Newmarket
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, is the headquarters of British Flat horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses – the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping tracks used for Flat racing only. Between them they host 9 of British racing’s 32 annual Group 1 races, one less than Ascot Racecourse.
The Rowley Mile Course has 1 mile 2 furlong straight with an uphill finish. Races beyond the distance of 1 m 2f start on the ‘Cesarewitch’ or ‘Beacon’ course which turns right-handed into the straight.
The July Course has a 1 mile straight, known as ‘The Bunbury Mile’. After 2 furlongs (400 m), there is a long downhill stretch before the uphill furlong (200 m) to the finish. This course also uses the ‘Cesarewitch/Beacon’ course for longer distances, again turning right into the straight.
The Rowley Mile is used for racing in the Spring and Autumn, while the July Course is used in Summer.