Newmarket and horses have been connected since Queen Boadicea founded a Royal stud at Exning. More than 1,000 years later, Sir Richard d’Argentine developed a “New Market” in this location.

• 17th Century

Newmarket became a favourite destination of King James I, who moved the Royal court there for a time and raced horses on the Heath. His son Charles II built the first grandstand.

• 19th Century

Lord George Bentinck, owner of a large expanse of heathland and a Jockey Club member, turned acres of scrubland over to grass, purchased adjacent land and established the gallops which still exist today.

• World Wars I and II

The Rowley Mile stands and heath were occupied by the military. The heath was converted into an airfield for training officers and no flying was permitted on the racedays.

1980s

The airfield was decommissioned

• Today

Today the heath forms the primary training grounds to the largest cluster of racehorses on the planet – between two and three thousand in number at any one time.

It’s combination of training facilities and their interaction with the town, coupled with its unique heritage, are a vital contributor to Newmarket’s position as the pre-eminent racing and breeding centre for thoroughbreds and spiritual home of horseracing globally.

A number of courses have been in use in Newmarket over the centuries. The evolution of Rowley Mile and the July Course reflects how the sport has changed to be enjoyed by all, and not just the privileged few.

The area of land known as “Racecourse Side”is comprised of different pockets of land with different names and includes The Back of the Flat, Seven Springs, Pinewood and Southfield Farm.

It is the area of land where the majority of the concepts we want to share today could be based should they come to fruition.

Many of our ideas are proposed on an area of land to the north west of the town centre bordering the far end of the Hamilton Road, Exning Road and the A14.

The proposed area of land is well contained and currently serves various uses at certain points of the year.

The Back of the Flat forms a part of Newmarket’s extensive racehorse training grounds until 1pm, with public access from this time onwards.

Seven Springs does not currently have a primary use but has roots going back to Roman times and a number of interesting natural site features.

Southfield Farm is used as a storage facility to help service many aspects of the Jockey Club’s estate.

Pinewood, once home to a stud of the same name, is home to a number of paddocks.

Newmarket is the world’s pre-eminent training and breeding centre as well as the spiritual home of racing and The Jockey Club. We want to help it thrive in the long term, deliver prosperity to our sport, and remain at the forefront of the industry globally by providing world-class facilities to retain its status.

As well as the track, a ‘clockers’ tower’ building is proposed to provide an elevated vantage point with a small lounge and amenity and external balcony to observe training from a prime position.

Horsebox parking, car parking, and a walking paddock would also be included in this.

If the facility were to be considered for race meetings we envisage that this would not be a large spectator facility. Rather, it would be a small intimate complex to hold industry attendees and likely a small proportion of public racegoers if they wish to attend.

It is imagined the complex would be limited to one primary hospitality and viewing structure at single storey, with critical race supporting facilities only. We’ve considered these to be a Weighing Room, Parade Ring, Pre-Parade Ring with saddling stalls, and the supporting testing, veterinary, and staff facilities. Racing would only happen at times when Newmarket’s turf facilities are not in action. Field sizes would be small and integrity facilities for jockeys and stewards would be designed to new BHA standards.

These concepts are at an early stage and development requires consultation with the BHA and the relevant racing parties to develop it.

IMPACTS TO THE INDUSTRY

The ideas to develop the type of facilities we think would be best for the site, and for Newmarket’s industry in the long-term, are at an early stage.

The Jockey Club will be considering this in the context of the good of racing and in the context of the sport and industry as a whole.

The implications, we are aware, require further study across multiple aspects of the wider UK programme and fixture list.

Given this is some time off, and these factors fluctuate considerably from year to year, we are not projecting the current situation into the future, as things could change considerably by then.

SUSTAINABILITY

At Southfield Farm we are looking at options for the recycling of horse waste which could reduce the Newmarket racing industry’s carbon footprint on handling horse waste. Whilst only an idea at this stage, it would help to keep such a facility local to Newmarket, given the scale of the horse population. This would require higher level discussions with the local and regional authorities and suppliers.

We believe this proposal could provide an exciting opportunity and a well-suited site for a unique and beneficial racing facility to strengthen the industry and serve the spiritual home of the sport in the UK.