Newmarket Racecourse has announced plans for a one-off spectacular celebration on the first weekend in May, when the three-day QIPCO Guineas Festival will coincide with the Coronation of King Charles III.
The celebrations are focused on being affordable in a year when many families’ finances are under pressure, and will include initiatives relating to the environment as well as for the local community.
A garden party-themed picnic enclosure will be created trackside for Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th May, where a family of four can attend for just £32 and bring their own food and drink. Ticket prices across the QIPCO Guineas Festival and Newmarket’s 2023 season more widely have also been reduced year-on-year.
The racecourse will be themed to reflect the national celebration and will open its gates early on the Saturday to show the Coronation, with dedicated screens around the course and racing beginning slightly later in the afternoon.
Soprano Laura Wright will sing the national anthem and there will be traditional music from the Haverhill Silver Band as well as union jacks for racegoers and a free permanent memento for attendees.
Two-Michelin starred Chef Michel Roux will cook a coronation-inspired menu in the Champions Gallery restaurant and there will be a wealth of free family entertainment including themed puppet shows, face painting, a bouncy castle and helter skelter.
There will even be an opportunity to receive a masterclass from jockeys who have ridden in the royal colours in the QIPCO British Champions Series Fanzone, as well as a retired royal racehorse and a coronation-themed photo theatre set.
Promising young horse Slipofthepen, who is owned by the King and Queen Consort, could even contest the feature race, The QIPCO 2000 Guineas, on the day of the Coronation.
More information on the community and environmental initiatives will be released nearer the date.
Sophie Able, Newmarket Racecourses and International Director, said: “The 2023 QIPCO Guineas Festival will have something for everyone, and it’s going to be a real celebration of racing, royalty and the local community at price points which we hope are accessible for all.
“Tickets are now available for our garden party-inspired picnic enclosure, as well as our other areas. We’re also confirming further plans all the time to make the day a truly memorable one.
“More information is available via our website and I would encourage anyone considering booking tickets to do so now to secure their place at the home of horseracing on what will be a hugely significant day for our country.”
More information and tickets are available via https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/newmarket/.
Image Credit: John Hoy/The Jockey Club
