At Tattersalls this week there have been plenty of references to the largesse of Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum and his Godolphin operation in backing the Book 1 yearling market to the tune of £28 million.That is of course of direct benefit to the breeders or pinhookers of the 25 yearlings bought by Godolphin but more general support of the racing industry and the local community around Newmarket can be found in the support of the Dubai Future Champions Festival, currently in the middle of its two-day run at the Rowley Mile.Friday's card specifically referenced some of those projects in race titles: Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project, Godolphin Lifetime Care for retired racehorses, the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, with its prizes worth £128,000 to stud and stable staff, Godolphin Under Starters Orders, and the Newmarket Pony Academy. “Along with the race meeting we've also got the Dubai Future Champions Education Week for all of the Year 8 students at Newmarket Academy – that's about 160 12- to 13-year-olds spending the week off curriculum learning all about the thoroughbred industry,” says Penny Taylor, Godolphin's charities manager in the UK.“This is the 11th year of the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project. It's really to give the students a proper understanding of what the racing industry is about, the opportunities there are for them, and how the town works.“We do about 30 other initiatives throughout the calendar year, working across all year groups at the secondary school, but this one week for Year 8 is really focused around everything that Newmarket is about.” A day at the races for Year 8 students | Mark Westley Throughout Book 1 at Tattersalls groups of Newmarket Academy students gathered in the gods to watch the action unfold in the ring as well as visiting Dalham Hall Stud, the National Horseracing Museum, the gallops and various racing yards. In a week-long programme that works in tandem with Racing to School and Discover Newmarket the pupils are also able to gain hands-on experience at the Pony Racing Academy within the British Racing School as well as enjoying a day at the races.“The whole Beacon programme is really around understanding why Newmarket is the way it is, and showcasing the depth and breadth of opportunities for young people in the town, or within horse racing,” Taylor explains. “For example, there's a huge finance team at Tattersalls, there are veterinary practices, the media, hospitality, catering – there's such a wide range of jobs involved in making the sport function.“Education has always been close to Sheikh Mohammed's heart. Godolphin funded the building of a new library during the refurbishment of the Newmarket Academy, and there have been similar projects in Ireland and France. Then of course there's the Godolphin Flying Start programme for graduates. “But this is week is about getting in at the base level with younger children and giving them a taster of the racing industry. I think everyone agrees that we've got to get the young people engaged.” Hands-on fun at the Newmarket Pony Academy | Mark Westley There's been a long-running association with this particular race meeting by the Maktoum family since Darley first sponsored the Dewhurst Stakes in 2000. The Dubai Future Champions Festival emerged from the reorganisation of the autumn programme when Champions Day was moved from Newmarket to Ascot in 2011.Taylor says, “Our lifetime care programme gets highlighted on Friday and Saturday before racing, there'll be the RoR Parade, where Group 2 winner Mischief Magic is one of our ambassadors.“Friday is all around the charitable programme and then the Saturday is about the racing side of the organisation – that's Darley day.”The post A Beacon for Education: Godolphin Support Shines a Light on Racing Industry for Youngsters appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.