In what other sport can fans get as close to their heroes as they do in horseracing? For one young visitor to John and Thady Gosden's Clarehaven Stables during the Henry Cecil Open Weekend it was a case of being able to look directly up the nostrils of Group 2 winner Gregory before her father picked her up to stroke the gelding's nose. Gregory and stable star Ombudsman had their fair share of admirers but the largest crowd was outside the box of Gregory's next-door neighbour and Gold Cup hero Trawlerman, who has recently been retired but will be paraded back at his beloved Ascot on Champions Day. Gregory and his young fan | Emma Berry Clarehaven, which was one of 20 yards open throughout Sunday morning, welcomed almost 1,000 visitors through its gates inside the first hour, and the footfall was strong across town, with stables large and small making a huge effort – especially in the coffee-and-cake offering – in showing exactly what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to training racehorses. Newmarket's open weekend, which last year raised more than £100,000 for charity, has become an annual pilgrimage for many racing fans. This year, blessed with autumnal sunshine, they came from the length of the country, from Glasgow to Devon, to enjoy a range of events across the two days, including a trainers' race on the Rowley Mile on Saturday along with tours of the National Stud, British Racing School, Rossdales Equine Hospital and the Injured Jockeys Fund's Sir Peter O'Sullevan House. Bay City Roller leads stable-mates Caballo Dr Mar and Wimbledon Hawkeye | Emma Berry The early birds who gathered on Warren Hill at 8am on Sunday morning were treated to the sight of Ombudsman, Friendly Soul, Almeraq, Dubai Honour, Lake Forest, Caballo De Mar, Bay City Roller, Wimbledon Hawkeye, Shes Perfect, Consent, Moon Target and Saddadd in action.Then came the rush to the yards from 9am, with almost 1,000 people swarming through the gates of Clarehaven within the first hour. Over the other side of town Ed Crisford was on duty at Gainsborough Stables and reported that one of his visitors had been rival trainer George Boughey, who was keen to take a look at Senorita Bonita before her hotly anticipated clash next week with Boughey's Libertango in the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes. Both fillies had worked within half an hour of each other on the Rowley Mile on Friday morning, with Crisford reporting that Senorita Bonita had come out of her gallop in good shape. Ombudsman at Clarehaven | Emma Berry The yards which house a Group 1 winner naturally attract plenty of interest but, hearteningly, so too do the many smaller stables in Newmarket. It would be hard to find a friendlier welcome than that extended by Louise Allan and her small team which looks after a team of eight mainly National Hunt horses in the immaculately kept Marlborough House. Not far from Allan is Ross Burdon, who was walking tall after winning Saturday's trainers' race aboard Beauty Generation, while several of his fellow competitors were feeling a little stiff after their exertions, including, surprisingly, former Classic-winning jockey Micky Fenton. Now training on Newmarket's Hamilton Road, less than a mile as the crow flies from the scene of this 1,000 Guineas victory on Speciosa 20 years ago, Fenton's day improved when he and wife Steph were handed the trophy for best turned out small yard. Saffie Osborne in the show jumping arena | Emma Berry Charlie Fellowes tied with William Knight as winner of the trophy for medium-sized yards, and Knight's erstwhile stable star Sir Busker was on hand to receive the prize having earlier taken part in his first parade of retired racehorses. Winner of the competition among the big yards was Michael Bell's Fitzroy Stables, and Bell has long played his part in the fun of the weekend as the somewhat ribald commentator for the jockeys' show jumping competition. This year's contest, organised by Trish Callan and featuring three of her sons, Jack, Henry and Ted, also included both champion jockey Oisin Murphy, who jumped first and recorded the only clear round across a testing course, and Saffie Osborne, eight days on from her historic win in the St Leger.In her earlier years, Osborne was a gold-medal winning event rider but, despite a polished round, she had one fence down, later blaming Bell's cheeky commentary for this aberration. Murphy and Osborne, riding in a team of three with Georgia King, ultimately had to settle for second behind Charlie Clover's team.“My yard was open this year so I was very much glued to that for the morning but everybody told me that numbers felt up,” said Charlie Fellowes, chairman of the Henry Cecil Open Weekend committee.“I think we had more people through our yard than I ever remember. We had a constant flow all morning and just a really nice atmosphere. Everybody seemed to be enjoying the day. “Obviously the weather plays a huge part and we were really lucky in that regard but, for me, it felt like a wonderful day. I'm so grateful to all the team on my committee that have helped put it all together – Lara and Pippa from JSC, and Trish Callan who organised the show jumping, along with all the guys from the Jockey Club Estates who have put it all up on the Severals and on Warren Hill – it really has been a team effort. It was packed on the Severals for all the events of the afternoon and I'll be disappointed if attendance numbers aren't up.” Charlie Clover's winning show jumping team | Emma Berry It is a weekend which many major racing entities lend their support to, with sponsors including Amo Racing, Tattersalls, Juddmonte, World Pool, Bedmax, Weatherbys Racing Bank, the Niarchos Family, Ace Stud, Baker McVeigh and Dick White Referrals. Fellowes added, “Thanks also to all the sponsors and to all the trainers for opening because without them opening the weekend wouldn't exist.” The post Heroes Galore as Packed Newmarket Hosts Henry Cecil Open Weekend appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.