Revida Place, a leasehold training establishment completed in December 1987 with a 125-year lease, is located on the Hamilton Road, ideally situated with direct access to the Racecourse Side training grounds. It spreads over 2 1/2 acres, providing 58 boxes, some in an American barn design, although most are spread out in a more common courtyard design.
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.
1997-2007 Giles Bravery
Giles Bravery was brought up in a racing environment, so it was natural for him to pursue a career in the industry. He began his working life with cattle in Australia before returning to England in 1987, taking up an appointment at the National Stud. He then switched jobs and countries, taking up a post at Haras de la Louviere in France, preparing yearlings for the sale ring. Between 1986 and 1991 Lord John Fitzgerald trained at Albert House Stables, Newmarket, and was assisted by Giles on his return from France, although Giles moved on to gain further experience with Mark Tompkins at Flint Cottage. When Lord John was appointed to a post in Dubai by Sheikh Mohammed in 1991, Giles took charge of Albert House Stables, ably supported by his wife Fiona. He made a success of his time at Albert House and the family moved to Revida Place, on the Hamilton Road, in 1997. He enjoyed an early success when Diamond White won the 1997 Sweet Solera Stakes for owner Peter Scott, while two years later he won arguably his most prestigious race when Torgau landed the 1999 Cherry Hinton Stakes in the hands of Gary Stevens, earning her the Cartier Racing Award of European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1999, a trophy which Giles collected on the day his daughter Lily was born. Son Harry followed afterwards to complete the family. Despite not having a full stable, he did enjoy successful seasons at the start of the new millennium, winning 17 races in 2000, achieving his best year in 2001 with 21 winners, and managing 12 winners in 2002. Furthermore, in 2003 he guided Striking Ambition to back to back victories in the Pavilion Stakes and Carnarvon Stakes. Times were always challenging and money always had to be managed carefully, often with just 9 of the 40 boxes occupied.
1997 Sweet Solera Stakes DIAMOND WHITE 25/1 owned by Peter P Scott, trained by Giles Bravery and ridden by David McCabe
1999 Cherry Hinton Stakes TORGAU 12/1 owned by The Tt Partnership, trained by Giles Bravery and ridden by Gary Stevens
2003 Pavilion Stakes STRIKING AMBITION 12/1 owned by Peter Webb, trained by Giles Bravery and ridden by Darryll Holland
2003 Carnarvon Stakes STRIKING AMBITION 11/4 owned by Peter Webb, trained by Giles Bravery and ridden by Darryll Holland
2007-2011 David Lanigan
David Lanigan, son of Bob and Deirdre Lanigan, was born on his parent's farm at Tullamaine Castle in Tipperary, Ireland where he was fortunate to have access to racehorses. He spent 5 years working at Walmac Farm before his appointment as assistant to Sir Henry Cecil at Warren Place Stables, where he spent an invaluable 5 years, including the time when Light Shift (SR 1811) won the 2007 Epsom Oaks for the Niarchos family. David then decided that he had gained sufficient experience to apply for his own trainer's license. He took over Revida Place in 2007, during which time he enjoyed particular success with fillies, guiding Meeznah to victory in the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes and the Group 3 Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, both times partnered by Frankie Dettori. In 2011 David was enticed by owner Bjorn Nielson to Kingsdown, near Lambourn, where he spent a successful 5 years, training over a century of high-class winners, including a first Royal Ascot success when Interception won the 2015 Wokingham Stakes.
2010 32Red Casino Maiden Fillies Stakes at Newmarket MEEZNAH 6/5 fav owned by Rabbah Bloodstock, trained by David Lanigan and ridden by Chris Catlin
2011 Group 3 Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood MEEZNAH 6/1 owned by Rabbah Bloodstock, trained by David Lanigan and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2011 Group 2 Park Hill Stakes MEEZNAH 5/2 owned by Rabbah Bloodstock, trained by David Lanigan and ridden by Frankie Dettori
2012-present Dubai Racing, Ismail Mohammed, David Simcock (late 2015)
David marked his entry into the training ranks on St Valentine's Day, 14th February 2004, the day he and Jennie became engaged, winning the appropriately named 'Miss Julie Andrews, Will You Marry Me Stakes' at Lingfield, with his very first runner Cut A Dash, owned by Trillium Place Racing. He had just taken over at Trillium Place, ideally placed on Birdcage Walk, with immediate access to all of the major Newmarket gallops. Since that day of double celebration David, ably supported by his wife, have grown his business and reputation, both in this country and on the wider International arena. In 2009 the Abdullah Behabb owned Darley Sun captured the Cesarewitch Handicap towards the end of the season, having already won the Brown Jack Stakes at Ascot and the Totesuper7 Handicap at Nottingham. The next year David won the Diomed Stakes at Epsom with Bushman, while in the same season Dream Ahead proved himself to be a top-class sprinter, winning the Middle Park Stakes and Prix Morny. These victories provided a glimpse of the further riches to come his way in 2011 when he won the July Cup, giving Hayley Turner her first Group 1 success, and the Prix De La Foret. The globetrotting Sheikhzayedroad won Handicaps at Doncaster and Epsom in 2013 before winning the Fred Archer Stakes and York Stakes the next year on the way to victories in the Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine, Canada and the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup Handicap at Meydan. In 2012 Dubai Racing took over at Revida Place, on the Hamilton Road, a short distance away from Trillium Place, extending their lease for a further 5 years in 2014, with Ismail Mohammed heading up the stables in early 2015, but David was thrilled to be invited to train at Revida Place in late 2015. A Royal Ascot success followed in that year when Balios landed the King Edward VII Stakes, while Sheikhzayedroad proved himself to be one of the best long-distance horses in the world in 2016, winning the Doncaster Cup, the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup and the Nad Al Sheba Trophy at Meydan. Lightning Spear, owned by Qatar Racing Ltd, showed his exceptional ability when winning back-to-back victories in the Celebration Mile at Good in 2016 and 2017 in the hands of champion jockey Oisin Murphy, and then returned to Glorious Goodwood in 2018 to land the prestigious Sussex Stakes. In 2018 David, and his team, celebrated their first Classic winner when Teppal won the Poule D'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) for loyal owner Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, providing ample reason to suggest that the best is yet to come from this talented trainer and his hard-working team.
2013 Cambridgeshire EDUCATE 8/1 fav owned by Sultan Ali, trained by Ismail Mohammed and ridden by Johnny Murtagh
2015 King Edward Vii Stakes BALIOS 3/1 owned by Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd, trained by David Simcock and ridden by Jamie Spencer
2016 Celebration Mile at Goodwood LIGHTNING SPEAR 4/1 owned by Qatar Racing Ltd, trained by David Simcock and ridden by Oisin Murphy
2016 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot SHIEKHZAYEDROAD 11/1 owned by Mohammed Jaber, trained by David Simcock and ridden by Martin Harley
2016 Doncaster Cup SHIEKHZAYEDROAD 100/30 owned by Mohammed Jaber, trained by David Simcock and ridden by Martin Harley
2016 Nad Al Sheba Trophy at Meydan SHIEKHZAYEDROAD 4/1 owned by Mohammed Jaber, trained by David Simcock and ridden by Martin Harley
2017 Celebration Mile LIGHTNING SPEAR evens fav owned by Qatar Racing Ltd, trained by David Simcock and ridden by Oisin Murphy
2018 Poule D'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) TEPPAL 12/1 owned by Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, trained by David Simcock and ridden by Olivier Peslier
2018 Sussex Stakes LIGHTNING SPEAR 9/1 owned by Qatar Racing Ltd, trained by David Simcock and ridden by Oisin Murphy
2015-present David Simcock
From 2015 David Simcock had full use of Revida Place as an overflow yard.
LIGHTNING SPEAR (2018 Sussex Stakes, 2016 & 2017 Celebration Mile)
MEEZNAH (2011 Park Hill Stakes, Lillie Langtry Stakes)
TORGAU (1999 Cherry Hinton Stakes)
DIAMOND WHITE (1997 Sweet Solera Stakes)
STRIKING AMBITION (2003 Pavilion Stakes, Carnarvon Stakes)
