Melodic is poetry in Motion for the National Heritage Centre

To raise awareness of the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art's nomination as a finalist for the 2017 Art Fund Museum of the Year, Sheikh Fahad kindly allowed Qatar Racing's Melodic Motion to carry a bespoke set of colours for her appearance in the Betway Fillies' Handicap at Newmarket on Saturday July 1. The filly won in great style carrying a set of black and yellow colours bearing the Art Fund Museum of the Year logo.

It had initially been intended for Qatar Racing's retained rider, Oisin Murphy, to wear the silks under the owner's name of 'Art Fund Museum of the Year Finalists 17' on board Diamonds Pour Moi in the Fred Archer Stakes earlier on the card. However, she was a non-runner, which meant the baton was passed to her stablemate Melodic Motion, who completed a hat-trick, after victories at Pontefract and Goodwood.

The Art Fund Museum of the Year is the world's biggest museum prize and the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art became the first sporting museum ever to be shortlisted for the prize.

Sadly, it wasn't be on this occasion for the National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art as, at the award ceremony on July 5, the prize was given to The Hepworth Wakefield, an art gallery in West Yorkshire. The other finalists were Birmingham's Lapworth Museum of Geology, and Sir John Soane's Museum and the Tate Modern, both in London.

It was still a great feat for Newmarket's National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art to be nominated, and a visit is highly recommended.

Find out more at https://www.palacehousenewmarket.co.uk/