Great Leighs - back on track

[Stevet1859]

Extract lifted from today's Essex Chronicle... GREAT Leighs racecourse is back on track to become a world-class racing venue after being bought by investors. MC Racetracks of Reading took over the all-weather facility on Friday last week from West Register, a Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) subsidiary which bought it from the administrators Deloitte earlier this year. It puts an end to years of speculation and several failed attempts by investors to revive the racecourse's fortunes. And the track, which hasn't held a race meeting for almost three years after it went into administration, could be handed racing fixtures from the British Horseracing Authority by January 2013. A major construction project will begin this year to build a hospitality complex, followed by a new grandstand in 2014. MC Racetracks' chief executive Tony James said: "This has been a long and complicated process but to finally exchange contracts is a tremendous achievement. "We can now look forward to 2012 when the hard work will really begin. "I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parties involved – those many supporters from the Great Leighs and Chelmsford area; the huge support from the racing industry and especially Fraser Garrity and Jamie Stier of the British Horseracing Authority, who have guided us throughout." Mr James said they had approached the BHA earlier this year about getting the track re-licensed, and the application process would begin in January. He added: "Testing of the Polytrack (the synthetic racing surface), which included riders and trainers, was carried out throughout the summer and the track is in fine condition. "All of the buildings on site are structurally sound, but have suffered a bit of wear and tear over the past few years, so a major project will be the construction of a hospitality complex this year and then a state-of-the-art grandstand." Ben Deacon, of West Register, who has been managing the site on behalf of RBS, said: "I am pleased to confirm that the future development of the racecourse now appears secure. "We will continue to support this project with its application for a British Horseracing Association licence." Essex entrepreneur John Holmes built Britain's first new racecourse in 80 years, but his vision turned into a nightmare when RBS called in administrators in January 2009, less than eight months after it opened. Racehorses galloped along the course in April 2011 when a group of world-renowned trainers wanted to publicly demonstrate their determination to bring racing back to Essex. Luca Cumani, Chris Wall, Stuart Williams and Phil McEntee, representing 60 trainers based in Newmarket, have consistently backed the bid for a new owner. Each trainer sent two thoroughbreds to Great Leighs, hoping to convince a major player in the horseracing world to stump up the necessary cash. Three times Derby winner Walter Swinburn was one of the first flat-racing trainers to walk the Great Leighs track. Mr Swinburn, who famously won the Epsom Derby by a record ten lengths on superstar Shergar, said he was glad to hear the course was back in business and confident it would succeed. "I found it to be a state-of-the-art course, the best in the country thanks to the all-weather track with its superb Polytrack surface for racing in all conditions." Horses trained at the Walter Swinburn Racing Stables, in Hertfordshire, took part in the first races at Great Leighs nearly three years ago. "We never had a winner but I knew the racecourse was a winner and I look forward to returning to Great Leighs," he said. The Polytrack at Great Leighs was recently refurbished by MCE Ltd, also of Reading. MCE boss Martin Collins said: "Great Leighs' Polytrack was widely regarded as the best in the UK, if not Europe."

[mileni4uk]

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