Newmarket royal race to be run in memory of late Julie Cecil

The family of the late Julie Cecil said they were very touched that the 352nd renewal of the Newmarket Town Plate will be run in her memory.

A talented horsewoman, Mrs Cecil, who was 80 when she died in April, had ridden the winner of the plate as a 17-year-old back in 1959 on the Humphrey Cottrill-trained Adam’s Walk.

The daughter of one-time Royal trainer Sir Noel Murless and ex-wife of legendary former champion trainer Sir Henry Cecil, she went on to enjoy success as an amateur jockey and two decades after her Town Plate win she was awarded the prize for the most winners ridden by a woman in her first season riding in 1979.

In total, Mrs Cecil rode 10 winners before she decided to call time on race riding at the age of 46.

Her son, Noel, said: “Amy Starkey (managing director for the Jockey Club’s east region) first mentioned it to me about a month ago. Nothing was concrete at that stage but I thought it was a lovely idea.

“It is a very nice thought and we are very touched that the race is being run in her memory as it is a big honour.

“I can’t remember word for word what she said about the race but the horse was trained by Humphrey Cottrill who I don’t think had many winners that season.

“Back then, a lot of the winners of the race were women as there were not the opportunities for them to ride in races under rules like now. I think as she won the race she always quite liked it as it was quite an achievement and she was pretty chuffed to have won it.”

Following her divorce, Mrs Cecil took out her own trainer’s licence in 1991 and was based at Southgate Stables, in Hamilton Road, where she saddled 190 winners before relinquishing her licence in 1998.

A field of 13 is set go to post for the amateur rider only event on Saturday, August 27, which this year, due to the extraordinary dry weather and the impact it has had on water reserves, will take place solely on the racing surface of the July Course, over two miles one furlong rather than its traditional distance of three and three quarter miles.

And the winning rider’s prizes will include a personal memento of Mrs Cecil’s.