WE ARE OFF TO NEWMARKET

Newmarket is just up the road from us, so we were keen to plant in our garden the patio rose named after its famous July Race Course,

It is not the only rose linked with the racing industry as many racehorses, jockeys and trainers have rose named after them.

Arkle - won ten major races in the 1960s including the Irish Grand National, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase. While the rose, which is a sport of Whisky Mac, has dark tangerine flowers.

Gunner's Mate - is a shrub rose that was bred by Colin Dickson and was introduced in New Zealand after the famous racehorse. Never introduced in the UK, it has flowers that are a blend of red.

Desert Orchid - is probably the most famous grey horse and won 12 major races over hurdles and steeples in the 1980s. The rose named after "Dessie" is a shrub rose that was bred by Ronnie Rawlins and introduced in 2001 by Rearsby Roses. It has light yellow flowers that have a moderate fragrance.

Red Rum - won the Grand National four times and as Newmarket is a flat course, would never have run there. The rose, which has red flowers that are shaded with scarlet, was bred by Bees of Chester by crossing Handel with Arthur Bell.

Sir Henry Cecil - is a floribunda rose that was named in memory of one of the great trainers and was introduced in 2014 by Handley Rose Nurseries having been bred by Bob Webster. It has lemon yellow flowers.

Though we have none of these.