Pictures of Newmarket

About Newmarket

You can hardly drive through this handsome town without seeing some reminder that the history of the town and that of horse racing are inextricably bound together.

By the grace and blessing of King Charles II, this town has been at the centre of horse racing since the year 1660 when the King founded the Newmarket meeting. The town has been headquarters of the Jockey club since 1750. It is also headquarters to other national and international racing associations.

A drive through the gentle undulating countryside will take you past some famous racing studs where some of the world's finest horses have been born and reared to reach the glory and rich rewards that only the exciting and glittering world of horse racing can bestow.

Newmarket racecourse is home of such classic races as the 1,000 and 2,000 guineas and the Cesarevitch. These meetings, as do the other Newmarket meetings, attract a fine society crowd which includes members of the aristocracy and nobility from our own country and other parts of the world. Here too, are held the finest bloodstock sales and Newmarket is the home of the National Stud, Palace St. Stables and the National Horseracing Museum.

Racing and horseflesh dominate this attractive red brick town but it does have other claims to fame; It is the home of the famous Newmarket Sausage, created by James Musk at his Butchers shop in High Street in 1884. This tasty delicacy is still sold today.
The racing industry is complimented in the town by other ancillary trades; there are some renowned saddle makers here, and of course a thriving farming community exists in the surrounding countryside.

But it is the famous racecourse that draws the visitors, and some are lucky enough to spot potential winners being put through their paces as they ride out in the early morning.

Not only will you have a fine time at the races but you can also enjoy the lovely countryside and the pleasures that this remarkable town has to offer. The shopping experience is excellent and is a mixture of quaint and modern shops all offering a vast array of goods including antiques, paintings and souvenirs to take home. There are excellent public houses, country inns and restaurants all serving interesting food and fine wines. Oh yes and you will more than likely meet a friendly local or two who will happily regale you with lusty tales of the racing community that inhabit this famous region.