I posted sometime ago about the fact that Newmarket will see it's first Trainers' Open Day for many years on 23rd September 2012. A website has now been launched which lists the participating trainers (more being added all the time), costs, and other activities. Sadly Sir Henry Cecil has had to pull out of the day over fears that Warren Place would be inundated with fans eager to catch a glimpse of Frankel. So far the participating trainers are: Michael Bell Marco Botti Clive Brittain Jane Chapple-Hyam Toby Coles Robert Cowell Luca Cumani Darley Pre-Training Yard Ed Dunlop James Eustace James Fanshawe Julia Feilden John Ferguson William Jarvis Gay Kelleway George Margarson Jeremy Noseda Hugo Palmer Sir Mark Prescott Noel Quinlan David Simcock Martin & Michelle Smith Sir Michael Stoute Mark Tompkins Roger Varian Ed Vaughan Ed Walker Tickets are £15 per person (children under 12 free) and the yards will be open from 9.30am till 12.30pm. At 1pm events will shift to The Rowley Mile Racecourse where visitors can watch a scurry competition, mounted games, the "Devils Horseman", the "Quack Pack" (ducks herded by sheepdog), The Royal Mail Carriage, a Farrier display and the British Racing Schools equicizer which allows you to see if you have what it takes to be a jockey! More about the day http://www.newmarketopenday.co.uk/
Why not just have an optional extra charge to visit Frankel & Co? The extra money could be put to some good cause.
Am very surprised and disappointed that Sir Henry has taken this decision. The fact that the town’s most popular yard won’t be open certainly gives the day much less appeal. It would be akin to the Lambourn equivalent without Mr Henderson throwing open his doors. Might be being a bit cynical but do wonder if perhaps Sir Henry is using Frankel as a smokescreen so as not to allow the old general public in. Mr Henderson for instance gets throngs from throughout the country visit his yard when the Lambourn trainers do the same but he is always Hospitalable with a capital ‘H’ as thousands flock to catch a glimpse of his bastion of stars and the great man himself. I’m not surprised in the slightest though that old boy Gosden does not feature amongst the ‘participating trainers’. I’d love to have seen his face when it was suggested to him! Top marks though to Sir Michael.
Giving this a bump as more trainers have been added to the participating list: Lousie Allen Alan Bailey John Berry Lauren Braithwaite Peter Chapple-Hyam Paul D'Arcy Robert Eddery Stuart Williams Also the Farriers' Curtis and Sons (run by world renowned expert Simon Curtis) will be open. In addition, they have confirmed that a PA system will be in use on the Warren Hill gallop from 6am to 9am on the day so that anyone who wants to watch morning work will know which stable, and perhaps which horses they are watching. Of course they cannot confirm which horses will be working on the gallop that morning, indeed Warren Hill is one of 3 main gallops in Newmarket and trainers have different preferences depending on the weather, time of year, etc. I can understand Sir Henry not opening Warren Place. They are expecting 15,000 to descend on Newmarket for the day and if they all try to get into Warren Place it will create a logistical, and probably security, nightmare.
Also, the National Stud, Tattersalls the Auctioneers, The British Racing School, The Jockey Club Rooms, Newmarket Equine Hospital and the Horseracing Museum will be open to the public.
It may be going back a few years but i can attest to Sir Henrys hosptality. When i first got into racing it was about 1986 and when about aged 20 which would have been around 1989 -90 i found myself having to visit Newmarket on business and very excitedly i arrived in the town early so i could drive up to the gallops and watch the horses. It was a real eye opener even tough i had little idea who i was watching most of the time. Anyway i wandered into a couple of yards and explained i was up on business and really interested in racing could i have a look around. The first i went into was Mick Ryans who kindly called over a lad who then showed me around the stable pointing out the horses and telling me how good he thought they were, Langtry Lady was there. I then foud myself in Henry Cecils which was a far bigger place but as soon as i arrived and made my request a lad went over into an office and spoke to someone who came out and said no problem and showed me box after box, this man was head lad, i believe a man called Willie Jardine i think, anyway the highlight was Old Vic who had just waltzed home in the Irish Derby. He was a beautiful horse and so laid back and if i remember well he was beautiful to the eye as a very dark coated horse. The point is i was ayoung lad turned up unannounced and was treated with real kindness and interest and it goes without saying that since that day and 20 years or so on Sir Henry is still my Favourite trainer.
As we have less than a month to go, I thought I'd update with the following from Twitter: "John Gosden, Godolphin, Jeremy Noseda and Sir Mark Prescott all to canter horses at Betfair Newmarket Open Day on 23/9 up Warren Hill in am" Have you booked your tickets yet?!
