Tales From the Heath: Open House Proves a Big Success at HQ
After an absence of more than 15 years, the Newmarket Open Day returned to the calendar in 2012 and the last three years have seen more and more people descend on the town for a special behind-the-scenes view of activities at British horseracing’s headquarters.
Visitors on Sunday will not have been disappointed. Two of Newmarket’s three Classic winners this season were on display to the public with the Oaks heroine Taghrooda (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) one of six members of the John Gosden stable to take part in exercise canters on Warren Hill along with horses trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, Sir Mark Prescott, David Simcock, Sir Michael Stoute, William Haggas and Hugo Palmer. The daughter of Sea The Stars (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) was joined by fellow Group 1 winners Sultanina (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), Mukhadram (GB) (Shamardal), Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), Integral (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), Cavalryman (GB) (Halling) and African Story (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), while David Simcock’s Canadian Grade I-winning duo of Sheikhzayedroad (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Trade Storm (GB) (Trade Fair {GB}) were also in action following their recent return to Newmarket from Woodbine.
Kingston Hill (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) didn’t join the exercise party, but he proved a huge draw for Roger Varian’s Kremlin House Stables where he was paraded in front of a large crowd wearing his winner’s sheet from the previous weekend’s G1 St Leger.
On any day of the week it’s possible for members of the public to park at the epicenter of Newmarket’s 2,500-acre training grounds and observe the comings and goings of leading trainers and the town’s equine inhabitants, a four-legged population which grows to around 3,000 at the height of the Flat season. It’s a scene which never fails to inspire even those who are not diehard racing fans, but only the most eagle-eyed of regular work-watchers would know which horses they are looking at as string upon string of elegant bluebloods float by. The formal staging of Newmarket’s equivalent of ‘Breakfast with the Stars’–from numbered saddle-cloths on each horse to interviews with trainers as their charges ascended Warren Hill’s polytrack canter in front of the gathered masses–is an excellent way to give race fans extra insight into a horse’s daily routine and what goes into getting them to the track in tiptop condition.
James Alexander brought his wife and two young children on the long journey from their home in Devon for the weekend, but felt the 10-hour round trip was worthwhile.
“We go to as many race meetings as we can and when we read about last year’s open day we decided to combine it with a trip to Newmarket races on Saturday,” commented Alexander. “What was especially nice was how close the children could get to the horses. We visited five yards and all the staff were very friendly and happy to answer our questions. We’ve all learned a lot today.”
Newmarket is of course not just famed for its racing yards but also as a breeding center, with a number of major studs surrounding the town. Though he is not trained in England, this season’s dual Derby winner Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) started life just outside Newmarket at Lord Derby’s Stanley House Stud and while he has gained a deserved following in his own right, he is still outshone by his famous dam, Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). The seven-time G1 winner–whose big-race successes include the English and Irish Oaks and two Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf wins–returned to the place of her birth upon retirement from racing in 2006 and now lives alongside her daughter and Australia’s full-sister Filia Regina (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Both mother and daughter were paraded for visitors to the stud throughout the morning.
“Ouija Board is the most terrible show-off so she loved every minute of the open day,” said Peter Stanley, who manages Stanley House Stud for his brother Lord Derby. “She felt right at home and was in her element–it was like the Breeders’ Cup all over again. Throughout the morning we didn’t even get a chance to put her back in her stable–there was a constant stream of visitors right the way through and we were delighted so many people came to see her and Filia Regina.”
Added Stanley, “It’s a great tribute to everyone who worked so hard to get the open day off the ground. I had plenty of positive feedback from people who came along and it’s important for our industry to stage days like this and to help members of the public connect with racing.”
Once the racing yards had closed their doors at 12:30, events continued at related organizations throughout the town. The British Racing School held schooling displays with former Group 1-winning steeplechaser Our Vic (Ire) (Old Vic {GB}) which were overseen by Great Britain’s eventing team coach Yogi Breisner, while a number of jockeys, including Ryan Moore, showed off sporting skills of a different kind on the temporary football pitch at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile racecourse.
With Tattersalls about to burst into life for its two-week October Sale, plenty of budding bloodstock enthusiasts took the opportunity of listening in to a talk in the sales-ring on conformation given by leading trainer John Gosden and bloodstock agent Tom Goff. The pair have teamed up in a number of top-class horses, including G1 St Leger winner Arctic Cosmos (North Light {Ire}), who was bought by Goff’s Blandford Bloodstock for 47,000gns at Book 2 of Tattersalls’ October Sale, and Elusive Kate (Elusive Quality), a $70,000 Keeneland September purchase. They used another of their combined purchases, the multiple Group winner Gregorian (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), as a live model for the presentation to 400 people.
With the number of visitors to the open day this year increasing to around 5,000 and all money raised split between four racing-related charities, it’s an event which is now firmly rooted in the calendar.
“It always takes three to five years to establish events such as these, but what was great this year was that we’d sold so many tickets in advance,” said Newmarket Open Day organizer Johnno Spence. “Lots of families came along and there was a great atmosphere–the important thing is that everyone has a good time and I think we achieved that.”–Emma Berry