THE future of Great Leighs racecourse remains in the balance despite the track failing to win approval to bid to stage fixtures in 2010.
The track’s administrators, Deloitte, failed to find a new buyer for the track in time for last week’s deadline for the allocation of next year’s fixtures by the British Horseracing Association but former owner and track founder John Holmes says the fight to save the track will continue.
Businessman Terry Chambers, a long-time friend of Holmes, has emerged as the head of the new consortium trying to take Great Leighs out of administration. He had previously been reported to have made a bid but then pulled out but the owner of Ashfields Carriage and Polo club has again emerged as a player in the bid to save the track.
The consortium had brokered a deal with Deloitte to lease the track for 18 months prior to a sale for a pre-aranged price. But uncertainly surrounding this deal was a stumbling block for the BHA sub-committee.
Chambers said: “I am bemused to say the least at the attitude of the BHA to new money coming into the sport and its inertia to genuine moves to save the racecourse that vwas widely admired by the industry and generated good yield for the Levy.”
Holmes added: “It seems we have been turned down because of ''insufficient evidence'', which is a pretty weak argument.
'The prizemoney situation has been dealt with, as have the creditors with this application. I paid the price of the financial situation but that doesn't mean Great Leighs must carry my burden.”
There is no course of appeal against the BHA's decision, leaving a prospect that a messy situation could end up in the courts.
Ironically, new Welsh track Ffos Las, which is due to open on June 18, had its racing licence approved on the same day the saga of Great Leighs took its latest twist.