Cool Roxy Bar and jockeys’ facilities open at Fakenham Racecourse

A new owners’ and trainers’ bar at Fakenham Racecourse was officially opened by Cool Roxy, the horse it was named after.

The £370,000 development also includes a new jockeys’ facilities, weighing room and medical centre.

The medical room is to be called The Reinhold Jockeys’ Medical room after Fakenham’s long serving senior medical officer Dr Piers Reinhold and the owners’ and trainers’ bar is to be called the Cool Roxy Bar after Fakenham’s most prolific race-winning horse Cool Roxy.

“It has been a frantic few months to get this ready for the new season but with a hard work and dedication we have done it,” said Fakenham’s chief executive and clerk of the course, David Hunter.

“Everything worked well and was appreciated at our last meeting. We have made a few tweaks and are now ready for the official opening. It is fitting that the medical room is called after Piers as he has provided the most professional medical cover for the jockeys for many years from a very basic wooden hut.

“The previous bar was woefully inadequate so it is a pleasure to provide a large, warm and comfortable place and it is totally appropriate for this room to be called after a horse that has set the record of the highest number of wins in Fakenham’s 110-year history. Cool Roxy, now a sprightly 19-year-old, is looked after by Emily Crossman.”

Owner Alan Blackmore, 87, said he was “very proud and humbled” to have the bar named after his horse.