•  Hurricane and Spitfire to be on display for racegoers during fixture on Saturday, 18th May
• Five lucky people will receive the chance to sit in cockpits of the iconic aircraft
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14th May 2019 - Two classics of the non-equine variety will be on display to racegoers at this weekend’s Regal Raceday (18th May), the final fixture of the three-day Spring Meeting at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse.

Plenty of the legends of the turf who have graced the Rowley Mile, such as Frankel, have been dubbed aeroplanes but racegoers on Saturday will have the chance to get up close and personal with the real thing thanks to the presence of a Hurricane and Spitfire aircraft.

The warbirds, which will fly into the Rowley Mile following racing on Friday, will be on static display throughout Saturday’s meeting, with pilots on hand to answer racegoers’ questions. Five lucky individuals, who find a golden plane ticket inside their racecard, will also get the chance to jump into the cockpits of the historic aircraft for a truly unforgettable experience.

Owned by the Historic Aircraft Collection, these stunning aircraft each played pivotal roles in Britain’s proud military history, making them a perfect fit alongside the pageantry of the Regal Raceday.

The fixture itself, headlined by the Listed Betway Fairway Stakes and the Listed Betway King Charles II Stakes, will include patriotic theming across the Rowley Mile site, with bunting and Union Jack pennants to get racegoers into the spirit of the day.

Other activities will include a King Charles II costume character, who will teach racegoers all about the history of the sport of racing in Newmarket via his ‘Quiz The King’ Q&A, as well as a five-piece Fanfare Quintet in full regalia.

A Children’s Activity Zone will also feature regal-themed crafts, puzzles and colouring, a bouncy castle, traditional garden games such as croquet and giant Jenga, and face painting.

Amy Starkey, Regional Director of The Jockey Club, East Region, said:

“Our Regal Raceday is about celebrating the best of British and what better way to do that than in the presence of these spectacular aircraft, so crucial to our nation’s proud military history?

“We are grateful to have been presented with the opportunity to display the magnificent Spitfire and Hurricane and I have no doubt that racegoers will appreciate the opportunity to see them in such great detail.”

The Spring Meeting, which begins with an evening fixture on Thursday, 16th May before afternoon meetings on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May, is the last meeting before the focus of Newmarket Racecourses switches to the July Course, the first meeting at which takes place on Saturday, 8th June, the first Summer Saturday Live featuring Nile Rodgers & Chic.

The meeting on Thursday, 16th May, is the only opportunity for racegoers to enjoy racing in the evening at the Rowley Mile throughout Newmarket’s 39-meeting schedule.