Brampton Manor Resident Wins Nearly Two Ponies at the Races

Residents and team members from Brampton Manor, the award-winning care home on Newmarket’s Fordham Road, spent an afternoon at the Rowley Mile Racecourse on Tuesday 5th May, joining the town’s beloved horse racing community for what has become a cherished annual outing.

Led by Head of Lifestyle and Wellbeing Valda and Care Coordinator Claire, the group soaked up the sunshine, watched the races, and placed a few cheeky bets along the way. For many residents, the day was as much about reliving treasured memories as it was about the racing itself.

Resident Elyane had particular reason to celebrate, walking away £42 richer after backing the right horse, nearly two ponies in a manner of speaking (a pony being £25). She was visibly moved by the whole day, sharing how lucky and grateful she felt to be out in the sunshine with everyone around her.

That spirit ran through the whole afternoon. As residents cheered on their favourite horses, conversations flowed freely, with stories and memories passed between friends old and new.

“Whenever we take our residents out together, something special happens,” said Valda, Head of Lifestyle and Wellbeing at Brampton Manor. “It’s not just the event itself. It’s the way they come alive, sharing stories, bouncing off each other’s memories. Those are the moments that stay with you.”

For Brampton Manor, the trip is more than a day out. Horse racing sits at the heart of life in Newmarket, and the care home sees its role as keeping residents connected to the things and places that have always mattered to them. The outing forms part of Brampton Manor’s Life Enrichment Programme, a holistic approach to wellbeing that focuses on helping residents continue living fully, with purpose, connection, and joy.

Claire, Care Coordinator, reflected on what days like this mean for the people she cares for: “Spending time out in the community, away from the home, doing things they’ve always loved, that’s what makes the difference. It’s not care as people imagine it. It’s life.”

Brampton Manor is part of Boutique Care Homes, an award-winning, family-run group recognised as Care Home Group (Small) of the Year at the National Care Awards in both 2023 and 2025.