Jockey Club is responsible for the care of more than 4,500 acres of training grounds that surround the town. The Heath, as it's locally known, is used by more than 75 racehorse trainers to train more than 2,000 racehorses that can be seen exercising on the Heath come rain or shine every morning, bar Sunday. Newmarket must surely grow some of the best roses in the country. 

After 1p.m. daily, the horses are no longer on the Heath, and the general public is allowed to use it. There are some lovely areas for walking and many people, me included, exercise their dogs there. It's a good place for children to run off excess energy and model aircraft and kite flying enthusiasts make use of the open space. 

Newmarket is also home to Tattersalls Sales Ring where thoroughbred horses are bought and sold. It's a fascinating place to spend a few hours but don't - whatever you do - wave your arms about. It could prove to be very costly! 

The sales take place several times during the year and draw buyers from all over the world. Horses often change hands for hundreds of thousands of guineas. I should explain that a guinea, now an obsolete coin, was worth one pound and one shilling (one pound and five pence in today's money). At Tattersalls horses are still sold in guineas to this day. The only other commodity that I know to be sold in guineas is rams. 

Newmarket is dependent on the horse for its existence. Horseracing and breeding is a multi-million pound industry that provides a great deal of employment in the town. Stable lads, jockeys, trainers, veterinarians, blacksmiths and saddlers to name a few, all depend on the horse for their livelihood. 

Drive into Newmarket between 6.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and you cannot fail to see some. There are special walkways for them but they do have to cross some busy roads so be patient and give them plenty of room -- in Newmarket horses have the right of way. 

So, when you next have an hour to spare, park your car, walk to the Heath and spend a little time watching these beautiful animals exercising, and I very much hope that you'll get as much pleasure from seeing them as I do.