The StanJames.com Guineas Festival
The StanJames.com Guineas Festival is Newmarket’s showcase event featuring the first two classic races in the British racing calendar, the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas and the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas and is staged at the impressive Rowley Mile Course.
The Rowley Mile is arguably the most historic major sporting venue in the world today. Named after Old Rowley, a nickname given both to Charles II and his faithful hack, the Rowley Mile has hosted flat racing for three and a half centuries. The unique, straight Rowley Mile course is largely unchanged since that time – just the stands are new – and it is on this hallowed turf that the latest champions emerge each year at the StanJames.com Guineas Festival.
Both the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas for colts (fillies can also take part, but do so very rarely), which was first run in 1809, and the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas for fillies, for which the inaugural running was in 1814, are run over a mile and represent the first big test for the three-year-old “classic” generation. The Investec Derby, Investec Oaks and Ladbrokes St Leger follow later in the season - it is at Newmarket that reputations are put on the line for the first time.
Many of the greatest names in the history of the turf have triumphed in these historic races, including in the modern era the likes of Nijinsky, Brigadier Gerard, Dancing Brave, Nashwan, Sea The Stars, Oh So Sharp, Pebbles and Miesque.
Historical Facts and Figures
Ever wondered who won the 2000 Guineas in 1964 or how many times Sir Michael Stoute has trained a 1000 Guineas winner?
Click below to view interesting facts and full details on past winners: