Newmarket - July Course
Date of Review: 10th July 2026
RCA Reviewers: Dave & Ray
Address: July Course, Newmarket CB8 0XE
Website: https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/newmarket/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newmarketracecourses/
X: https://x.com/NewmarketRace
Email: newmarket.boxoffice@thejockeyclub.co.uk
Phone: 01638 675500
Accommodation: https://www.booking.com/city/gb/newmarket.en-gb.html
Course Information: The July course at Newmarket is a right-handed turf track measuring 2 miles and 1 furlong in circumference, with a sharp, almost 90-degree right-handed turn at the halfway mark. All races up to a mile are run on the straight course.
Aerial View – Newmarket Racecourse (July Course) (Image credited to Google Earth)
It is a wide, undulating course for the first half mile of the straight (the Cesarewitch course); it's then downhill for around a furlong, with an uphill finish to the winning post (the Bunbury mile). Due to these characteristics, it suits long-striding, galloping-type horses with an emphasis on stamina who can see out the trip. The uphill finish regularly catches out horses and jockeys who go for home too early and get collared on the run to the finish line.
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Newmarket July Racecourse: Newmarket is a historic market town located around 60 miles north of London, in the county of Suffolk, on the border with Cambridgeshire.
Location Map – Newmarket (July Course) Racecourse
Newmarket is widely known as the “Headquarters” of British horse racing, and with very good reason. It is not only the home of two of the finest racecourses in the world, but also, quite literally, the operational headquarters of British horse racing. The small market town is the home of around 80 licensed horse trainers and up to 3,000 horses in training at any one time. It is also the home of the Jockey Club and Tattersalls, the largest bloodstock auctioneers in Europe, which run their sales operations within the town itself. It is also the home of the National Stud. It is estimated that one in three local jobs depends on the racing industry, and the contribution to the local economy runs into the hundreds of millions each year. Newmarket is the spiritual home of thoroughbred horse racing.
The moniker “Headquarters” dates back to the 17th century, when Charles II relocated his entire court to Newmarket and ran the affairs of the state alongside horse racing. The Jockey Club has had its headquarters here since 1752 and established the rules of racing that have been adopted worldwide. Newmarket isn’t just a venue where horse racing takes place; Newmarket is a place which literally lives and breathes horse racing.
Course Access:
By Road: The A11 and A14 provide easy access from the major cities of East Anglia, as well as from the M11 and the A1 / M1, respectively. The postcode for your Sat Nav is CB8 0TF. The road access to the racecourse is excellent and well signposted from the A14 if travelling from the North or West. If you are travelling from London, follow these directions: Merge onto the A11 at junction 9, signposted Newmarket and Norwich. After 10 miles, the branch left and merged onto the A1304, signposted Newmarket. After 5 miles, take the second exit at the roundabout, signposted The July Racecourse. Sat Nav postcode - CB8 0XE
By Rail: Newmarket railway station is approximately 5 miles from the racecourse on the Cambridge branch of the Ipswich-to-Ely line. A free shuttle bus runs to and from the racecourse on racedays. The service runs 2 hours before the first race and 45 minutes after the last race for the return journey.
By Air: The nearest airport to Newmarket Racecourse is Stansted Airport (STN), which is 34 miles away. Norwich Airport (NWI) is 53 miles away, London Heathrow (LHR) is 93 miles away, and Birmingham Airport (BHX) is 102 miles away. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are permitted to land at both the July Course and the Rowley Mile with prior permission. Rating: 9/10.
Parking: There is plenty of free car parking on the large, grassed areas outside the racecourse's main entrance. It was well signed and efficiently marshalled. It is then a short walk to the main entrance. Be aware that at the larger meetings, the racecourse offers a “Premium Parking” option for £10.00, which you can book online. This would be a complete waste of money, as the “Premium” car park is directly next to the free car park, and you gain very little, if any, advantage. Rating: 10/10.
Pricing: On the day of our visit, it was Thursday, day two of the July Festival. It was a seven-race card that included four Class 1 races. Two Class 2 races and one Class 3 race, so high-quality racing all round. Tickets on the turnstiles for the Premier Enclosure, which gives you full access to all areas of the racecourse, were £60.00 on the gate. However, if purchased online in advance, they could have been had for £52.00. Tickets for the Grandstand & Paddock enclosure were £40.00 each on the day. However, if booked online in advance, they were priced at £33.00. Tickets for the Garden enclosure were £20.00 regardless of whether you paid on the day or booked in advance. A £5.00 concession was available to OAPs at the gate. In our opinion, this is expensive. Yes, it was the July Festival meeting, but compared to premium meetings at York and other racecourses, we believe this is a tad on the high side.
There were several hospitality options, including the Champions Lawn ticket for £167.00. The Rose Terrace Experience for £310.00 per ticket. The Summer House VIP Restaurant Experience at £390.00 or the Shared Trackside Pavilion Experience at a mere £535.00 per ticket. However, all of these were booked out at least three weeks prior to the meeting, so if this type of thing is your bag, then our advice is to book early. Rating: 6/10.
Racecard: The racecard was more like a race book. At 82 pages, it was thick enough to serve as bedtime reading. In fact, the card was so substantial that the runners and riders for the first race did not appear until page 32.
It began with a detailed welcome outlining the day’s events and thanking the sponsors, followed by a fantastic two-page map of the course. The card was packed with interesting facts and features, including a two-page “Welcome to Newmarket” spread, details of the Best Turned Out competition for Ladies Day and the 86 prizes available, facts about racehorses and jockeys, racing phrases, racing legends from the July Meeting, and the wartime secrets of the Rowley Mile.
Add to this historical background features on the two major races of the day, and we have to say that it was one of the best racecards we have ever purchased. At £3.50, it represented excellent value for money.
Viewing: There are three viewing stands for the public on the July Course: The Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure, the Premier Enclosure, and the Garden Enclosure. Unfortunately, we have to report that the overall viewing experience is poor on all of them. This is due to the track's configuration; with a sharp right-handed turn halfway down the course, you can hardly see the horses in any race until they reach the 4-furlong post.
The Viewing Stands – Newmarket July Racecourse
The Premier Enclosure is the closest to the winning post and the largest of the three. It has two separate viewing areas on either side of the stage. It has rows of high concrete terraced steps, crash barriers, and two rows of bench-style seating at the very front. The good news is that the roof is large and extends over almost all of the terracing, so it is protected from the elements if required. Next to it is the Grandstand and Paddock Enclosure. Another relatively large stand, very similar in build style to the Premier Enclosure, but the big difference is that the roof partially covers the terracing, so you are exposed to the elements from around halfway down the stand.
The Viewing Stands – Newmarket July Racecourse
The third viewing area is the Garden Enclosure, located some distance from the finishing line. Directly in front of this is the Champions Lawn viewing area. The positioning of all the enclosures is slightly strange, as all three of them are angled slightly away from the running rail of the racecourse and not parallel with it. All of the enclosures have a large, grassed area in front of them, with numerous park-bench-style seats just next to the running rail. There are two large TV screens situated along the length of the stands, which are most definitely needed.
The viewing stands are large, but they are all situated quite a distance from the running rail and the racecourse itself. There is a distinct lack of seating, and, due to the layout and configuration of the racecourse, the overall viewing of the horses during racing is, in our opinion, relatively poor. Rating: 5/10.
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: The Parade Ring is positioned at the far right of the racecourse. It is oval in shape, and it is large in size, turfed in the middle with a large mature tree at one end. Its perimeter is bordered by bright and colourful plants, which does make it easy on the eye. It has a wooden rail all the way around its perimeter and raised stools for seating.
The Parade Ring - Newmarket July Racecourse
The one criticism we have of it is the lack of raised viewing platforms around it. There are a few three-step platforms down the near side of the ring, so it gets very crowded, very quickly. That said, it is extremely pretty and one of the best we have seen on our travels.
The saddling enclosure is positioned at the far end of the Parade ring, and like the Winners Enclosure, it has a thatched roof, which makes it extremely distinctive and adds to the overall historical feel of the racecourse.
The Saddling Enclosure - Newmarket July Racecourse
The pre-parade ring is located next to the Parade Ring and is unique in the fact that you can actually walk in the centre of it. It is covered by tall, mature trees that provide shade for both the horses and racegoers. It really is very different and once again adds to the overall atmosphere and vibe of the racecourse.
The Pre-Parade Ring - Newmarket July Racecourse
The Winner’s Enclosure is on the left-hand side of the Parade Ring, and once again, it is very different to most others.
The Winners Enclosure - Newmarket July Racecourse
It’s a relatively small area with a thatched roof, but due to its position, you can get up close and personal and see the horses, jockeys and connections after each race. The whole area of the Parade Ring, Pre-Parade Ring, Saddling Enclosure and Winners Enclosure is pristine and elegant in a very traditional British way. Rating: 9/10.
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: The main on-course bookmakers are positioned in the betting areas on the racecourse side of the stands, between the grandstands and the running rail and serve both the Premier Enclosure and the Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure.
The Bookmakers – Newmarket July Racecourse
On the day of our visit, there were around 40 or so in attendance. There are also a couple of large William Hill concessions in both of the main enclosures, and literally dozens of Tote outlets spread far and wide across the racecourse. Rating: 10/10.
Catering: Here at Racecourse Advisor, we enjoy doing “racecourse reviews” rather than restaurant reviews, and we do not pretend to be food critics. Our aim is to provide you with an overview of the culinary options and prices available at the racecourse on race days. On the day of our visit to the Newmarket July Course, the selection of bars and catering outlets was huge.
A Selection of Bars - Newmarket July Racecourse
Far too many to cover in detail, so we will just give you an outline of what was on offer and the pricing. At the Soviet Star Bar, which is a large outdoor bar, they were selling pints of Carling Black Label, draught Guinness and Aspall’s Suffolk Draught for £7.90 a pint. Spirits were £6.30 each, and bottles of Prosecco could have been had for £42.00. This pricing was consistent at all of the bars on the racecourse.
There was a smart-looking outdoor bar in the Garden Enclosure at which you could buy drinks and cocktails, but we were then told that if you wanted to take your drink upstairs to the rooftop area, there was a £10.00 entrance fee, which gave you waiter service, but come on! An additional tenner for a seat? Not for us. In our opinion, this really can't be justified. We were later told that this was the first time they had tried this stunt, and hopefully it will be the last. That's not a good way to treat your paying customers…
A Selection of the Food Outlets - Newmarket July Racecourse
On the food and catering side of things, there were literally dozens of options. You could easily eat your way around the world and back again in no time if you desired. There was a burger van knocking out beefburgers for £10.00. Cheeseburgers for £11.00 and add another £1.00 for a slice of bacon. A vegetarian option was on offer for £11.00. Another stall was selling jumbo hotdogs and brisket burgers for £11.00 each. A portion of fries for £5.00. There was also the Smoke Shack selling chicken tortilla wraps for £10.00, plus an extra £1.00 for cheese.
There was a chippy serving up the classic fish & chips, a Greek gyros van (posh kebab), a noodle bar, and a van selling duck wraps and another selling loaded fries, just to mention a few. So, overall, a massive selection of food and drink outlets with something to suit all tastes. A tad on the expensive side, but this was Newmarket on Ladies' Day at the July Festival. Due to the sheer number of food and drink options available, we have marked it a ten. Rating: 10/10.
Guinness Standard: Draft Guinness was available at several bars on the racecourse for £7.90 per pint, which, in our opinion, is expensive. We sampled it in the large bar on the ground floor of the Grandstand and Paddock Enclosure. It was a decent pint but nothing to get too excited about. Rating: 7/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: We didn’t have much interaction with the course staff; however, there were plenty of them, and they were very polite and very helpful. There were also a good number of litter pickers on patrol, which is always good to see. Rating: 10/10.
Pros & Cons: The pros are access to the racecourse, free car parking, catering and the Parade Ring. For us, the cons were the ticket pricing, which we thought was high, and the bar drink pricing. The £10.00 charge for a seat in the rooftop bar is, in our opinion, pushing it after you have stumped up £60.00 at the gate to get into the Premier Enclosure and needs to be knocked on the head. We believe the overall viewing experience is poor due to the track configuration and the distance of the stands from the running rail. Rating: 7/10.
As always, here at Racecourse Advisor, we ask ourselves at the end of each review: would we return? The answer is yes; we would. However, we won’t be rushing. For us, the Newmarket Rowley Mile Racecourse is the better of the two by some distance and is very much our preference for a return visit.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 8.3/10.
Wi-Fi/Internet Connection: A reliable, free Jockey Club Wi-Fi connection is available at the racecourse and worked well on the day of our visit.
The entire day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2026-07-10/newmarket/119617
Facilities & Location Map – Newmarket July Racecourse (image credited to the Jockey Club)
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