1870-1898 Mary Anne & Elizabeth Seaber, Thomas Stephenson (Trainer)
Terrace House, located at 125 High Street, was once known as The Terrace and was owned in the 1870s by Mary Anne Seaber. The House, and later stables, should not be confused with an original Terrace House which once occupied 115 High Street and which is known today as Godolphin House. By the 1880s Elizabeth Seaber, daughter of Mary Anne, lived in the house until the mid-1880s, after which a former racehorse trainer, Thomas Stephenson, lived out his retirement until his death on 19th September 1897. Thomas Stephenson had trained at 194 High Street, then known as Clarendon House Stables, before retiring and relocating just along the road. It is not clear whether he was a member of the Stephenson racing dynasty which included Matthew Stephenson who famously trained the 1791 Epsom Derby winner Eager (SR 1997) which he also rode at the ripe old age of 56. Matthew also trained two other Derby winners, Skyscraper (SR 1969) in 1789, and the Colt by Fidget (SR 1936) in 1797. In addition, Matthew trained 3 Epsom Oaks winners, 1790 Hippolyta (SR 1890), 1791 Portia (SR 1955) and 1793 Caelia (SR 1908). Matthew's grandson, Robert Matthew Stephenson was also a racehorse trainer in Newmarket.
For over 4 centuries racing has been staged in Newmarket, but how have the racecourses evolved from an initial starting point at Fleam Dyke Pumping Station, some 8 miles from the town, with a winning post barely 200 metres from the town centre, into two world recognized, excellent racecourses and a universal acceptance that Newmarket is the Headquarters of racing?
To access an interactive racecourse map showing over 50 individually named racecourses CLICK HERE. The map will enable you to:-
1. Determine when extended races over 8 miles, 6 miles and 4 miles began to be replaced by the courses now visited by thousands annually;
2. Consider how the challenge of crossing the Devil's Dyke was overcome;
3. Contemplate why the town no longer has a steeplechase course despite having at least 5 courses during the past 2 centuries;
4. Examine the practicalities of having up to 48 starting posts and winning posts;
5. Appreciate that it was not financially viable to have an open racecourse spread widely across the heath, with a finishing post barely 200 metres from the town centre;
6. Research how and why the Cambridgeshire Handicap has been contested over 3 different courses.
NOTE: The map does not make mention of 2 particular courses:-
(i) Sefton Course (also known as the Cambridge Road Course)
Source: 1970 Raceform. Used from 1959 to 1975.
(ii) New Circular Course
The Circular Handicap was run on Friday 29th October 1875 on the New Circular Course of about two miles.
Source: London Standard (30th October 1875): ''the horses started near the Turn of the Lands, ran back way of the Cambridgeshire Course towards the Ditch, and afterwards proceeded down the side of the Tan Gallop, and turned into the Rowley Mile near the Bretby Stakes starting post, finishing at the stand at the end of the flat. Except in the hollow near the Cambridgeshire start the runners should have been visible all the way if the sky had been bright and clear''.
Another report hoped that the Circular Handicap would become a feature in future programmes, as it would be contested in front of the new grandstand which would be completed in about a year and would be able to accommodate thousands.
(I am grateful to Tim Cox for bringing attention to these 2 courses.)
Enjoy researching the intriguing history of Newmarket and its many racecourses.
1899-1912 Frederick Day
Frederick William Day, son of William and Mary Day, was born in Gloucestershire on 21st December 1854. He trained to become a vet, practicing his trade in Tewkesbury. On 25th April 1882 he married Emma Roberts in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, and within a year they had a son Reginald who was born on 20th February 1883. In 1885 Fred and Emma made the brave decision to emigrate to Australia, spurred on by Lord Carrington who was newly appointed to his role in Australia. They lived near Randwick racecourse, New South Wales, which is located in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney, and which first opened its gates as a racecourse in 1833. The racecourse hosts 20 Group 1 races annually, including the Australian Derby and Sydney Cup. Fred was in his element and began training a few racehorses, but was also invited by Anthony Horden to supervise the development of Wilton Park and Retford Park as a stud farm.
1898 Epsom Oaks AIRS & GRACES (SR 1901) 100/8 owned by Mr W T Jones, trained by Fred Day and ridden by Walter Bradford
1898 Cambridgeshire GEORGIC 40/1 owned by Mr H C White, trained by Fred Day and ridden by S Chand
1900 Alexandra Plate GADFLY 6/1 owned by Sir Ernest Cassel, trained by Fred Day and ridden by Lester Reiff
1900 Ascot Gold Vase SOLITAIRE 3/1 owned by Sir Ernest Cassel, trained by Fred Day and ridden by Lester Reiff
1900 St James's Palace Stakes BONAROSA 100/30 owned by Sir Ernest Cassel, trained by Fred Day and ridden by Lester Reiff
1900 Richmond Stakes HANDICAPPER 7/4 owned by Sir Ernest Cassel, trained by Fred Day and ridden by Lester Reiff
1901 2000 Guineas HANDICAPPER (SR 1950) 33/1 owned by Sir Ernest Cassel, trained by Fred Day and ridden by Bill Halsey
1903 Coronation Cup VALENZA 10/1 owned by E Heinemann, trained by Fred Day and ridden by Otto Madden
1912-1968 Reg Day (1906-1907)
Reginald Day, son of trainer Fred Day, was born in Australia on 20th February 1883 and became apprentice to Sir Ernest Cassel at the age of 14 when his father acted as private trainer to Sir Ernest at Moulton Paddocks. By the age of 16 he was Head Lad for his father and, after successfully overseeing 3 of Sir Ernest's winners at Ascot in 1900, he applied for a trainer's licence even though he was only 17 years old. He began his training career at Lowther House and Terrace House Stables in 1900 with some success, in particular with Donnetta who landed the 1906 Great Jubilee Handicap at Kempton, but by then he had moved to Park Lodge where he remained until 1907. In 1907 Reg was invited to train for the Kaiser at the Royal Graditz Stud in Germany, replacing Richard Waugh. In 1909 he trained Arnfried to win the German Derby for the Kaiser, repeating the success with Orient the very next year. On 30th November 1910 he returned to England to marry Florence May Davis at Thornton Heath, Surrey, before the newly married couple returned to Germany. In 1912 he won the German Derby for a third time with Gulliver II, although he realised that the situation in Germany was becoming increasingly tense and the family returned to England where he was able to resume his training career at Terrace House on the retirement of his father Fred. In 1914 he trained one of the greatest stayers the country has known, Son-In-Law for Sir Abe Bailey, who won the 1914 Goodwood Cup, the 1914 and 1915 Jockey Club Stakes and the 1915 Cesarewitch. He repeated his Cesarewitch success in 1920 with Bracket, owned by Mr G Robinson and ridden by champion jockey Steve Donoghue. He gained his first English Classic victory in 1925 when Solario won the St Leger and went on to win the Ascot Gold Cup the next year. In 1927 he won his second Ascot Gold Cup with Foxlaw, but it was to be 36 years between his Classic successes when, in the twilight of his career, he guided Sweet Solera to victory in the 1000 Guineas and Oaks. Reg retired as a trainer in 1968 at the grand old age of 84, having chalked up a remarkable 68 years as a trainer, but he continued his association with racing by working at Hamilton Stud. He died in his beloved Newmarket aged 88 on 15th January 1972.
1906 Great Jubilee Handicap DONNETTA 5/1 fav owned by Sir E Vincent, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Danny Maher
1909 German Derby ARNFRIED 18/1 owned by Hauptgestut Graditz, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Willy Warne
1910 German Derby ORIENT 16/1 owned by Hauptgestut Graditz, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Frank Bullock
1912 German Derby GULLIVER II 14/1 owned by Hauptgestut Graditz, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Frank Bullock
1914 Goodwood Cup SON-IN-LAW 9/4 owned by Sir Abe Bailey, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Frank Bullock
1914 Jockey Club Cup SON-IN-LAW owned by Sir Abe Bailey, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Frank Bullock
1915 Jockey Club Cup SON IN LAW owned by Sir Abe Bailey, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Frank Bullock
1915 Cesarewitch SON-IN-LAW 10/1 owned by Sir Abe Bailey, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Frank Bullock
1917 Cambridgeshire BROWN PRINCE 100/6 owned by Sir Abe Bailey, trained by Reg Day and ridden by P Jones
1920 Prince of Wales's Stakes ALL PRINCE 15/8 fav trained by Reg Day and ridden by Freddie Fox
1920 Cesarewitch BRACKET 8/1 owned by Mr G Robinson, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Steve Donoghue
1921 Goodwood Cup BUCKS 9/4 trained by Reg Day and ridden by Steve Donoghue
1921 Doncaster Cup FLAMBOYANT owned by Mrs G Robinson, trained by Reg Day and ridden by W Lister
1922 Goodwood Cup FLAMBOYANT 1/3 fav owned by Mrs G Robinson, trained by Reg Day and ridden by W Lister
1925 St Leger SOLARIO (SR 2026) 7/2 jt fav owned by Sir John Rutherford, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Joe Childs
1926 Ascot Gold Cup SOLARIO 4/6 fav owned by Sir John Rutherford, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Joe Childs
1926 Coronation Cup SOLARIO 2/1 owned by Sir John Rutherford, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Joe Childs
1947 King's Vase AURALIA 100/8 owned by Mrs A Johnston, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Doug Smith
1948 Doncaster Cup AURALIA owned by Mrs A Johnston, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Doug Smith
1950 Queen Mary Stakes ROSE LINNET 10/1 owned by Mrs A Johnston, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Doug Smith
1952 New Stakes (later Norfolk Stakes) BLUE LAMP 10/1 owned by Mrs C Woodbridge, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Doug Smith
1956 Yorkshire Cup ROMANY AIR trained by Reg Day and ridden by Bill Rickaby
1961 1000 Guineas SWEET SOLERA (SR 1988) 4/1 owned by Mrs Magnus Castello, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Bill Rickaby
1961 Epsom Oaks SWEET SOLERA (SR 1988) 11/4 fav owned by Mrs Magnus Castello, trained by Reg Day and ridden by Bill Rickaby
1970-present Tattersalls
On 10th March 1970 Terrace House was granted Grade II listed status and was purchased by Tattersalls in 1972. Initially it was used as a Corporate Entertainment facility, but then became the main office of Tattersalls.
SOLARIO (1925 St Leger, 1926 Ascot Gold Cup, Coronation Stakes)
SWEET SOLERA (1961 1000 Guineas, Oaks)
SON-IN-LAW (1914 Goodwood Cup, 1914 & 1915 Jockey Club Stakes, 1915 Cesarewitch)
HANDICAPPER (1901 2000 Guineas)
AIRS & GRACES (1898 Epsom Oaks)
