Home to the opening two Classics of the season, the Suffolk track of Newmarket is known as the headquarters of British flat racing, and a racecourse admired right around the world. Sitting just outside the town of the same name, Newmarket is one of the busiest of Britain’s truly top-class racecourses, laying on close to 40 race days between the months of April and October.
The fixture for which the track is most well-known comes early in the campaign, with the three-day Newmarket Guineas Festival in May, featuring both the 2,000 Guineas and the fillies’ classic of the 1,000 Guineas. That flagship fixture is but one of many highlights at this exceptional course. Other standout events include the three-day July Festival and the Cambridgeshire Meeting of September.
Upcoming Fixtures at Newmarket
- Friday 19th June 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 20th June 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 25th June 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 26th June 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 9th July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 10th July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 11th July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 17th July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 18th July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 31st July 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 1st August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 6th August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 7th August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 8th August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 14th August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 15th August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 20th August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 21st August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 22nd August 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 19th September 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 24th September 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 25th September 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 26th September 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 3rd October 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 9th October 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 10th October 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Wednesday 21st October 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 22nd October 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 30th October 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 31st October 2026 - Flat / Turf
Recent Fixtures
- Saturday 16th May 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 15th May 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Sunday 3rd May 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 2nd May 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 1st May 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 16th April 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Wednesday 15th April 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Tuesday 14th April 2026 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 1st November 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 31st October 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Wednesday 22nd October 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 11th October 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 10th October 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 4th October 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 27th September 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 26th September 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Thursday 25th September 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 20th September 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 23rd August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 22nd August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 16th August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 15th August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 9th August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Friday 8th August 2025 - Flat / Turf
- Saturday 2nd August 2025 - Flat / Turf
Major Meetings at Newmarket
Newmarket Racecourse sits at the heart of British Flat racing, hosting a prestigious calendar of top-class meetings. With multiple Group 1 fixtures across the season, it consistently attracts elite horses, making it one of the sport’s most important venues.
Newmarket also has the distinction of running races on two tracks – the Rowley Mile and the July Course. There are top-end fixtures on both courses.
A key early-season flat meeting in April, the Craven Meeting offers the first major clues for the Classics, with leading three-year-olds making their seasonal reappearances.
The Craven Meeting (April)
A key early-season flat meeting in April, the Craven Meeting offers the first major clues for the Classics, with leading three-year-olds making their seasonal reappearances. Run on the Rowley Mile across three days – Tuesday – Thursday.
- Feature race: Craven Stakes (Group 3)
- Includes key Classic trials like the Nell Gwyn Stakes
- Provides early-season form clues for the Guineas and the Derby
The Guineas Festival (May)
One of the most prestigious meetings in the Flat calendar, the Guineas Festival in early May features the first two Classics of the season and attracts the best three-year-olds in training. The meeting, run Friday-Sunday, features the very races that make stallions and broodmares, keeping the breed and the sport going.
- Feature races: 2000 Guineas & 1000 Guineas (Group 1)
- First Classics of the British flat season
- Elite fields of top-class three-year-olds with a great supporting cast
The July Festival (July)
Staged when racing moves across to the July Course, this meeting is a highlight of the summer Flat season. The July Festival combines top-class Group racing with a more relaxed atmosphere, attracting elite horses across multiple divisions. Live music also accompanies the action on the track.
- Feature race: July Cup (Group 1)
- Mix of top sprint and middle-distance contests – including Group 1’s
- Showcases established stars and rising talent – especially 2-year-olds
Cesarwitch Trial Day (September)
On a day of competitive action, the highlight is the Cesarewitch Trial, a true test of stamina on the iconic Rowley Mile course. The lucky ones will be back in a few weeks for the real deal.
- Competitive handicap racing
- Big trial for the Cesarewitch Handicap
- Live music and entertainment
Cambridgeshire Meeting (September)
A key autumn fixture on the Rowley Mile in late September, the Cambridgeshire Meeting combines competitive handicaps with quality Group races as the Flat season begins to come to a head. While the Cambridgeshire, a big betting handicap, is the titular race, there are two massive Group 1 races here for the juveniles.
- Feature race: Cambridgeshire Handicap
- Includes Group races like the Cheveley Park Stakes, Middle Park Stakes, and Joel Stakes
- Strong mix of handicaps and top-level juvenile contests
Sun Chariot Day (October)
A high-quality autumn fixture on the Rowley Mile, Sun Chariot Day features top-class fillies and mares competing at the highest level. The Sun Chariot is one of two major one-mile Group 1 races at Newmarket for fillies – the other being the Falmouth Stakes run on the other track during the July Festival.
- Feature race: Sun Chariot Stakes (Group 1)
- Elite contest for fillies and mares over a mile
- Strong supporting card with competitive races
Future Champions Festival (October)
Run over several days in October, this is a major late-season meeting on the Rowley Mile. The Future Champions Festival focuses on top-class two-year-olds, highlighting potential stars for the following season. The Dewhurst essentially crowns the champion juvenile for the season, while the Cesarewitch Handicap is also run on this card.
- Feature races: Dewhurst Stakes & Fillies’ Mile (Group 1)
- Showcases the best juvenile talent in Britain
- Provides major clues for next season’s Classics
