THE racing experience for thousands of punters is to be improved as part of a massive refurbishment to an ageing course at the home of horse racing.The home of the Newmarket Nights series of events, which combine live music and racing, is to undergo widespread refurbishment starting with £1 million improvements over the next few months.

THE racing experience for thousands of punters is to be improved as part of a massive refurbishment to an ageing course at the home of horse racing.

The home of the Newmarket Nights series of events, which combine live music and racing, is to undergo widespread refurbishment starting with £1 million improvements over the next few months.

But bosses have warned racegoers they might not notice any changes when they visit the July Course this summer.

Racecourse managing director Lisa Hancock said: "We will be doing a lot of work and spending a lot of money but unfortunately customers won't actually see anything being done.

"The work is essential and the course must be upgraded as it is just not efficient for the sell out Newmarket Nights when we get 19,000 through the gates.

"This obviously puts a lot of pressure on such things as electricity and water and we will now be spending £1 million on the complete refurbishment of essential services on the July Course."

Ms Hancock said the work would be the catalyst for future improvements to the picturesque course, which would include refurbishing the stands over the coming years.

She said: "The July Course is very special and totally unique and we will do the work extremely carefully as there is no other place quite like it.

"The whole site has a charm about it - the stands, the timber, the trees all make it unique and any work has to be in line with that.

"We don't want to change the face of the July Course - we just want facilities to the standard our customers quite rightly expect.

"We are not looking to increase the size enormously but we have got to make the course up to date.

"The facilities are a little bit tired but fortunately the overall character is still good and people seem to still love the course."

The July Course is home to the Newmarket Nights, which is expected to top previous attendance records when Blue and Sugababes visit this summer.