Here at Discover Newmarket we pride ourselves on having the best tour guides on offer for your day out. Not only are these guides passionate about their roles and showing off the town to visitors but they also have loads of knowledge and experience to share with you.
In our Meet The Guides series of blogs we are giving you the chance to get to know a little bit more about our team of tour guides. Next up is Sandie Edmeades.
Sandie has been involved in racing for her entire working life. It all started in Lambourn when the opportunity to be a racing secretary came about, with the added benefit of being able to ride out in the mornings, before moving to work at one of the leading stud farms in Newmarket in a role as a PA. Sandie also has an involvement on the bloodstock side of things working alongside her husband in their bloodstock agency which means the opportunity to attend sales throughout the UK and abroad.
Sandie is now into her second season as part of the Discover Newmarket team and admits that she enjoys being able to share information with visitors about such a fascinating industry like horseracing. “Meeting people from all over the world and being able to give them an insight into our unique industry,” was Sandie’s answer when asked what she loves most about being a tour guide.
As far as the best thing to see during a visit to the Home of Horseracing, Sandie’s recommendation is obvious. “The gallops. It’s a real privilege to see the horses out on the heath in the mornings.”
When planning on visiting, Sandie recommends the Thoroughbred Breakfast as it “gives a real insight into the world of racing and breeding.” This fantastic tour is offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday and sees visitors taken to the famed training grounds, spending time on Warren Hill watching the horses exercise before heading to a trainer’s yard for a look behind the scenes. That is followed by breakfast in the Wavertree’s Coffee Shop and a tour around The National Stud. To find out more click here.
Given that most of her working life has been dedicated to various aspects of the horseracing industry, Sandie and her husband also managed a stud in Buckingham for 18 years, there are several fantastic memories has pointed out two distinct highlights.
“Seeing a filly we managed foal and then go on to win two Group one races as a two-year-old. Her progeny are now racing which is equally exciting.” The races in question are the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and the Lowther at York which saw her named as Champion Two-Year-Old filly.
“I have been very lucky to see some exceptional horses racing but Frankel stands out. He had such ability and an amazing presence.”
To find out more about booking a Discover Newmarket tour then click here.
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