Newmarket was paid a surprise visit by Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday, who was staying locally with his close friend Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock.
The Prime Minister spent first lot on Warren Hill with trainers John Gosden and John Ferguson and also met John Gosden’s wife, Rachel Hood, whose roles include being mayor of Newmarket and President of the Racehorse Owners Association.
Newmarket’s MP Matthew Hancock has been a staunch supporter of the racing industry and won a charity race at Newmarket’s July Course aboard Hood’s homebred Dick Doughtywylie. His mother Shirley Carter bred recent Grade 2-winning hurdler Bitofapuzzle.
Announcing his support for horseracing, Cameron said: “British Racing is a massive success story and I wanted to come and see and hear about it for myself. It’s an industry worth over £3 billion, employs well over 100,000 people. It’s now the second most popular sport – racing – after football in our country.
“One of the themes of what I have been talking about is how we need to play to our national successes, whether it’s our science, our universities, our manufacturing base. This is a success story too and we want to make sure it’s continued.
“So I am meeting with some trainers and hearing their views about how we make sure this great industry, a lot of it based here in Newmarket, goes from strength to strength.”
To watch the video of David Cameron on Newmarket Heath, please click here.
