Her Majesty The Queen presented the trophy to the winning connections of the 2016 Investec Derby.

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HER MAJESTY The Queen will officially open the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing & Sporting Art in Newmarket on Thursday November 3.

The venue, which includes the new National Horseracing Museum, on Monday (October 24), welcomed the first visitors to the attraction that incorporates an enhanced Museum with 12 galleries that showcase the collection that has grown significantly since it first opened in 1983.

The collection includes paintings, trophies and silks and also includes interactive and audio-visual technologies that cater for all levels of horse racing knowledge and history of the sport.

On display is one of the oldest racing trophies in the country, the Carlisle racing bells that date back to the 1560s and 1590s.  This gallery also explains the role Newmarket played in the development of racing from the 17^thcentury and also the Royal Connection display which details the 400 year old association of royals and racing.

Other galleries display equine and human heroes and legends of the sport, with artefacts on show associated with famous figures such as the legendary jockey Fred Archer and objects donated by A P McCoy and Frankie Dettori.

Chris Garibaldi, director of the National Horseracing Museum, said: We are delighted that Her Majesty The Queen is honouring us in this way by opening the new National Heritage Centre.

“Horseracing is a sport that we know is close to Her Majesty’s heart and we hope that she will be impressed with the new facilities – providing as it does the opportunity for visitors to understand the fascinating historical context to the  modern sport and the horseracing industry.”

Peter Jensen, chairman of the Home of Horseracing Trust, added: “It will be a great honour to welcome Her Majesty The Queen to Newmarket on Thursday November 3 to open our new National Heritage Centre for Horseracing & Sporting Art.

“We are extremely proud of what has been created, over many years. Many of the people and organisations who will be attending the opening ceremony have donated large amounts of time, enthusiasm and money to enable this project to happen, and I know they will be honoured The Queen has agreed to open the National Heritage Centre for us.”

Her Majesty The Queen is patron of the National Horseracing Museum and opened the original Museum on Newmarket High Street on April 30, 1983.

The National Heritage Centre is situated in the remains of Charles II’s sporting palace and stables built in 1671 and spans five acres in the heart of Newmarket.

It comprises three complementary attractions, the new National Horseracing Museum, a national gallery of British Sporting Art, and a chance to meet former racehorses, in the flagship yard of the Retraining of Racehorses charity.

For more information go to: https://www.palacehousenewmarket.co.uk/

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