Newmarket

Newmarket is the historic headquarters of British Flat racing - home to hundreds of training stables and the sport's National Horseracing Museum, and the venue for two of the five British Classics each spring.

The track

Newmarket actually runs on two separate courses - the Rowley Mile (used in spring and autumn) and the July Course (used through the summer) - both long, largely galloping tracks that put a premium on a horse travelling well and finding a clear passage, since the historically wide, draw-sensitive straight can still catch out a badly-drawn or awkwardly ridden horse.

The Guineas Festival

Held over the first weekend of May on the Rowley Mile, the meeting stages the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas - the first Classics of the season, and the traditional starting point for working out the shape of that year's three-year-old generation.

Betting angle

Draw bias can be a real factor on the Rowley Mile's long straight, particularly with a strong prevailing wind favouring one side - it's worth checking recent draw statistics before backing a big-field sprint or mile race here specifically.