Experience the thrill of life behind the scenes in Newmarket with our Guided Half Day Behind the Scenes Newmarket Tour. Discover the fascinating history and royal connections of this renowned racing town, known as the Home of Horseracing. Whether you're a fan of the Sport of Kings or simply curious about what goes on at the training grounds, this tour is perfect for you. Hop onto our tour bus and visit the famous Newmarket Gallops, where you can witness the town's 3,000 equine residents in action. Then, explore a racing yard for a behind-the-scenes guided tour, learning about the daily routines and preparation that goes into racing. Finally, indulge in morning coffee and cake before embarking on a tour of the beautiful National Stud, home to resident stallions and potential champion foals. Don't miss this captivating experience in the racing headquarters of the UK.
About this experience
Free Cancellation
For a full refund cancel at least before the start of your booking
Admission Included
4
hours
Suitable for
2-8
Participants
Small Group Tour, Private Tour
Guided Experience
Behind the scenes tour of a racing yard
Tour of the beautiful National Stud
Meeting the resident stallions at the stud
Spotting potential champions among the foals
Coffee and/or tea
Popular Hotels Closeby
More about this experience
Introduction
Experience the thrill and splendor of Newmarket, the Home of Horseracing, with the Guided Half Day Behind the Scenes Newmarket Tour. Immerse yourself in the rich history and royal connections of this fascinating town while learning all about the Sport of Kings. This tour offers a truly wonderful opportunity to explore the hidden world behind the scenes of Newmarket, where horseracing truly comes to life.
What to expect?
During this half day tour, you can anticipate a total duration of 240 minutes filled with unforgettable experiences. Begin by meeting your friendly tour guide at The National Stud and hopping onto our comfortable tour bus. Your first stop will be the renowned Newmarket Gallops, where you can witness the town's 3,000 equine residents going about their daily exercise. Delve into the captivating history of these hallowed training grounds.
Next, the tour bus will take you to one of Newmarket's racing yards for a behind-the-scenes guided tour. Experience daily life in a stable and learn about the meticulous preparations involved in getting a horse ready for the races. Witness the routines and facilities that contribute to the success of these magnificent creatures.
After enjoying a delightful morning coffee and cake, embark on a tour of the beautiful National Stud. This vast 500-acre commercial stud farm boasts a captivating history and is home to resident stallions and retired National Hunt legends. Meet adorable foals in the paddocks and try to spot a future champion amongst them.
Who is this for?
The Guided Half Day Behind the Scenes Newmarket Tour is perfect for those who have a keen interest in horseracing and want to gain an intimate understanding of the Sport of Kings. Whether you're an ardent enthusiast or simply curious about the world of racing, this tour promises to be an enlightening and captivating experience. Horse lovers, history buffs, and those who appreciate the beauty and grace of these magnificent animals will all find something to love.
Why book this?
Immerse yourself in the heart of the horseracing world with this unique tour. What sets this experience apart is the opportunity to go behind the scenes and witness firsthand the inner workings of Newmarket. With knowledgeable and entertaining guides by your side, you'll gain valuable insights into the town's rich heritage, royal connections, and the care and training of racehorses. This tour provides an exclusive and personal experience that will deepen your appreciation for the world of horseracing.
Good to know
Make sure to arrive at The National Stud for the tour and park your vehicle in the free on-site car park. Follow the directions to the Cafe, where your friendly guide will greet you. Comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended for the tour.
Reviews
Customers who have participated in the Guided Half Day Behind the Scenes Newmarket Tour have praised it for its unique insights and captivating experiences. Visitors have highlighted the informative and engaging nature of the tour guides, who provide fascinating stories about the history and workings of Newmarket. Participants have also expressed their delight in witnessing the Gallops and behind-the-scenes activities in the racing yards. Many have left with a newfound appreciation and love for horseracing, making this tour a highly recommended experience.
How long before the event do I need to book?
You can book at any time before the event
Vouchers accepted in the following formats
Mobile
We ask that visitors park their vehicles in the free, on-site car park and then follow the directions to the Cafe, where your guide will greet you.
The National Stud,
The National Stud, Newmarket CB8 0XE,
GB
Your Itinerary
Newmarket
Meet your tour guide at The National Stud and then hop onto our tour bus for a visit to the famed Newmarket Gallops. See some of the town's 3,000 equine residents going about their daily exercise and learn about the fascinating history of the hallowed training grounds.
Newmarket
Our tour bus will then take you to one of Newmarket's racing yards for a behind the scenes guided tour. See what daily life in a stable is like and learn all about what it takes to get a horse ready for the races while seeing some of the routines and facilities on offer.
The National Stud
After morning coffee and cake your tour of the beautiful National Stud begins. This 500-acre commercial stud farm has a fascinating history and is home to resident stallions, retired National Hunt legends and every year serves as the birthplace for the next generation of potential champions. Meet the foals out in the paddocks and see if you can spot a future champion amongst them!
Admission Included
Reviews
(41)
4.8(41)
Sjsmiths
I'd booked this trip last minute for my daughters birthday. We had an amazing morning with Char, who gave a very knowledgeable and informative tour. We had a lovely sunny but cold day. My daughter and I both really enjoyed the whole experience, especially getting to see the latest additions to the National Stud. Really worth doing. Thank you Char.
Maureen M
I was given the chance to go on the Frankel tour as a gift.
It was an amazing day that I will never forget. It began outside Newmarket Racecourse, a mini bus collected us , drove around Newmarket, went on a stable tour at Marco Botti’s yard.The staff there were lovely and friendly. We had a beautiful lunch at the Bedford Spa hotel. After that off to Banstead Manor to see Frankel. It was amazing . He was the last of four stallions. The feeling you get is best described as emotional! He has an aura around him. He sauntered out and stood in front of us, I couldn’t speak, so calm. Larry was our guide and is fantastic. Lady Jane was with us which made the day really special. We can’t thank people enough for that amazing day. It was Wednesday 17th August 2023.
peterdJ1762IT
My wife and I went on the Full Day Frankel Tour Aug 2023.
From start to finish this tour did not disappoint. Seeing Frankel was a dream come true. The day started at the Rowley Mile racecourse where we were met by our tour guide Larry. We waited and were then introduced to Lady Cecil and her sister Sally who accompanied us on the tour. Next was a tour of the Rowley Mile Racecourse before a trip to the Newmarket gallops. Then it was onto a tour, of Marco Botti's training yard. Connor at the yard was very informative and knowledgeable about each horse and its racing pedigree. It was then onto Bedford Lodge for an excellent lunch.. We were fortunate to be on a table with the tour guide Larry who was a mind of information and engaging with many stories of his life in racing. We could have listened to him for hours, After lunch lady Cecil went out her way to check everyone was enjoying the tour and had a brief chat .Then it was onto Banstead to see the amazing Frankel before a visit to the covering rooms.
Larry our guide for the day was excellent, gave lots of information. He was friendly with a great sense of humour. Lady Cecil and her sister Sally were so personable and specifically made sure that my wife was looked after being as she has a walking disability. There was always a chair at hand so that my wife could enjoy the tour, At the end of the tour Lady Cecil, Sally and Larry personally thanked each person on the tour. It was a dream come true and the tour was just like Frankel. "Sheer Class".
Flyer65588158096
Absolutely fantastic experience. Larry was our guide and was friendly and informative. The weather was terrible but it didn’t spoil our time. Loved everything about it. The tea/coffee and cakes were very welcome half way through the morning. Getting up close to these wonderful beasts was fantastic
Elinamic
We decided to join the National Stud tour while visiting Newmarket but the tour wasn't as interesting as we expected it to be. Firstly, we are not very familiar with horses and horse racing but we are open to learning more about various things. However, this tour catered mostly to people who were already familiar with horses and racing and the terminology used there.
The tour was about 1.5 hours long and involved a bit of walking and some time in the shuttle bus. While on the bus, the guide was pointing various things in all directions but it was difficult to see them from the bus unless it was on the same side we were sitting.
We also found the group was a bit big. We were 24 people and at times we couldn't hear the guide well enough. The guide was also moving a bit fast and wasn't waiting for everyone to gather up before starting the commentary for each point.
I was expecting a more behind-the-scenes tour of how the stud was operating, but the main sights of the tour were lots of green spaces and a few horses. However, the only time we got enough time with the horses there was during the last stop when we got to feed them some polos. This was also my favourite stop on the tour as it was the most engaging.
Proper horse enthusiasts seemed to have enjoyed the tour better than us, but nevertheless, it was an interesting experience for us too.
joannehU1528LT
An amazing day!! Our tour guide Larry was brilliant and we loved listening to his stories and facts about Newmarket. We visited the gallops and The National Stud which were amazing. Nothing was too much trouble and we highly recommend this tour. 10/10. Thanks Larry for making this such a special day.
792PressJ
I have been looking forward to this tour since we were recommended it two years ago by another Discover Newmarket guide. WOW! What a day.
Our tour guide , Larry met us at Newmarket Racecourse and we were introduced to Lady Jane Cecil , who was also to accompany us.
We first had an amazing look around Newmarket Racecourse itself and went right up to the top of the stand for some fantastic views. ( we also visited some private boxes, including the Royal Box). We felt very privileged to be able to see these areas and Larry gave us great information about the racecourse, with Lady Jane also giving some lovely memories of her own.
Then we also visited the gallops and went on to a racehorse trainer. We were welcomed to Marco Botti ‘s by Connor, who was fantastic showing us the wonderful facilities and lovely horses.
Then it was off to lunch at the Bedford Lodge, also a wonderful experience as we were treated to excellent food and company. ( it was great to meet and talk to people in our group, all sharing racing experiences and information ).
Finally, last but not least , was the highlight of the day for many of us, our visit to the stallions and to see the GREAT Frankel. The facilities at Banstead Manor are so luxurious and the best I’ve ever seen for stallion accommodation. We saw the other stallions first, then out walked Frankel. We were all completely in awe, such an amazing experience to see him in the ‘flesh’. I was totally taken by his presence and wonderful character. It was lovely to see Lady Cecil offer him a carrot and I’m sure he remembers her. His handler, Rob, also talked to us about his character and what he is like to look after. The staff at the stud were lovely and full of information about the stallions and mating process.
A BIG thank you to Discover Newmarket for organising such a fantastic tour.
Larry was amazing in showing us all the wonders of Newmarket and gave us some great information. ( I was very interested to find out where the trainers were as Larry pointed them out to us as we travelled through the town).
What an absolute privilege to spend time with Lady Cecil and have her personal memories of times in racing and particularly with Frankel.
It was also so interesting to see the actual workings of the racing industry in Newmarket . We saw first hand how it is all connected. It is the second time I have done a tour with Discover Newmarket and will definitely be back for another as it is such a well organised, enjoyable and informative experience.
Chris H
Excellent tour and tour guides. I think anyone interested in horse racing would really enjoy this. I will recommend to friends and family.
elizabeth m
What a fantastic day!! Met at Newmarket by our guide Larry, who was joined by Lady Jane Cecil. Between them & their wealth of knowledge we could not have wished for better.
The entire tour was exceptional. Lunch too at the Spa Hotel was excellent, then on to meet THE KING !!!!
Frankel was breath taking. I think everyone was SPELL BOUND !!
I cannot stress enough how special the day was & wish to say a big THANK YOU to everyone we encountered on such a wonderful day.
jayne S
Frankel tour. All day.
What an amazing day'...worth every penny and more...The itinerary was much more than I expected including a non rushed tour of the race course, which included the Royal Box,weighing rooms,parade ring,winners enclosure, with lively detailed explanations from Larry our guide.
Our tour was joined from start to finish by Lady Jane Cecil who I also wish to thank for her detailed conversations about Frankel and other interesting details of training and racing. A lovely lady and I wish her the very best for the future.
The tour included a visit to the gallops where we saw many horses and, Larry explained a great deal about which horses were trained by the various trainers adding extra information about the gallops , The tour continued on to Ed Dunlop's yard where we were made very welcome and staff there took us around the stables showing us equipment,horses and gave details of training methods/and of care for the horses.
Lunch at the Bedford Hotel was wonderful, great food and great company.
Highlight of course was the visit to see Frankel and his stable companions at stud. Again we were made very welcome,given iced water upon arrival which was a nice gesture as was the goody bag when we left.
The stallions were exceptionally well groomed very well behaved, seeing them up close and personal was quite a goose bump moment for me,and the yard is beyond immaculate. Staff did not rush us and answered all questions put to them explaining everything in detail.
If, the young lady who works there happens to read this, a huge thank you for noticing that I was struggling due to the dreaded arthritis kicking in and she very kindly gave me a chair to sit on,thank you again..
So, 10/10 to Discover Newmarket and Larry for making an amazing day for all of us...
Jayne.
Collected by Evendo, Tripadvisor & Viator
2024-05-18 11:50
Get the latest from Evendo
Don't miss out on news and great deals
Price breakdown
Total
Sorry, you just missed out!
This is a popular product and the date you are looking for just
sold out.
