Horseplay – A New Exhibition Of Rare Horseracing Board Games

On 4 April 2025 and running until the end of the year, the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket is opening a brand-new exhibition entitled Horseplay, showcasing over 50 rare and antique board games that bring the racecourse to the tabletop in an intriguing and creative way. The games are on loan to the Museum from a private collection, and the exhibition is thought to be the largest display of horseracing-themed board games ever opened to the public. Visitors will find all the thrills and spills of being at the races, without actually stepping on the turf.

The games on display 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. Others include antique playing cards, a board game endorsed by a Hollywood legend and another invented by a famous composer. Visitors follow a Grand National-themed racetrack through the exhibition, rolling a giant dice to proceed, and pausing at interactive stations named after the jumps at Aintree.  Along the way, people can view the antique and contemporary games, and have a go with playing on replicas.

Horseplay recreates the larks, japes and capers that can be had with everything from simple dice and playing cards to more complex games, demonstrating how games are an antidote to screen time, can create happy experiences where family and friends come together, and are inclusive of everyone, whatever their age or ability. What’s more, you don’t need a power supply to shake a dice or move a counter.

Visitors to Newmarket can stay nearby. Within walking distance of the Museum is Bedford Lodge Hotel and Spa, a luxury, refurbished Georgian hunting lodge set within three acres. The hotel has an award-winning 2 AA rosette restaurant and guests have access to the leisure facilities including an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi. One night’s B&B for two costs from £135.

A great day out for all the family, game highlights from the new exhibition include:

The Old – Ascot The New Racing Game dates from 1880 and has a unique method of determining the winner. It comprises a large wooden box with eight horses attached with wires. A hand crank on the side of the box connects to the horses by a variety of turning gears, which result in a different horse winning the race. Players bet on which horse will win.

A Hollywood Hero – The Crosby Derby! was made in 1947 by H. Fishlove & Co. and was endorsed by the famous singer (and his friends). Bing Crosby loved horses and bought his first racehorse in 1935. The board game features the top racehorses of the era, and the box cover pictures Bing Crosby and a photo of horses racing, while the contents include the game board, odds chart, a deck of 70 playing cards, toy money, tickets, and five miniature race horses.

Spin some Vinyl – Foto Finish was made in the 60s using a vinyl record (a picture disc) with race commentary, which results in a different winner depending upon where the needle lands.  One player is elected to be the bookmaker and offers odds, and the other players then bet on the race.

Grandparent of Modern Gaming – Totopoly dating from 1938 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.  Some claim it to be the ‘grandparent of modern gaming’.

Composed by a Composer – And they’re off was designed in 1993 by a syndicate including composer Andrew Lloyd Webber; players back horses at a series of race meetings to try and win the most money. Movement cards are turned over one at a time and the corresponding horse moved forward one space until the race is won.

Table Games – Escalado, from 1928, is an English tabletop horseracing game. Up to six ‘jockeys’ have a metal horse, and one player acts as the bookie. Players then place wagers on the five coloured horses, which race across a mechanical vibrating track. The player with the most money is the winner.

A Japanese Apple – Apple Horse Race Roulette dating from 1900 is a Japanese horseracing game that fits inside a painted apple.  Parts include a wheel, wooden ‘marble’ and six game tokens. The wheel sits on a stake and can be spun inside the bottom of the apple.

Drinking Game – Black Beauty Downs dates from 1987 and is a party game where no one is allowed to visit the loo until the ‘pee break’ card is drawn. Players roll the dice to move their horse around the track, often landing on spots causing other players to drink.

Tickets for the National Horseracing Museum (www.nhrm.co.uk) which includes access to Horseplay cost £15, children under 16 are free of charge. Open Tuesday – Sunday, 10am to 5pm. The Museum is easily accessed by car, train and bus.