The flat moorland surrounding Newmarket has been home to men and their horses since Roman times. It was on these heaths that Boudicca and her Inceni tribesmen trained in their chariots to take the battle to the Romans. These flat heaths have been home to horses and their riders ever since.
Newmarket is home to the first recorded horse race, held in 1622. Lord Salisbury’s steed won that race for the princely sum of £100.
The Newmarket area today claims to be the home of horse racing in the world. In all, there are 2,500 acres of heathland and woodland dedicated to training horses. On these 2,500 acres there are 40 miles of grass tracks, 17 miles of artificial turf, and 30 miles of dedicated horse-riding trails.
Tattersalls was founded in 1776 for the express use of a horse auction. Tattersall Auction is the largest horse auction house in Europe. The auction is held in the fall of each year and bids are made in terms of pounds, yen, francs and dollars. This international atmosphere provides a truly cosmopolitan flavor to the traditional Tattersall auction.
Newmarket provides not only the place to breed horses at its two tracks, but also the location of the breeding stables where arguably the world’s best stallions and broodmares are brought together to produce some of the world’s best equine animals.
The two horse racing tracks, The Rowley Mile, meet in the spring and fall, with the July course meeting during the summer. These two tracks have high-stakes racing at both meets offering some of the best horse racing in Britain.
From the ancient times of Roman occupation to today’s modern breeding and racing facilities, Newmarket has remained at the forefront of the equine community in Britain. Blessed with terrain very suitable for horses, Newmarket is a household name in all racing circles.