Newmarket Racecourse is one of the most well known uk race courses, even to non-facing fans. With a 45,000 capacity, it’s one of the finest viewing experiences in the UK for live sport. Some see it as one of the primary, if not the “HQ”, of British horseracing – and with good reason. With the largest collection of training fields in the whole of the UK, this is a location steeped in horse racing history.

The course is a favourite with those both looking for a casual punt and more serious and professional gambers. too That applies to those betting both at the course and online.

With two Classic Races held here – the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas – as well as a whole host of very competitive Group Races, this is one of the most important venues in the racing circuit within the UK. In total, it hosts just under one third of the Group 1 categories 32 races per year, with a whopping 9.

Racing in the Newmarket area has been a common practice since the days of James I. As such, the foundation and development of such a fantastic racing venue here is no surprise. With two courses in total today – the 2 Mile July Course and the 1600m Rowley Mile, racing fans are offered a lot of variety. These are massively enjoyable racing events that act as two of the best individual racing experiences in the country.

Starting with the Felden Stakes and through to the Zetland Stakes, this is a wonderfully engaging experience. Throughout the year, racing fans can find some of the most endearing and exciting racing (and betting!) opportunities around. As a true relic of the scene, this is definitely a place worth coming to visit on one of the numerous races held from January-November.

Jockey Celebrates Too Early and Falls off Horse

How does that saying go, “don’t count your chickens befire they’ve hatched!”.

The research vessel RRS Sir David Attenborough has a very impressive name I’m sure you agree, after all it’s named after a national treasure of ours. Let us not forget though the pandemonium caused by the public competition aimed at selecting a name for this research and logistic support ship.

Of course asking the public for suggestions is always a recipe for disaster, but in 2016 the naming poll for this impressive vessel threw up the name of RSS Boaty Mc Boatface as the winning entry. Sadly, despite winning fair and square the powers that be (yes, it went all the way to the top with a a select committee of the House of Lords reviewing the naming decision) decided to opt for the Attenborough name – though one of the submersibles aboard the ship did retain the name Boaty Mcboatface!

The boaty story went viral and has since spawned a number of tributes such as Google coining a natural name parser Parsey McParseface in 2016, and Sea Life at Hunstanton naming the first Humboldt penguin chick to hatch in more than ten years, Fluffy McFluffyface.

Perhaps the biggest tribute of them all to Boaty though is the now popular Australian horse Horsey McHorseface. A few days back Horsey hit the news after recording his first win while being ridden by Keagan Latham. The three year old had already established a big following in the country and now looks set to add to his legion of fans following this New South Wales win. Even Channel 9 News in Australia highlighted his narrow win (just under a length) in the 7f maiden race.

Here’s to hoping this is the first of many wins for Horsey McHorseface!

Source: AtTheRaces via Twitter

Barney Roy is out for revenge at the St James’s Palace Stakes after losing out to Churchill at the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. The bay colt was considered one of the leading contenders to challenge the favourite in the first prestigious meet of the flat season.

He came into the race in good form, having triumphed in his previous race – one month prior to the showdown with a fine performance. However, the pace of Churchill proved to be too much to overcome down the final furlong of the race at Newmarket, with Aidan O’Brien’s charge coming out narrowly on top.

Hannon, along with jockey James Doyle, will have learnt from the experience and will be determined to push Barney Roy to the maximum to seek revenge at Ascot. The three-year-old is backed in the latest horse racing betting odds at 9/4 to triumph, although he will need an excellent outing to beat out Churchill, who is once again considered the favourite.

Barney Roy has the pedigree to win the race and has proven so in his career to date. He made an impact on his debut at Haydock Park in the Maiden Stakes. The bay colt was an outsider to win the race behind Muhajjal, Crowned Eagle and the favourite Fujaira Bridge, but he produced an outstanding display to take the crown.

Source: Champions Series via Twitter

He won the meet in emphatic style as he made a solid start before moving through the field and upping the ante down the final furlong to finish three and three-quarters lengths ahead of Fujaira Bridge.

After a seven-month break, he returned to action at the Greenham Stakes at Newbury against a competitive field, including Dream Castle. However, once again Barney Roy rose to the occasion and defeated his rival by a comfortable margin. The bay colt benefited from another strong finish to the race before cantering over the line – two lengths ahead of Dream Castle and the rest of the field.

As a result of his performances against talented opposition, Barney Roy was touted as one of the horses that was capable of challenging Churchill at the 2,000 Guineas. Even his pace down the stretch was not enough to reel in O’Brien’s charge, allowing the three-year-old to secure a victory by one length at Newmarket. Now Hannon and Doyle face the task of going one better when the stakes are even higher at Ascot and the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Both horses have had time away from the track, although Churchill did compete at the Irish 2,000 Guineas at Curragh – when he notched another comfortable victory. Barney Roy has not competed since the 2,000 Guineas, with his camp opting to pass on The Derby at Epsom.

Hannon has focused his intentions of preparing the bay colt for the meet at hand, and he will be aiming to match the achievement of his father Richard Hannon Sr – when he guided Canford Cliffs to the St James’s Palace Stakes crown in 2010.

Since then, six different horses and trainers have won the meet, with Hannon and Barney Roy determined to make it seven on the bounce.