Capturing the action at Newmarket

By Chris Osborne
BBC Cambridgeshire

Trevor is based in Worlington for easy access to Newmarket racing

It is the first day of the Champions' Meeting at Newmarket and Trevor Jones is propping up a step ladder next to the track.

"It's just another day at the office," he says.

Trevor has been a photographer at the racecourse for over 20 years and has mastered the art of knowing what makes the perfect picture.

So it makes sense that we chose him to spend a day with, to see what it is like behind the lens on race day.

You can tell Trevor is well-known at Newmarket, he is the only photographer who can park his car on the inside of the course; the rest of the snappers haul their equipment over from the press car park.

You do not become one of horseracing's top photographers overnight though.

"I worked in a camera shop helping people load film into cameras in Eastbourne," he says.

"People would be coming in with their cameras to shoot their holiday snaps."

Taffy Jones

It is no surprise Trevor ended up taking his photo background to the sport stadiums and race tracks of the world.

His Dad, Melton Jones, better known as Taffy, was boss at Eastbourne Town Football Club and has a stand named after him at the ground.

Trevor lights up when he talks about him: "If anyone ever wrote anything about me it was 'son of Taffy'.

"He was a little legend in Eastbourne and Sussex footballing circles."

But what about this racehorse photography lark? Good shots mean more customers, so the pressure's on to get everything just right.

Trevor has become a fixture at Newmarket racecourse

The first competition of the day is the 1.30pm stakes and Trevor mounts his stepladder, anticipating the perfect view.

Action packed

"I'm hoping for a sequence of about five or six frames of the horses going right underneath my viewer," he says, trigger finger getting ready on the shutter button.

The race ends up a damp squib. Inler Evens wins by a couple of lengths.

Trevor explains why this is not ideal: "You want the two jockeys vying for the lead. Ideally you'd have something colourful and action packed."

I decide I am going to give it a go myself with the trusty BBC Cambridgeshire website camera.

Needless to say I feel embarrassingly inadequate next to Trevor's super-duper long lens and high-tech equipment.

But with his advice I may be able to shoot something passable: "You want to make the horse look elegant rather than on a horrible stride where it looks like it may be tripping over."

I take the advice on board and conclude that the best I can hope for is that the horse does not actually trip over.

Rubbish effort

We retire to the press room to browse our efforts. Years ago we would have had to wait until we got the film back to the dark room.

A good shot captures some drama and plenty of action

These days photographers glare at the digital screens on the back of their cameras or admire their snaps on a laptop computer.

Mine, compared to Trev's, are rubbish.

Somehow he has managed to take a host of photos with the full body of the horses in shot, every muscle and sinew pulsating like we were still next to the track.

Then, in a flash, he has captured a close-up of a jockey and horse in their final burst for the finish line. I was happy to get one picture where everything was in focus.

Looking around the press room I see a host of empty seats set aside for journalists. Trevor and I are nursing a cup of tea at the Birmingham Mail desk.

It would seem the financial downturn means reporters are turning to other sports.

Stay in bed

"There would have been many more national newspapers and agencies photographing the horses, certainly here at Newmarket," says Trevor.

"Newspapers are very much led by the Premier League, cricket and rugby."

We make our last race the 3.45pm which sees a winner for the Queen and a photo Trevor is reasonably happy with. I ask if he starts the day confident he will get the perfect shot.

"I always start off like that," he admits. "By quarter to five I've usually changed my view. If you don't start optimistic you might as well stay in bed."

Looking at my photos, I think I definitely should have remained between the sheets.

Take a look at more photos from our day here .