Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting 2026: Full Preview
The Cambridgeshire Meeting returns to Newmarket’s Rowley Mile from Thursday 24 September to Saturday 26 September 2026, bringing three days of high-quality autumn flat racing to one of Britain’s most famous racing venues.
The meeting features seven Group races across the three-day programme, alongside the historic bet365 Cambridgeshire Heritage Handicap, which forms the first leg of the Autumn Double. Saturday also features three major two-year-old contests: the Royal Lodge Stakes, Cheveley Park Stakes and Middle Park Stakes.
Whether you regularly follow racing at Newmarket or are planning your first visit to the Rowley Mile, the 2026 meeting offers a combination of Group-race action, competitive handicaps and important late-season races for horses with ambitions beyond the autumn.
Below is a guide to where and when the meeting takes place, the daily timings, the number of races and the principal contests to watch.
Where Is The Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting Held?
The Cambridgeshire Meeting is held at the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse in Suffolk. Newmarket is widely associated with British thoroughbred racing and is home to a large concentration of training yards and racing organisations.
The Rowley Mile provides a long, wide course that is used for many of Newmarket’s most important flat races. The 2026 Cambridgeshire Meeting will take place within the Rowley enclosure, which provides race viewing, access to the parade ring, betting facilities, bars and restaurants, as well as accessible viewing areas. From 2026, fixtures at the Rowley Mile other than the Betfred Guineas Festival are being staged within the unified Rowley enclosure.
For visitors, Newmarket Racecourses confirms that public parking is free on racedays. The venue is also operating as a cashless venue, although on-course betting facilities continue to accept cash.
If you are attending, arriving ahead of the first race gives you time to enter the course, view the horses in the parade ring and find a suitable position before racing begins.
When Is The Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting?
The 2026 Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting takes place from Thursday 24 September to Saturday 26 September 2026 on the Rowley Mile. The three-day schedule is officially confirmed by Newmarket Racecourses.
Anyone planning to attend should check the official Newmarket Racecourses information before travelling, as race timings can be amended.
What Time Does The Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting Start?
According to the current official schedule, gates open at 11.15am on Thursday and Friday, and at 11.22am on Saturday. The first race is scheduled for 1.15pm on Thursday, 1.15pm on Friday and 1.22pm on Saturday.
The published finishing times are 4.45pm on Thursday, 4.45pm on Friday and 4.50pm on Saturday, although Newmarket Racecourses notes that timings are subject to change.
Saturday’s published racecard currently shows seven races, beginning at 1.22pm and finishing at 4.50pm. The bet365 Cambridgeshire is scheduled for 3.40pm.
These timings make it worth arriving before the first race, particularly if you want to watch the horses in the parade ring or explore the course before the main contests.
How Many Days Is The Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting?
The Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting runs for three consecutive days: Thursday 24 September, Friday 25 September and Saturday 26 September 2026.
Each day has its own emphasis within the wider programme. Thursday provides the opening day’s Group-race action and supporting contests.
Friday features two Group 2 races, the Rockfel Stakes and Joel Stakes. Saturday provides the meeting’s headline programme, including the Royal Lodge Stakes, Cheveley Park Stakes, Middle Park Stakes and the bet365 Cambridgeshire Heritage Handicap.
The Saturday Cambridgeshire is particularly notable because it is the first leg of the historic Autumn Double, with the Cesarewitch at Newmarket’s Dubai Future Champions Festival providing the second leg later in the season.
How Many Races Are at The Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting?
The 2026 meeting features seven races on each day, giving a total of 21 races across the three-day fixture. The Saturday card, for example, is scheduled to contain seven races.
The Friday programme is headed by the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes and Group 2 Joel Stakes. Saturday then brings three major two-year-old races in the Royal Lodge Stakes, Cheveley Park Stakes and Middle Park Stakes, followed by the bet365 Cambridgeshire Heritage Handicap.
The Saturday racecard currently lists the Royal Lodge Stakes over one mile, the Cheveley Park Stakes and Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs, and the bet365 Cambridgeshire over one mile and one furlong. The 2026 Cambridgeshire is currently scheduled to have a maximum-sized field of 35 runners.
Alongside the headline races, the meeting includes handicaps, maiden contests and other races covering different ages, distances and levels of ability. This provides a varied three-day programme and plenty of opportunities to follow both established performers and developing horses during the autumn campaign.
For anyone attending the 2026 meeting, it is sensible to check the official racecards and timings shortly before travelling, as declarations, runners and race times can change.
Bet on the Newmarket Cambridgeshire Meeting at Bet442
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