Bob Champion CBE joins British Racing School students at National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket to commemorate opening of Horseplay

A former champion jockey joined young trainees to look forward to the impending opening of a new Grand National themed exhibition in Newmarket.

Bob Champion CBE played horseracing board games with British Racing School students in front of a Becher’s Brook-style fence in preparation of the Horseplay exhibition opening at the National Horseracing Museum tomorrow.

The fun and family-friendly exhibition follows a racecourse around the exhibits, and features a 50-strong range of rare and never-seen-before board games which will run until the end of the year.

Guests have to roll a giant dice to proceed, and pause to solve clues and try out a variety of games. The games are on loan to the museum from a private collection.

Tracey Harding, chief operating officer of the National Horseracing Museum, said: “We are excited to open Horseplay, our new racing games exhibition, this Friday.

“It was great for Bob Champion to visit the museum for a preview as the exhibition includes an interactive, Grand National themed floor game.

“The new exhibition is an opportunity to discover the history of horseracing board games, as well as playing a few, too.

“All our activities this summer will be linked to the games theme and include creative activities, race nights and a brand-new Escape Room.”

The games range from a wooden box with a hand crank dating from 1880, to a madcap drinking game where nobody can visit the loo before a ‘pee break’ card is drawn.

This includes Totopoly, dating from 1938, which uses a double-sided board that enables competitors to trade horses, train and practice for the big day, before flipping the board to embark on a lap of the racecourse itself.

Tickets to the exhibition at the museum in Palace Street cost £15. Children under six go free of charge. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm.