'Newmarket- The Home of Horseracing'
Newmarket Heath has been a centre of Thoroughbred racehorse training for over 350 years. It has been expanded and developed over three centuries to provide the premier training grounds in the world. The Heath has been protected from the ravages of agriculture, the demands of two World Wars and the development of the modern transport system, with the railway line forced to tunnel underneath it and roads being built around it.
The development of racing in Newmarket began in the 1600’s when James I recognised the area as a perfect site to pursue his sporting interests, although racing did not really flourish until the reign of Charles II in 1660. Prior to this the Heath had been ploughed, (an act which has not been repeated since), because due to its connections with royalty and sport it represented everything that the followers of Oliver Cromwell disliked. However, when Charles II arrived he organised the first ever race under written rules to take place on the Heath, called the Newmarket Town Plate, which he won on his own horse. This race has been run every year since.
As well as including large areas which have been turf since the mid 17th century, the Heath also includes five peat moss gallops. These were introduced at the beginning of the 20th century and, in most years since, thin layers of peat have been spread on them. Laid in the autumn, peat is worked in by nature over the winter, and today a six inch depth of peat rich soil exists. The peat moss gallops produce extra cushioning and a safe, natural surface for fast work when other ground has become too firm. Three are located on the Limekilns (The Golden Mile, The Round and The Long Peat Moss) and two on Racecouse side (The Peat Moss and Between the Banks).
The grass gallops play an important role in the preparation of horses for Group One and Classic races. On request, the Round Gallop on Limekilns can be used in reverse for preparation for races at Epsom, and for the Derby in particular.
The first artificial track was laid in the 1960’s, adjacent to the Cambridge Road, and was surfaced with animal hide. This was replaced by woodchip in the early 1970's with some sand tracks were laid during this period. “Modern” waxed sand surfaces were introduced in the mid 1980's and now make up the majority of the 15 artificial tracks, a total of nearly 14 miles.
The right of The Jockey Club to warn persons off Newmarket Heath was established in 1827 when the Club was able to produce evidence to show that it had proprietorship of the Heath as tenants of His Grace the Duke of Portland since 1753. The Duke owned much of Newmarket Heath and in the early 1800’s he initiated the reclamation of large areas of scrubland which were laid to grass. To prevent any negative actions by those hostile to the sport he purchased land bordering the Heath before leaving the property to The Jockey Club.
Today the gallops are managed by Jockey Club Estates. As well as the training grounds which extend to approximately 2500 acres (1000ha), Jockey Club Estates owns the land occupied by the Rowley Mile Racecourse and the July Course, the National Stud, the Links Golf Club, the Jockey Club Rooms and the National Horseracing Museum in the High Street and a substantial amount of property in and around Newmarket.