Chelmsford City Racecourse: An Overview
Chelmsford City Racecourse, initially known as Great Leighs Racecourse, is a thoroughbred horse racing venue situated in Great Leighs near Braintree, Essex, England. The racecourse opened in April 2008, marking it as the first entirely new racecourse in the UK since Taunton opened in 1927. However, it faced significant challenges and went into administration in January 2009, with racing not resuming until January 2015.
Development and Ownership
The racecourse was developed by entrepreneur John Holmes and his son, Jonathan, aiming to tap into what was seen as a largely underserved market in British horseracing. Despite Great Britain having roughly one racecourse per million people, Essex, with its population exceeding 1.6 million, and the neighboring areas of east London and Hertfordshire, lacked a dedicated racecourse. Situated just 50 miles from Newmarket, the UK’s largest racehorse training center, Chelmsford City is laid out as an 8.5-furlong (1,700-meter) left-handed Polytrack oval, featuring a 2-furlong (400-meter) home straight.
Opening and Early Challenges
The racecourse’s opening was initially planned for October 2006 but was postponed multiple times. The first race meeting was held on 20 April 2008, with the inaugural race won by Temple of Thebes. The full public opening occurred on 28 May 2008. While the venue received praise for its racing facilities, it faced criticism for incomplete visitor facilities, and attendances fell short of expectations. Notably, the 10,000-capacity grandstand had been used for the 2006 Ryder Cup.
Closure and Administration
On 16 January 2009, Chelmsford City Racecourse entered administration, and its temporary racing licence was revoked. Despite efforts to sell or lease the racecourse, including a proposed deal with local businessman Terry Chambers and subsequent negotiations with the Royal Bank of Scotland, the course remained closed. By June 2010, the administrators had shifted focus to finding an alternative use for the site. Several attempts to reopen the course, including those by MC Racetracks and a syndicate led by Fred Done, were unsuccessful until late 2014.
Reopening and Recent Developments
Chelmsford City Racecourse finally reopened on 11 January 2015, with a limited invited crowd. The full public reopening occurred on 22 January 2015, with the first race won by Tryster, trained by Charlie Appleby. The course’s first appearance on Channel 4 Racing came on 27 December 2015. In January 2017, Chelmsford City announced plans to build a casino and develop a new turf course within the existing all-weather track, reflecting its ongoing commitment to growth and innovation.
