Gainsborough Stables, located on the Hamilton Road, is in the CB8 0TE district of Newmarket and is built on ground originally owned by the Jockey Club in the 1980s. The Maktoum family, which has a long history of horse racing in the Newmarket area, purchased the land from the Jockey Club and built stables in the mid-1980s which they named Oak Tree Stables, installing the crack French trainer Olivier Douieb to train for them. He was replaced by the ill-fated Alex Scott, who prepared a number of top class horses to win prestigious races both in the United Kingdom and far flung places around the globe. He trained Cadeaux Genereux, while in 1991 he sent Sheikh Albadou to claim the Breeders Cup.
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.
GAINSBOROUGH (SR 2112)
The Stable is named after Gainsborough (SR 2112), a bay colt by Bayardo out of Rosedrop, who was born on 24th January 1915 at Lady Jane Douglas's Harwood Stud. He raced 9 times in his career, landing the Triple Crown in 1918, as well as the Ascot Gold Cup. Gainsborough died in 1945 and is buried on the Harwood Estate, which was renamed the Gainsborough Stud, in his honour, in 1981, and is now owned by Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
1918 2000 Guineas GAINSBOROUGH 4/1 owned by Lady Jane Douglas, trained by Alec Taylor junior and ridden by Joe Childs
1918 New Derby Stakes at Newmarket GAINSBOROUGH 8/13 fav owned by Lady Jane Douglas, trained by Alec Taylor junior and ridden by Joe Childs
1918 St Leger (September Stakes at Newmarket) GAINSBOROUGH 4/11 fav owned by Lady Jane Douglas, trained by Alec Taylor junior and ridden by Joe Childs
1918 Ascot Gold Cup GAINSBOROUGH 2/5 fav owned by Lady Jane Douglas, trained by Alec Taylor junior and ridden by Joe Childs
1984-1988 Olivier Douieb
Olivier Douieb, born in France in 1957, became a top trainer in his homeland when based at Chantilly, and in the United Kingdom. He trained Detroit to win the 1980 Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe when owned by Robert Sangster and ridden by Pat Eddery. However, in December 1983 he was lured to Britain by Mahmood Fustok to become his private trainer, replacing Michael Albina. He arrived at Gainsborough Stables with high hopes, knowing that his great friend, and school pal, Alain Lequex would be available to ride for him. Soon after arriving he won the 1984 Daniel Prenn Royal Yorkshire Stakes with Electrical Wind, and continued to win more prestigious races for the next 4 years, including the European Free Handicap in 1985 with Over The Ocean, and again in 1987 with Noble Minstrel.
In 1988 Olivier Douieb won the Golden Spurs Trophy and King Diadem Stakes with Cadeaux Genereux, but announced that he was returning to France through ill-health. He died of cancer in a Paris hospital on Thursday 22nd June 1989, aged just 42.
1984 Daniel Prenn Royal Yorkshire Stakes ELECTRICAL WIND trained by Olivier Douieb and ridden by Alain Lequex
1985 European Free Handicap OVER THE OCEAN 5/2 owned by Mahmoud Fustok, trained by Olivier Douieb and ridden by Alain Lequex
1986 Soham House Stakes PILLAR OF WISDOM 2/1 fav trained by Olivier Douieb and ridden by Pat Eddery
1985 Criterium de Maison Laffitte (Group 2) LEAD ON TIME owned by Maktoum Al Maktoum, trained by Olivier Douieb and ridden by Alain Badel
1987 European Free Handicap NOBLE MINSTREL 7/1 owned by Allen Paulson, trained by Olivier Douieb and ridden by Alain Badel
1989-September 1994 Alex Scott
Alexander Archibald Scott, third son of Sir James Scott, 2nd Baronet of Rotherfield Park, was born on 8th February 1960. He was educated at Eton College and Queens' College, Cambridge, and enjoyed an upbringing surrounded by race horses and 3-day eventers on the family estate. In June 1988 Alex was invited to take over Oak Tree Stables, later named Gainsborough Stables, by Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum. Prior to his arrival the stables were managed by Olivier Douieb, but he suffered a period of ill-health and returned to his native France. Although Alex had hoped to establish his own stables at the historic Fitzroy House, he took full advantage of the generous offer made by Skeikh Maktoum. Scott was quick to make a name for himself, for in his first full season in 1989 he saddled Cadeaux Genereux to win the July Cup and Nunthorpe Stakes, the former in the hands of Paul Eddery and the latter in the hands of his brother Pat. Arguably, the highlights of Scott's career came in 1991 when Sheikh Albadou landed the Breeders Cup Sprint, while Possessive Dancer (SR 1872) won the Irish Oaks. Scott made regular visits to the Sheikh's Gainsborough Stud and recognised an exceptional yearling called Lammtara at the Stud. Scott trained Lammtara at the start of his two-year-old career, guiding him to victory in his only race as a two-year-old, the Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury. However, he did not survive to witness Lammtara's (SR 2080) successes at three, the 1995 Epsom Derby and the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe later that same year. On 30th September 1994, after a dispute with a stable hand William O'Brien, Alex Scott was killed by a single shot to his chest.
1989 July Cup CADEAUX GENEREUX 10/1 owned by Maktoum Al Maktoum, trained by Alex Scott and ridden by Paul Eddery
1989 Nunthorpe Stakes CADEAUX GENEREUX 11/10 fav owned by Maktoum Al Maktoum, trained by Alex Scott and ridden by Pat Eddery
1991 Nunthorpe Stakes SHEIKH ALBADOU 6/1 owned by Hilal Saleem, trained by Alex Scott and ridden by Pat Eddery
1991 Irish Oaks POSSESSIVE DANCER (SR 1872) 8/1 owned by Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, trained by Alex Scott and ridden by Steve Cauthen
1991 Breeders' Cup Sprint SHEIKH ALBADOU 26/1 owned by Hilal Saleem, trained by Alex Scott and ridden by Pat Eddery
1992 King's Stand Stakes SHEIKH ALBADOU 7/2 jt fav owned by Hilal Saleem, trained by Alex Scott and ridden by Walter Swinburn
1992 Haydock Sprint Cup SHEIKH ALBADOU 9/4 jt fav owned by Hilal Saleem, trained by Alex Scott and ridden by Bruce Raymond
1994 Washington Singer Stakes LAMMTARA 3/1 owned by Saeed Maktoum Al Maktoum, trained by Alex Scott and ridden by Walter Swinburn
1994 Golden Mile FRAAM 10/1 owned by Maktoum Al Maktoum, trained by Alex Scott and ridden by Walter Swinburn
October 1994-2008 Ed Dunlop
Ed Dunlop was born into the world of racing as the son of Classic winning trainer John Leeper Dunlop OBE, and was privileged to have grown up at Castle Stables on the Duke of Norfolk's estate in Arundel. He was educated at Eton before working in Ireland, Kentucky and Sydney at various studs. His father trained horses for the flat, so it is perhaps surprising that Ed became assistant to the renowned champion National Hunt trainer Nicky Henderson. Ed then moved back to a flat racing environment, and to racing's Headquarters, working as assistant to the much-respected Alex Scott. However, in 1994 all changed when Alex was tragically killed in a dispute with one of his grooms, but Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum had sufficient confidence in Ed's ability to invite him to take charge at his Gainsborough Stables on the Hamilton Road. Ed's first winner was Lynton Lad at Yarmouth on 19th October 1994, but since then he has notched up many Classic and Group race victories. The death of Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum on 4th January 2006 created uncertainty, and Ed realised his time at Gainsborough Stables was limited, so towards the end of the 2008 season he moved across town to take charge at the historic La Grange stables. Although his achievements at Gainsborough were the envy of many, he surpassed these at his new location. However, the highlight of his training career to date was his association with Lord Derby's filly Ouija Board (SR 1942) who, as a two-year-old, won a lowly novice race at Yarmouth, but under Ed's guidance she became a dual Classic winner and captured the 2004 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Lone Star Park in Texas.
1996 Beeswing Stakes IKTAMAL 3/1 jt fav owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Willie Ryan
1996 Haydock Sprint Cup IKTAMAL 10/1 owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Willie Ryan
1996 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches TA RIB 141/10 owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Willie Carson
2001 Nassau Stakes LAILANI 5/4 fav Owned by Maktoum Al Maktoum, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2004 Epsom Oaks OUIJA BOARD (SR 1942) 7/2 owned by 19th Earl of Derby, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Kieren Fallon
2004 Irish Oaks OUIJA BOARD (SR 1942) 4/7 fav owned by 19th Earl of Derby, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Kieren Fallon
2004 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf OUIJA BOARD 10/11 fav owned by Lord Derby, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Kieren Fallon
2005 Hong Kong Vase OUIJA BOARD 5/2 owned by Lord Derby, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Kieren Fallon
2006 Prince of Wales's Stakes OUIJA BOARD 8/1 owned by Lord Derby, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Olivier Peslier
2006 Nassau Stakes OUIJA BOARD evens fav owned by Lord Derby, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2006 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf OUIJA BOARD 6/4 fav owned by Lord Derby, trained by Ed Dunlop and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2009-May 2019 Darley Enterprise
When Ed Dunlop moved across town to La Grange in the latter part of 2008 the 99-box stable ceased to be a trainer's yard until Simon Crisford moved in. Darley realised that Gainsborough was surplus to their requirements and were happy for it to be used again as a training base.
June 2019-2020 Simon Crisford 2020-present Simon & Ed Crisford
Prior to setting up as a trainer in his own right, Simon Crisford was the successful racing manager for Sheikh Mohammed. He took out a licence in 2014, launching his training career at Carlburg in 2015 where he had 40 horses in training. In that first season he trained First Selection to win the Solario Stakes in the hands of George Baker. He remained at Carlburg for 2 years before renting out Kremlin House from Gay Jarvis. He had two successful years at Kremlin House, including a 2018 Britannia Stakes success with Ostilio and a 2018 Diomed Stakes win with Century Dream. Gainsborough Stables were upgraded with American style barns, 121 boxes each fitted with heat lamps, and an indoor ride which can be used throughout the cold winter months. Simon took charge in June 2019 and marked his first season by guiding A'Ali to 3 top class wins, including the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.
2019 Norfolk Stakes A'ALI 5/1 owned by Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa, trained by Simon Crisford and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2019 Prix Robert Papin A'ALI 3/5 fav owned by Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa, trained by Simon Crisford and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2019 Flying Childers Stakes A'Ali 6/4 owned by Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa, trained by Simon Crisford and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2019 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Group 2) OSTILIO 6/1 owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, trained by Simon Crisford and ridden by Andrea Atzeni
