Newmarket: The Jockey Club

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 6 Jul 2008

This is the front façade of the Jockey Club building on Newmarket High Street. Outside is a sculpture of Hyperion the renowned horse that won the Derby in 1933. Contrary to some public misconceptions the Jockey Club is not a club for horse-racing jockeys. It was founded in 1752 as a private members' club and many of its members have been and are prominent racehorse owners. Through the patronage of these members it became the main governing body in horseracing, concerning itself, amongst other matters, with rules of conduct, the licensing of racecourses, jockeys and trainers, and the health and safety of riders and horses. However in 2006, during a major reorganization of the horseracing industry, it vouluntarily passed some of these regulatory responsibilities to the new Horseracing Regulatory Authority. In 2007 the latter body itself ceased to exist and all regulatory matters passed to the British Horseracing Authority. Since 2006 the Jockey Club has concentrated on the commercial aspects of running its racecourses.

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