Summer

Summer at Newmarket means the magical romance of the July Course, an oasis of sun dappled lawns, magnificent beech trees, flourishing flowers, thatched roofs, old-fashioned grandstands and, for the first time in 2007, sparkling new facilities behind the stands following the £10m enlargement and redevelopment of this area. The romance of the surroundings creates a garden party atmosphere unlike any other racecourse.

Newmarket's summer racing highlight is the Ritz Club July Festival which in 2008 is sceduled for Wednesday 9th - Friday 11th July. The Ritz Club July Festival is three days of world class racing and fabulous fashion in the magical garden party atmosphere of the July Course. There's Bond Street Day to launch the meeting on the Wednesday, where the London shopping paradise comes to Newmarket; Lanson Ladies' day to follow on the Thursday, when the fashions will really come to the fore; and all the drama of the Darley July Cup, Europe's premier sprint race, on the Friday. With over £1.3m in prize money on offer, horses from all over the world will be competing on the July Course this week. The action on the track will be red hot, as will the sights amongst the crowd, with "best dressed" prizes on each day sure to generate plenty of interest.

In 2007 the Ritz Club July Festival was part of a wider Newmarket Festival for the first time which opened with a gala concert on the July Course by acclaimed operatic pop group G4 will launch on the evening of Tuesday 10th July 2007. Plans for the 2008 Newmarket Festival are already in motion and details will be announced as soon as they are confirmed

The rest of the spectacular summer season is made up of eight Friday-Saturday fixtures, two in June prior to The Ritz Club July Festival, and a run of six consecutives Friday-Saturday fixtures following The Ritz Club July Festival. The first seven of the Fridays are evening meetings and make up the world famous "Newmarket Nights", Britain's most successful concert race nights. 2007 saw the best nights was the 20th anniversary of the Newmarket Nights and a sensational line-up of bands took  to stage after the final race - Madness, INXS, the Pet Shop Boys, the Sugababes, Wet Wet Wet, the Ronan Keating and Jools Holland returning for an 11th consecutive year with special guest Lulu.Sell-outs on some Nights are likely, so make sure you book your tickets in advance.

The 8 Saturday afternoons and the final Friday afternoon all feature quality racing in a great family environment on the much-loved July Course (note that all accompanied children aged 16 or under are admitted free to all Newmarket fixtures except the Newmarket Nights when there are a limited number of reduced price child badges). Particular highlights include NSPCC Family Day on 26th July 2008, which will feature a host of extra entertainment and Newmarket Experience Day on 16th August, which brings a behind-the-scenes view to the world of racing and also features the unique Grey Horse Handicap.

So much to look forward to during a long, hot summer at the Home of Horseracing. Everyone is welcome at the July Course and we hope that you will have the opportunity to come here this summer to experience the romance of this most beautiful of racecourses.

Click here to view a full list of fixtures for 2008.

Click here to find out more about Newmarket, the historic Home of Horseracing.