Known as being one of Great Britain’s leading multi-disciplinary horseracing tracks, hosting 30 days of equine entertainment per year, Newbury Racecourse is renowned to be a true unspoilt “galloping” track and rarely witnesses hard luck stories and has been a considerable ‘proving’ course for future champions.
How A King Overruled The Jockey Club
Legendary Kingsclere trainer John Porter in 1904, proposed a brand-new, modern racecourse to act as a replacement for primitive local meetings which had been hosted at Enbourne Heath since 1805.
However, The Jockey Club rejected Porter’s applications repeatedly because of strict, new venue criteria. Despite this, Porter didn’t give up and subsequently pitched the idea in a meeting that happened quite by chance with King Edward VII who was enthusiastic and backed the application.
The Newbury Racecourse Company was then formed with the track opening officially over the 26-27 September, 1905 with Copper King winning the first ever race, while Porter also actually saddled a winner prior to retiring at the end of that season.
The Track: A Jockey’s Joy
Featuring a left-handed and galloping oval circuit that measures marginally shy of one mile and three-quarters, for flat racing, the course is a completely straight one mile track. Along the track, there are considerably subtle and minor undulations along with a wide, generous half-mile home straight.
Also, with there being no sharp or unbalancing turns or sudden traps, it means that Newbury is relied on by trainers to safely deliver debut high-priced, inexperienced young horses.
Flagship Races
Naturally, the racecourse plays home to a series of key races throughout the calendar including the trio of premier races. In May, the Lockinge Stakes is a highly lucrative Group 1 event for straight milers. Traditionally, it is great for old horses and it has been previously won by the likes’ of Brigadier Gerard and Frankel.
Meanwhile, in November, Newbury hosts the legendary Coral Gold Cup; known and revered for six decades as the Hennessy Gold Cup and a gruelling three-mile steeplechase that proves to be a vital stepping stone for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the spring.
Finally, in April, there is the Greenham Stakes which serves as a Group 3 test over seven furlongs and acts a principle launchpad for top-tier, three-year-old colts that earmark the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket; a path trodden by the legend Mill Reef.
Icons Of The Track
Without a doubt, there have been some famous names to grace the Newbury turf over the decades, with the historic Hennessy/Coral Gold Cup having been dominated by the considerable titans of steeplechasing, including the immortal Arkle who defied staggering top-weights to claim consecutive victories in 1964 and 1965. Meanwhile, modern fan-favourite, Denman repeated a rare double in 2007 and 2009
Furthermore, there is an even stronger royal connection with the course, with Queen Elizabeth II enjoying a lifelong love affair with the racecourse; even celebrating her first ever winner there with Doutelle in 1958, while she even spent her April birthdays privately watching the spring trials from the Royal Box.