Newmarket Racecourse
The headquarters of British flat racing. Newmarket operates two courses — the Rowley Mile and the July Course — on Cambridgeshire heath and stages two classics each spring (the 1000 and 2000 Guineas) plus the prestigious July Festival in mid-summer.
RIGHT-HANDED (ROWLEY) AND STRAIGHT
EST. 1636
About Newmarket Racecourse
The headquarters of British flat racing. Newmarket operates two courses — the Rowley Mile and the July Course — on Cambridgeshire heath and stages two classics each spring (the 1000 and 2000 Guineas) plus the prestigious July Festival in mid-summer. Newmarket Racecourse is a flat racing only racecourse, located at Cambridge Road, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 0TF.
Guineas Weekend, early May
The opening classics weekend of the British flat season. The 2000 Guineas for three-year-old colts on the Saturday and the 1000 Guineas for three-year-old fillies on the Sunday, both run over the straight mile on the Rowley Mile. Past winners include Frankel, Sea The Stars, Galileo and Enable.
Meetings & feature races
Newmarket is the headquarters of British flat racing — the spiritual home of the sport. The town houses around 3,500 racehorses across its training yards, more than any other equine centre in the world. The racecourse itself operates two distinct tracks: the Rowley Mile (used in spring and autumn) and the July Course (used in summer). Major meetings include the Guineas Weekend in May, the July Festival, the Cambridgeshire in September, and the Cesarewitch in October.
Guineas Weekend (early May)
The first two classics of the British flat season, with the 2000 Guineas on Saturday and the 1000 Guineas on Sunday. Both run over the straight mile on the Rowley Mile course. The 2000 Guineas dates from 1809; the 1000 Guineas from 1814. Both races have been won by some of the all-time greats — Frankel (2011), Sea The Stars (2009) and Galileo (no, that was a Derby winner) all featuring on the modern roll of honour for the colts’ race.
Newmarket July Festival (mid-July)
The three-day July Festival is the summer highlight on the July Course. The card includes two Group 1s: the July Cup over six furlongs and the Falmouth Stakes over a mile. The July Cup is one of the most prestigious sprints on the racing calendar, with many of its winners considered the champion sprinter in Europe.
July Cup Key Trends
The July Cup favours the younger entrants with 11 of the last 12 winners aged three or four, with nine of those 12 in the first three in the betting. The Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot is a key race to monitor — three horses who ran in that and then the July Cup all won at Newmarket.
Cambridgeshire (September)
The Cambridgeshire Handicap is the year’s definitive mile-and-a-furlong handicap and one of the most competitive betting heats of the autumn. Run on the Rowley Mile with fields of 30+, it’s a notorious betting puzzle and routinely produces big-priced winners.
Cesarewitch (October)
The autumn complement to the Cambridgeshire, run over 2 miles 2 furlongs on the Rowley Mile. The Cesarewitch is one of Britain’s great heritage handicaps, dating from 1839, and a magnet for staying handicappers from Britain, Ireland and France.
Live races at Newmarket
Upcoming races at Newmarket
Live racecards from Newmarket — pulled from our racing data feed, refreshed throughout the day.
No Newmarket meetings scheduled in the next 14 days.
Check the UK Racing Predictor for races at other tracks today, or visit Newmarket Racing Data for past meetings and statistics.
July Cup — key trends
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Course statistics & betting angles
Rowley Mile (April-May, October-November) and July Course (June-August). The July Course is shorter and tighter; the Rowley Mile is wide, galloping and stiff.
On the Rowley Mile’s straight 1m course, both extremes of the draw can dominate depending on which side the field races. Check stalls position before betting.
Charlie Appleby, John & Thady Gosden, Aidan O’Brien, William Haggas and Sir Michael Stoute dominate the Group races. The Royal Ascot form-line points hard at Newmarket the same year.
Newmarket spring meetings often play on good or good-to-firm ground. The Cesarewitch in late October frequently produces softer conditions and rewards genuine stayers.
How to watch racing at Newmarket
ITV provides terrestrial coverage of Guineas Weekend, the July Cup and the Cambridgeshire/Cesarewitch. Racing TV covers every Newmarket card across the year, with extensive analysis from their racecourse team. For race-by-race tips and value picks, the horse.bet UK Racing Predictor publishes daily picks for every Newmarket fixture.
Visiting Newmarket
Newmarket is approximately 65 miles north-east of central London. Newmarket railway station is a 20-minute walk from the Rowley Mile course; shuttle buses run on major race days. By road, the A14 (Junction 37 for the Rowley Mile, Junction 36 for the July Course) is the most direct approach. The Rowley Mile and July Course are separate venues in the town — check which course your meeting is on before travelling.
Official Newmarket Racecourse website →
Frequently asked questions
When are the Guineas?
The 2000 Guineas is run on the Saturday of Newmarket’s Guineas Festival in early May; the 1000 Guineas follows on the Sunday.
What is the difference between the Rowley Mile and the July Course?
They are two separate courses on opposite sides of the town. The Rowley Mile is used April-May and October-November for the classics and autumn handicaps. The July Course is used June-August and is shorter and more intimate.
What is the July Cup?
A Group 1 sprint over six furlongs at the July Festival in mid-July. It is one of the most prestigious sprints in Europe and often determines the champion sprinter of the season.
Does Newmarket host jump racing?
No. Newmarket is a flat-only racecourse. The town is the centre of British flat horse training but does not stage National Hunt fixtures.
Where can I find Guineas tips?
The horse.bet UK Racing Predictor publishes Guineas Weekend picks the morning of racing, with full-field probability ratings and value plays.
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