Newmarket Town Plate


The Newmarket Town Plate is a historic British horse race which has been run in the town of Newmarket, Suffolk since 1665 or 1666. The race was instigated by King Charles II, who became the first and only reigning monarch to win a race in 1671. He stated that it should be run 'forever'.
It is run over 3 mile 6 furlongs of the Newmarket Round Course, which runs
“on the outside of the Ditch from Newmarket... starting and ending at the weighing post, by Cambridge Gap, called Thomond’s Post.” It is only used once a year for this race.
Reputedly, the Plate was the first race to be run with a specific set of Rules. These included:
The prizes for the contest include a box of Newmarket sausages. The 2012 edition of the race was won by amateur jockey, Clare Twemlow, on a horse called Raifteiri. In 2011, the Town Plate was won by Newmarket trainer and town councillor John Berry, riding his own horse Kadouchski.