Illegal hare coursers thought to be behind damage to Newmarket Rowley Mile racecourse
Illegal hare coursers are believed to have caused damage to Newmarket’s historic Rowley Mile racecourse just weeks before the start of the new season.
“Unfortunately, one night last week what we think were hare coursers broke through some posts and wooden rails in a vehicle on the Rowley Mile drive,” said clerk of the course Andrew Morris.
“They then accessed the Rowley Mile racecourse, where they have done damage to the track before smashing through the running rail.
“They made some marks on the track which are largely superficial but it doesn’t look great at this time of year when the grass isn’t thriving. You can see where they would have gone through the rail at around the nine-furlong pole, which gave us the sense that they were chasing something. It’s very frustrating for everyone involved.”
It is not the first time the historic track and neighbouring gallops have had issues with illegal hare coursers. There was a similar incident on the racecourse a couple of years ago.
More recently, similar individuals were behind a chase across the Waterhall training grounds last spring, which resulted in a Jockey Club Estates door and fencing being ripped out.
Mr Morris, who is in his second year as clerk at Newmarket, added: “We had an incident in November 2023 where we had some damage to the track, so it’s frustrating and disappointing that it’s happened again.
"We’re confident the marks will be gone by the start of our season. It has been reported to the police and we’ll work with them and Jockey Club Estates to discuss what we can do to stop such events happening in the future.”
It appears the intruders drove down the middle of the Rowley Mile until veering off right at around the nine-furlong start and smashing through the stands' side running rail to make their escape.
In connection with another hare coursing event in Cambridgeshire, police have made three further arrests, bringing the total to 23.
The investigation was launched following large scale disorder across Cambridgeshire, including in Fordham, on January 25.
