It’s March, the mercury is (slowly) rising, the daffodils are in full bloom and the blossom is on the trees – that can only mean one thing; the 2017 season is about to begin with the Spring Meetings at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile!

Another thrilling season of racing begins with some fantastic spring meetings taking place over the next couple of months. Here’s a quick run down of what you have to look forward to this spring!

The Craven Meeting – Tuesday, 18th to Thursday, 20th April

The story starts for another season at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile with the highly-anticipated three-day Craven Meeting. This midweek event offers racegoers a first glimpse of some of the best horses in training being put through their paces, including a number of Classic contenders contesting in races such as the Craven Stakes and the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes.

In celebration of the start of the Flat racing season at Newmarket, the first day of the Craven Meeting on Tuesday, 18th April is FREE to all local residents with a CB8 postcode. Following on from the success of the initiative last year, which saw 5,500 redeem the offer, Newmarket Racecourses are looking forward to hosting the second Community Day with the first 100 bookers also offered a free Discover Newmarket tour.

QIPCO Guineas Festival – Saturday, 6th and Sunday, 7th May

The highlight of the spring meetings is the fantastic QIPCO Guineas Festival, an internationally acclaimed two day event featuring some of the very finest Thoroughbreds in the world going head to head at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse on the first weekend in May.

Alongside some of the best Flat racing in the world, including the first two Classic races of the year, the QIPCO 2000 Guineas and QIPCO 1000 Guineas, racegoers are in for a treat with fabulous entertainment and hospitality on course.

The Spring Meeting – Thursday, 18th (evening) to Saturday, 20th May

Thursday really is the new Friday at Newmarket’s Spring Meeting with the first of this three-day Meeting taking place on Thursday, 18th May. The first race is off at 5.50pm; the perfect excuse to leave the office on time and head to the Rowley Mile to enjoy a fantastic evening’s racing as the sun sets over the Newmarket Heath.

Saturday of the Spring Meeting, the final day on the Rowley Mile before switching to the Adnams July Course for summer, is ‘Newcomer Day’ at Newmarket Racecourses. This offers a great opportunity for those not so familiar with the Sport of Kings, as well as first-time, younger racegoers, to experience the thrill of the races with an interactive and informative format to the day. There will be family entertainment on course too, including inflatables, face painting and Rowley’s Kids Club as well as a number of activities to give first-time visitors an insight into the sport.

Make Your Day Extra-Special

So there you have it – a huge amount to get excited about, and that’s just the spring! If you’re planning an afternoon at one of these meetings, why not make a day of it with a Discover Newmarket tour?

With our Short Head Tour, you could spend the morning visiting the gallops, a trainers yard and the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing & Sporting Art before heading to the races in the afternoon.

However, if you’re looking for something really special, check out our Race Day Tour. You’ll spend the morning visiting the gallops and the Heritage Centre to learn all about the history of the town, before being taken to the racecourse for a behind the scenes tour. The tour also includes a ticket to the premier enclosure where you can enjoy an exciting afternoon’s racing!

For more information on our tours, give us a call on 0344 748 9200 or click here.