Horse racing cancelled after licence refused

All forthcoming fixtures at Chelmsford City Racecourse have been cancelled after the British Horseracing Authority refused to give the new operator a licence.

Chelmsford City Racecourse opened in 2015 and now hosts weddings and music events, including a festival headlined by Justin Timberlake in July.

The previous tenant of the course, Great Leighs Estates Limited (GLEL), was placed in administration last month.

A new tenant, Golden Mile Racing Limited (GMRL), applied for a fresh licence, but the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) refused the request.

The BHA said the fixtures that were scheduled for Thursday, Friday and 9 April were among the dates cancelled.

"It is regrettable they have been cancelled at such short notice," a spokesperson said.

"We recognise this will impact owners, participants – especially trainers, staff and jockeys – as well as racegoers."

An administrator was appointed for GLEL on 25 March, but the BHA said a fixture went ahead the following day "with agreement" from the administrator.

BHA said GLEL's licence expired on Tuesday.

GMRL made a case for a new licence to the BHA board on the same day, but "having considered the matter carefully", they refused to grant one.

"The reasons for this decision are confidential," the spokesperson added.

The venue first opened as Great Leighs Racecourse in 2008, becoming the first new racecourse in Britain in more than 80 years.

However, it went into administration within a year and hosted its last fixture in January 2009.

It reopened six years later with new investment.

In September, the racecourse was told it could not host music events with more than 10,000 people after police complained that spectators could have died at the Timberlake concert.

Attendees of the Chelmsford City Live festival abandoned their cars and walked on the verge of a dual carriageway because of traffic chaos.

The BBC has contacted Chelmsford City Racecourse for comment.

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.