Hamilton Road stables
In the mid-1960s a vast area of land, owned by the Jockey Club, close to the Heath, gallops and Rowley Mile course, was earmarked by the Jockey Club to form part of a massive venture aimed at increasing the number of stables in Newmarket, On the Hamilton Road plans were presented for the new stables, and the first to take advantage of the new scheme was former champion jockey turned trainer, Doug Smith. In December 1967, three days before Christmas, Doug announced that he would be moving his string of 30 horses from the yard of his former master, Geoff Brooke, and relocating to a gleaming new yard, the first of several offered to prospective tenants by the Jockey Club. Over half a century on, in 2020 the Hamilton Road contained in excess of 25 such racing establishments, many having changed owners, trainers and stable names on a regular basis since Doug Smith first occupied Cedar Lodge Stables back in early 1968. They offer direct and easy access to all of the Jockey Club Estates facilities and gallops, all within easy reach of the Warren Hill gallops. The Jockey Club cares for 2500 acres of maintained gallops, which includes over 50 miles of turf gallops, and since those early days of 1967 many Classic winners have been sent out from the wide array of Hamilton Road Stables.
For over 4 centuries racing has been staged in Newmarket, but how have the racecourses evolved from an initial starting point at Fleam Dyke Pumping Station, some 8 miles from the town, with a winning post barely 200 metres from the town centre, into two world recognized, excellent racecourses and a universal acceptance that Newmarket is the Headquarters of racing?
To access an interactive racecourse map showing over 50 individually named racecourses CLICK HERE. The map will enable you to:-
1. Determine when extended races over 8 miles, 6 miles and 4 miles began to be replaced by the courses now visited by thousands annually;
2. Consider how the challenge of crossing the Devil's Dyke was overcome;
3. Contemplate why the town no longer has a steeplechase course despite having at least 5 courses during the past 2 centuries;
4. Examine the practicalities of having up to 48 starting posts and winning posts;
5. Appreciate that it was not financially viable to have an open racecourse spread widely across the heath, with a finishing post barely 200 metres from the town centre;
6. Research how and why the Cambridgeshire Handicap has been contested over 3 different courses.
NOTE: The map does not make mention of 2 particular courses:-
(i) Sefton Course (also known as the Cambridge Road Course)
Source: 1970 Raceform.Used from 1959 to 1975.
(ii) New Circular Course
The Circular Handicap was run on Friday 29th October 1875 on the New Circular Course of about two miles.
Source: London Standard (30th October 1875): ''the horses started near the Turn of the Lands, ran back way of the Cambridgeshire Course towards the Ditch, and afterwards proceeded down the side of the Tan Gallop, and turned into the Rowley Mile near the Bretby Stakes starting post, finishing at the stand at the end of the flat. Except in the hollow near the Cambridgeshire start the runners should have been visible all the way if the sky had been bright and clear''.
Another report hoped that the Circular Handicap would become a feature in future programmes, as it would be contested in front of the new grandstand which would be completed in about a year and would be able to accommodate thousands.
(I am grateful to Tim Cox for bringing attention to these 2 courses.)
Enjoy researching the intriguing history of Newmarket and its many racecourses.
1968-1979 Doug Smith
Doug Smith, born on 21st November 1917 at Pondwood Farm, Shotisbrook, was one of the sons of Ernest Smith, a farmer near the former Hawthorn Hill racecourse. The area around the farm was an ideal location for Doug, and his brother Ephraim, to hone their riding and hunting skills, so it was no surprise that the pair became apprentices to Major Sneyd in 1930 at his Sparsholt Stables near Wantage. In 1936 Doug joined Frank Butters in Newmarket, opening up opportunities for him which led to him riding a winner on every British racecourse before he was twenty. Doug served in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps during the War, but immediately afterwards he rode his first Classic winner, Hypericum (SR 1954) in the 1946 1000 Guineas for HM King George VI. He then became associated with Lord Derby and Lord Rosebery, going on to land the Cesarewitch on 6 occasions, 1939 Cantatrice II, 1954 French Design, 1957 Sandiacre, 1959 Come to Daddy, 1960 Alcove and 1966 on Persian Lancer. Doug was first crowned champion jockey in 1954 after the retirement of Sir Gordon Richards, going on to land the championship 4 more times. In all he won 4 English Classics, but never did ride the winner of the Derby, Oaks or St Leger. He retired from race riding in 1967 and turned his hand to training. In 1968 he was the first to take on a brand new stable, now Cedar Lodge, when the Jockey Club began developing the Hamilton Road. At the start of the 1969 season, after the death of Sir Jack Jarvis on 18th December, Doug Smith, took over the reins at Park Lodge, with Michael Stoute as his assistant and Bill Rickaby returning for a second stint as stable jockey. Doug continued to operate at his other place, then known as Loder Stable, leaving Michael Stoute running day to day affairs at Park Lodge. Within a year the pair enjoyed a Classic success with Sleeping Partner (SR 1877) for 6th Earl of Rosebery in the Epsom Oaks, so Michael would have some claim to this being his first Classic winner. Although Doug continued to train, he never reached the dizzy heights of Classic success again. After suffering for years from alcohol addiction, which caused depression, on 11th April 1989 he took his own life in his swimming pool aged 71.
1995-2005 Chris Dwyer
Christopher Ambrose Dwyer, born in Cork on 20th December 1948, moved with his family to London in 1961 and left school in 1964. He joined the Staff Ingham Stable at Epsom at a time when Scobie Breasley rode work at there, the same year that Scobie rode Santa Claus (SR 2073) to victory in the 1964 Epsom Derby. Chris's first winner, Nahum, was at Lingfield Park on 15th April 1967, and he spent a happy 7 years as apprentice with Staff Ingham before moving to Newmarket to ride work for Sir Michael Stoute. Chris then moved to Malton in 1971 to join Jimmy Etherington, and married Sylvia later that year on 18th September. He had further spells with Frank Carr, Alec Stewart and Michael Stoute before becoming assistant trainer with Ian Matthews back in Newmarket. In 1995 he retired from race riding and successfully applied for a trainer's licence, basing himself at Cedar Lodge Stables on the Hamilton Road.
1995 Charles Wells Bombardier Bitter Rated Handicap at Newmarket CYRANO'S LAD 10/1 owned by M M Foulger, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by Chris Dwyer
1996 Shepherd Sprint Rated Stakes at York CYRANO'S LAD 7/4 owned by M M Foulger, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by Kieron Fallon
1996 Prix De La Grande Dame Rated Stakes at Chester CYRANO'S LAD 9/2 owned by M M Foulger, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by Kieron Fallon
1997 Chifney Restaurant Rated Stakes at Newmarket CYRANO'S LAD 5/2 owned by M M Foulger, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by Kieron Fallon
1997 Tote Credit Leisure Stakes CYRANO'S LAD 11/2 owned by M M Foulger, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by Kieron Fallon
2008 Pontins Apprentice Handicap at Lingfield MIA'S BOY 2/1 owned by Shelley Dwyer, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by J Hamblett
2008 Betdaq Handicap at Wolverhampton MIA'S BOY 8/11 fav owned by Shelley Dwyer, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by J Hamblett
2008 Book Online Handicap at Doncaster MIA'S BOY 11/4 owned by Shelley Dwyer, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by Jimmy Quinn
2008 Great Yarmouth Glass Handicap at Yarmouth MIA'S BOY 10/11 fav owned by Shelley Dwyer, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by Jimmy Quinn
2008 Hambleton Handicap at York MIA'S BOY 15/2 owned by Shelley Dwyer, trained by Chris Dwyer and ridden by Jimmy Quinn
2011-2012 Toby Coles
In 2010 Toby Coles launched his training career aged just 24, renting a few boxes from Rae Guest at Chestnut Tree Stables on the Hamilton Road. He was the youngest trainer in Newmarket at the time, and in 2011 he transferred 300 yards down the Hamilton Road to take over at Cedar Lodge Stables.
2013-14 Martin & Michelle Smith
Martin Smith, son of former jockey and trainer Allan Smith, was destined to work in the world of racing, and he certainly made the most of the opportunities which came his way. He remembers travelling to Europe with his father, enjoying winners in Belgium, and then riding on the Flat and National Hunt around the globe. He was crowned champion amateur rider in Dubai before he retired from racing riding aged 27. His wife Michelle was also blessed with being associated with horses from an early age, competing in show-jumping events, so the couple were on familiar territory when they began training in Newmarket after Martin successfully applied for a trainer's licence in 2011. Initially he was based at Paddocks View, Brickhill Stud in Exning in 2012, but in 2013 the couple took over at Cedar Lodge Stables on the Hamilton Road. By 2015 they had moved a short distance to Liberty Stables, further along the Hamilton Road.
2015-2018 Stuart Williams
Stuart Williams, based primarily at Diomed Stables since 2004, after moving from Graham Lodge via Trillium, is also thought to have taken on boxes at Cedar Lodge in 2015.
2019-present Tony Carson
Tony Carson, son of legendary Derby winning jockey Willie Carson, was always likely to become a racehorse trainer. Even while still at school, aged 12, he was able to work as an apprentice at Sir Michael Stoute's Freemason Lodge Stables, after which he worked for Alex Stuart. He then assisted William Jarvis for 8 years at his Grand Lodge Stables, before gaining further experience with Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation for 9 years. In 2011 Willie Carson, already owner of Minster House Stud, near Cirencester, purchased Southgate Stables which, at that point, was divided into 3 yards, two of which were run by Tom Keddy and Mick Quinn. Willie installed son Tom, aged 48 at the time, into Southgate Stables in November 2011, starting with an initial string of 20 horses. In 2018 Willie Carson sold Southgate Stables to Amy Murphy, meaning Tony had to relocate next door to Cedar Lodge Stables for the 2019 season.
