Newmarket: British Horse Racing Quiz

Answer: Boadicea

Boadicea is well known for her ferocious leadership of the East England (Norfolk and Suffolk) Iceni tribe which she inherited upon the death of her husband Prasutagus. She fought the Romans at nearby Colchester, and then moved on to London (Londinium) where her army of 100,000 butchered 25,000 inhabitants who had not fled in her path.

She then moved on to St Albans (Verulamium - Hertfordshire), which she took and destroyed. She was finally beaten by the Romans when her army became exhausted and on the point of starvation.

It is thought she took poison in order to avoid capture by the Romans.

Answer: James I

James I came across the vast flatlands of Newmarket on the edge of the fens, when he was hunting hare in the area in February 1605. Both his son, Charles I and ultimately his grandson Charles II, shared his passion for equestrian pursuits and by 1622 the first recorded horse race took place.

Answer: Charles II

Charles II was known as the "Merry Monarch", he had a passion for horse racing and moved his court from London to Newmarket for the spring and summer race meetings. Charles's favourite horse was called Old Rowley, (also a nickname attributed to the King himself): The primary racecourse, The Rowley Mile, was named after him.

There is also a later, secondary racecourse called the July Course which is only used in late June and July.

Answer: 1622

It was a match race between a horse belonging to Lord Salisbury and a horse belonging to the Marquis of Buckingham. No record exists of the names of these two equines.

Answer: Eclipse

Apparently, 80% of thoroughbred horses have Eclipse in their pedigree. This brilliant colt was foaled in 1764 during a total eclipse of the sun. He raced 18 times and won every time. When he retired to stud he fathered many winners, who in time became top sires themselves. One of his more famous was his grandson, Copenhagen, who was owned and ridden by the Duke of Wellington at the battle of Waterloo. Eclipse died of colic in 1789.

His skeleton is owned by the Royal Veterinary College, who loaned it to the National Racing Museum in Newmarket High Street, where it can be viewed to this day.

A lasting memorial to Eclipse is the Eclipse Stakes which has been held at Sandown Park racecourse since 1886. The Eclipse Awards for the racing industry in North America are also held annually.

Answer: Exning

Exning is still a thriving village about 2 miles from the centre of Newmarket. None of the original buildings survive, but there are several small training yards and breeding studs in the village.

Answer: Nell Gwyn

Nell Gwyn's house is now a private home, but Palace House is a visitor centre which is open daily. Palace House and its racing stables were a training stable up until the 1980s when successful trainer, Bruce Hobbs retired. The building then fell into disrepair until a local council project restored it to its former glory in the 1990s.

The stables had also been turned into horse racing related workshops.

Answer: Warren Hill

The training grounds (gallops) of Newmarket has over 50 miles of turf gallop, as well as many allweather synthetic gallops. The turf has been in existence since the 1660s and never knowingly had been ploughed, although nowadays it is herbicided and fertilised.

As these are chalklands, they are free draining and therefore excellent for racing and the training of the 2000 or so horses in Newmarket.

Answer: Sheikh Maktoum of Dubai

Sheikh Maktoum al Maktium of Dubai, together with his brothers Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hamdan, have put billions into the development of their racing establishments and thoroughbred studs in the Newmarket area. The royal palace on the top of Warren Hill is a lasting monument to this great racing character. He sadly died in 2006, but the palace is retained by the Maktoum family.

Answer: Tattersalls

Tattersalls (Tatts) was founded in 1776 and used to sell the horses in Newmarket High Street, just outside the present Jockey Club building. Tattersalls hold their premier bloodstock yearling sales from October through to December each year. Members of the public can freely watch these sales and celebrity watch at the same time.