Diomed Stables, located on the Hamilton Road in the CB8 0PD district of Newmarket, ideally placed in sight of the Rowley Mile racecourse, is currently the base of Stuart Williams.
The stable was named after the racehorse Diomed, by Florizel out of a Spectator mare, a bright chestnut colt of 15 hands 3 inches foaled in 1777, bred by Richard Vernon of Newmarket. Diomed (SR 2046), owned by Sir Charles Bunbury, has the honour of winning the inaugural Epsom Derby in 1780, scoring at 6/4 favourite when ridden by Sam Arnull. He beat Boudrow (Buddroo), Spitfire and 6 others to secure his place in history. In a career spanning 20 races, Diomed won 11 times, including 10 consecutive victories. His final win was over 4 miles in a King's Plate when he carried 12st. He retired to Sir Charles Bunbury's stud, standing until he was 21 years old, at which point he was sold to an American Colonel John Hoomes and shipped to the USA. He returned to stud duties at his new home and died at the ripe old age of 31.
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.
1975-2004 Ben Hanbury
Ben Hanbury, son of jockey and trainer Tom Hanbury, was born in Oxford on 25th March 1946 and rode his first winner, as an amateur jockey, at Dundalk on 23rd May 1964 when partnering Volcano. He was unable to make a living out of being a jockey, although he did ride almost 80 winners in his short riding career. His most celebrated win was aboard French March in the 1967 Mildmay of Fleet Challenge Cup, while his sole ride in the 1968 Grand National, won by Red Alligator, was aboard Dr M L Slotover's Master of Art (100/7), although he refused at the 27th fence. In 1973 he successfully applied for a trainer's licence, and leased the 80 boxes of Eve Lodge Stables from Lester Piggott while his new Diomed stables were being built, but in 1975 he moved to Diomed Stables where he spent the majority of his training career from where he saddled over 900 winners. In 1984 he won the Dewhurst Stakes with Kala Dancer (20/1) for owner Ravi Tikkoo, but his greatest triumph was guiding Midway Lady to dual classic success in the 1986 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks for owner Harry H Ranier. His most prominent owner was Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum for whom he continued to train until his retirement in 2004. He sold Diomed Stables to Stuart Williams, and moved 10 miles from Newmarket at Cowlinge, although he did not completely abandon his connection with racing, for he became Keeper of the Jockey Club art collection, having had a passion for art from an early age.
1984 Dewhurst Stakes KALA DANCER 20/1 owned by Ravi Tikkoo, trained by Ben Hanbury and ridden by Geoff Baxter
1985 May Hill Stakes MIDWAY LADY 11/2 owned by Harry H Ranier, trained by Ben Hanbury and ridden by Lester Piggott
1985 Prix Marcel Boussac MIDWAY LADY 7/10 fav owned by Harry H Ranier, trained by Ben Hanbury and ridden by Lester Piggott
1986 1000 Guineas MIDWAY LADY (SR 1955) 10/1 owned by Harry H Ranier, trained by Ben Hanbury and ridden by Ray Cochrane
1986 Epsom Oaks MIDWAY LADY (SR 1955) 15/8 fav owned by Harry H Ranier, trained by Ben Hanbury and ridden by Ray Cochrane
1990 Tattersalls Gold Cup BATSHOOF 5/2 owned by Muttar Salem, trained by Ben Hanbury and ridden by Pat Eddery
2004-present Stuart Williams
Stuart left Graham Lodge to transfer the short distance to Trillium Place, but in 2004 he moved down the Hamilton Road to Diomed Stables. He is a versatile trainer who has trained a winner on every flat racecourse in Britain, produced high profile winners at Epsom, Ascot, Goodwood, York and Newmarket, and has acquired the skill of placing his horses accurately, securing 10 handicap wins in a season with Sendintank in 2004.
2007 Vodafone Dash Stakes HOGMANEIGH 7/1 owned by Mrs Lucille Bone, trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by Saleem Golam
2008 Portland Handicap HOGMANEIGH 11/1 owned by Mrs Lucille Bone, trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by Saleem Golam
2011 Prix Contessina (6 furlongs) at Fontainebleu ETON RIFLES owned by The Eton Riflemen, trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by William Carson
2012 Prix Contessina (6 furlongs) at Fontainebleu ETON RIFLES owned by The Eton Riflemen, trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by William Carson
2012 Wentworth Stakes ETON RIFLES owned by The Eton Riflemen, trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by William Carson
SENDINTANK
Owned by Steve Jones and Phil McGovern, and trained by Stuart Williams, Sendintank won 10 handicaps in the 2004 calendar season.
12th January 2004 Wolverhampton 4/1 carried 9st 5lbs when ridden by B Reilly
15th January 2004 Southwell 8/13 fav carried 8st 8lbs when ridden by B Reilly
22nd January 2004 Southwell 2/5 fav carried 11st when ridden by Mr S Walker
23rd January 2004 Wolverhampton 4/6 fav carried 8st 3lbs when ridden by Royston Ffrench
24th August 2004 Yarmouth 2/1 carried 9st 6lbs when ridden by Neil Callan
27th August 2004 Newmarket 7/4 fav carried 8st when ridden by Martin Dwyer
30th August 2004 Newcastle 1/2 fav carried 9st 6lbs when ridden by Seb Sanders
3rd September 2004 Haydock Park 4/5 fav carried 8st 11lbs when ridden by Kevin Darley
3rd November 2004 Musselburgh 6/5 fav carried 9st 9lbs when ridden by Martin Dwyer
6th November 2004 Doncaster 10/11 fav carried 9st 9lbs when ridden by Martin Dwyer
2013 Prix Contessina (6 furlongs) at Fontainebleu ETON RIFLES owned by The Eton Riflemen, trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by Andrea Atzeni
2014 Prix Cor de Chasse ETON RIFLES owned by The Eton Riflemen, trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by I Mendizabal
2019 Abernant Stakes KEYSTROKE 66/1 owned by GG Thoroughbreds XI, trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by Adam Kirby
