The horseracing board games collection is owned by Lexa Dudley, aged 84, who lives in Newmarket. The total number of games in her private collection surpasses 300, which have been collected over a period of 30 years. Over 50 or these rare and precious games are on display in an exhibition entitled Horseplay at the National Horseracing Museum which runs from April 2025 until the end of the year
Lexa and her husband moved to Newmarket in 1995 and acquired a racing yard that had been previously owned by John and Jean Hislop, owners and breeders of the great champion racehorse Brigadier Gerard. John was reputedly the finest amateur jockey of all time on the flat.
Lexa’s husband was a keen point-to-point rider, and although she never rode herself, Lexa embraced living in Newmarket, the home of British horseracing. She kept a couple of rescue horses in the meadow and it was a natural progression to acquire a few racing board games along the way. From here the collection grew organically, and Lexa started to pick-up items on eBay and got to know antique dealers who specialised in horseracing games.
Lexa loves the idea of these games having been played by velvet-jacketed men in after-dinner smoking rooms, during the Victorian era. One can imagine the players moving pieces in between puffing on a cigar and downing a snifter of brandy. She is enthralled too by the idea of American GIs taking the pocket-sized games off to war with them, to while away the small hours.
Back in the 90s, when Lexa started her collection, rare games were much easier to come by, and a small community of collectors grew by word-of-mouth. They came from across Britain and America, and they all knew of one another, keeping in touch through text and email. It was a community with a shared passion, and they would exchange notes, spot emerging games and buy and sell items within their circle.
Lexa’s favourite piece on display is Ascot The New Racing Game (dating from 1880). 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. The piece has sentimental value to Lexa as it came from a collector in Guildford whom she got to know over the years. e He set his heart on her having the piece for her growing collection. Unfortunately, the gentleman died before she acquired the game, but his wife insisted she have the piece in any case, and donated to her this rare and beautiful game.
Lexa had a brood of children, and now has 8 grandchildren. Occasional evenings have been spent raiding the cabinets to choose a game to play around the dining room table. Their favourite was to bring down the magnificent large oval board and play Steeplechase (also currently on display in Horseplay).
Many friends, visitors and relatives have admired the collection over the years, but it was a racehorse trainer friend who persuaded Lexa almost a decade ago to put the games on display for a new generation to admire. This idea has now come to fruition with the Horseplay exhibition at the National Horseracing Museum which, fittingly, opens April 4, 2025 – the eve of the Grand National.
Entry to Horseplay is included in the General Admission for the National Horseracing Museum: Adult (16 years and over) £15, children free.
