Newbury Racecourse
Encyclopedia
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham
, adjoining the town
of Newbury
in Berkshire
, England
. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's 31 Group 1 flat
races, the Lockinge Stakes
.
for German Prisoners.
for light aircraft
in the centre of the course and dedicated railway station
, which sees heavy traffic and additional trains on race days. It also acts as a venue for conferences, weddings and Hen and Stag parties
.
On 17 February, the preliminary results of the investigation into the incident were released.
Professor Tim Morris, Director of Equine Science and Welfare for the British Horseracing Authority
, reported that they had been informed that there had been leakage from an electrical a cable running under the parade ring. Both the horses had been examined postmortem and sudden cardiac arrest had been identified as the cause of death, consistent with accidental electrocution being the cause of death, and that no other cause of death was being investigated.
Professor Morris also stated:
:
National Hunt racing
:
Greenham
Greenham is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It was recorded in the Domesday Book as Greneham.It is situated just to the south-east of Newbury and is in the West Berkshire district of England....
, adjoining the town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's 31 Group 1 flat
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
races, the Lockinge Stakes
Lockinge Stakes
The Lockinge Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
.
History
The racecourse held its first race meeting on 26/27 September 1905 and moved to its current location, in the Greenham area on the south-east side of Newbury, in 1910. During the First World War Newbury Race Course was used as a Prisoner-of-war campPrisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
for German Prisoners.
Facilities
The racecourse has a runwayRunway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
for light aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
in the centre of the course and dedicated railway station
Newbury Racecourse railway station
Newbury Racecourse railway station is a railway station serving the East Fields area of the town of Newbury, Berkshire, England. It was opened on 21 September 1905. The station is next to Newbury Racecourse and handles heavy traffic and additional trains on race days...
, which sees heavy traffic and additional trains on race days. It also acts as a venue for conferences, weddings and Hen and Stag parties
Stag and doe
A stag and doe party, stag and drag party, hen and stag party, buck and doe party, or a jack and jill party is a party and fundraiser for an engaged couple.-Canada:...
.
2011 Incident
On 12 February 2011, two horses - Marching Song and Fenix Two - collapsed and died in the Paddock while parading for the first race of the day. Two others also appeared to have been affected, Kid Cassidy and The Merry Giant. The novice hurdle race went ahead, starting about 20 minutes late, but the rest of the day's racing was abandoned.On 17 February, the preliminary results of the investigation into the incident were released.
Professor Tim Morris, Director of Equine Science and Welfare for the British Horseracing Authority
British Horseracing Authority
The British Horseracing Authority, also known simply as the BHA, is the regulatory authority for horse racing in Great Britain.It was formed on 31 July 2007, after the merger of the British Horseracing Board and the Horseracing Regulatory Authority .Its stated objectives are to: “provide the most...
, reported that they had been informed that there had been leakage from an electrical a cable running under the parade ring. Both the horses had been examined postmortem and sudden cardiac arrest had been identified as the cause of death, consistent with accidental electrocution being the cause of death, and that no other cause of death was being investigated.
Professor Morris also stated:
- I can also confirm that, contrary to speculation, no evidence of any burn marks around the mouth was found on post mortem examination, neither were such marks found by the veterinary surgeons on the horses at the start.
Notable races
Flat racingFlat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
:
- Arc TrialArc TrialThe Arc Trial is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 5 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.The event was established in 1997, and it was...
- Fillies' Trial StakesFillies' Trial StakesThe Fillies' Trial Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 6 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
- Fred Darling StakesFred Darling StakesThe Fred Darling Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April....
- Geoffrey Freer StakesGeoffrey Freer StakesThe Geoffrey Freer Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 5 furlongs and 61 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:The event was established in 1949, and it...
- Greenham StakesGreenham StakesThe Greenham Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April....
- Hackwood StakesHackwood StakesThe Hackwood Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 6 furlongs and 8 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....
- Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions StakesHaynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions StakesThe Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
- Horris Hill StakesHorris Hill StakesThe Horris Hill Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October....
- Hungerford StakesHungerford StakesThe Hungerford Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
- John Porter StakesJohn Porter StakesThe John Porter Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 5 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April....
- Lockinge StakesLockinge StakesThe Lockinge Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
- Mill Reef StakesMill Reef StakesThe Mill Reef Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 6 furlongs and 8 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
- St. Simon StakesSt. Simon StakesThe St. Simon Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 5 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event is named after St. Simon, an...
- Washington Singer StakesWashington Singer StakesThe Washington Singer Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
- Weatherbys Super Sprint
- World TrophyWorld TrophyThe World Trophy is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 5 furlongs and 34 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
:
- Aon ChaseAon ChaseThe Aon Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in February.The...
- Challow Novices' HurdleChallow Novices' HurdleThe Challow Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs , and during its running there are ten hurdles to be jumped...
- Game Spirit ChaseGame Spirit ChaseThe Game Spirit Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped...
- Greatwood Gold Cup
- Hennessy Gold Cup
- Long Distance HurdleLong Distance HurdleThe Long Distance Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 3 miles and 110 yards , and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped...