Newmarket – A New Experience

About this excursion

£132 per person

Join us a glorious day in Newmarket – the home of Horseracing. Last November HM The Queen opened the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art and our first stop is here at Palace House to enjoy a guided tour.

Palace House is a unique venue offering three inspiring attractions in one place:

1.The National Horseracing Museum
This Museum has the latest audio-visual and interactive technologies to aid your interpretation of their significant collection in various galleries. Horseracing is well known as The Sport of Kings and one gallery tells the story of horseracing and its royal connection from James I to our present Queen. You can explore the Mileposts of racing throughout their extensive range of objects, learn more about racing’s influential characters and see how society has influenced the sport, and the sport shaped society.

Another gallery houses the equine simulator and you can see the change in jockey riding styles from a seated position to the “Martini glass” crouch and how the different styles affected the effort required by the galloping horse through weight distribution, rhythm and aerodynamics.

There’s also a collection of veterinary instruments and information about common equine illness and disease and you can also see how science has already helped solved the mystery of the 1880 Epsom Derby winner. See Claire Balding on screen where she relates special memories from past and present heroes of the sport.

2. The British Sporting Art Trust
The British Sporting Art collection is broad and diverse, gathering paintings, books and artefacts from the world of sporting art in Britain. It was established in 1977 and has acquired a diverse collection of fine and decorative sporting art. The Trust’s painting collection currently contains over 40 paintings. The majority are painted in oil and span from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries through to the early twentieth century. In general, they depict the traditional sporting pursuits of the period with a specific focus on hunting and racing subjects. A number of significant sporting artists are well represented within this collection. In addition, there are a number of sculptures within the collection which depict equestrian subjects.

3. Retraining of Racehorses Charity
Here you can discover how former racehorses are being retrained for a successful life beyond horseracing and meet equine heroes of the sport. With the right rider and training a former racehorse can adapt to and excel in a wide variety of second careers. Experience for yourself the selection of hats and clothes worn by riders in a variety of equine sports, and try out the different saddles on our model horse. See the many RoR competition winners and success stories. Learn how to care for a former racehorse and how it differs from their racing life. Have fun with hands on activities to discover how their diet should change, what bedding is best, how horses are shod and the different shoes worn. In addition, find out how you could buy or loan a former racehorse.

Lunch will follow this visit in a private room within the complex. A delicious buffet has been ordered for us with a good selection of food, including sandwiches, snacks and desserts + tea and coffee.

After lunch we rejoin our coach and make our way to the July Course at Newmarket for an exciting afternoon of horse racing. We have premier Admission Badges for you which will entitle you to enjoy the best facilities and finest views of the racing action. If you are still hungry, it also gives access to a wider choice of food and drink outlets.

Please Note: A strict dress code operates in the Premier Enclosure – they allow no trainers, collarless shirts, beachwear, unduly casual or extreme attire.

Upgrade Your Ticket – If you wish you can upgrade your ticket to the Champions Lawn at Newmarket Racecourse. It’s a great option with access to a private seating area beside the track, a private bar and first class viewing of the racing + a Racecard. If you click on the picture on the right, it gives you a better view of the Champions Lawn facilities. Cost: £30.

The cost of this event includes luxury transport, your guided tour of the National Heritage Centre, buffet lunch , your Premier Admission Ticket to the racecourse and, of course, treats.

 

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