There was major uproar on Wednesday as it was announced one of Chelmsford’s biggest meetings of the season would not take place. The Great Leighs-based track was set to host racing on Thursday and Friday, with races totalling over £300,000 in prize-money.
The news comes after the BHA failed to deem the new licensed company appropriate to operate. Golden Mile Racing Limited had gone into administration last week. A BHA statement, via the Racing Post, said: “It was confirmed that the company operating Chelmsford had gone into administration. We worked round the clock to do all we could to make sure the Thursday and Friday fixtures went ahead. This included stakeholders, the administrators and GMRL, the new company which has been formed and proposed to operate the racecourse.
“We fully recognised the importance and value of these fixtures. Which owners, trainers and jockeys will have been targeting for some time. It was therefore clearly appropriate for us to give as much time as possible to resolve the situation. In a way that would allow the fixtures this week to go ahead. Those discussions continued well into Wednesday morning. However, ultimately the board was left in a position whereby it could not support a licence being granted.
“This was a difficult decision given our understanding of the regrettable impact on the racing community. The reasons for this decision are confidential. GMRL has 21 days from receipt of written reasons to lodge an appeal to the licensing committee against this decision.”
Connections slam decision
Many connections within the sport have expressed their frustrations. Eve Johnston Houghton said, via the Racing Post: “It’s just wrong. It’s a complete disregard for trainers, owners and jockeys. We found out after declarations had closed. I don’t know if I could have made any other entries for my horses. They certainly didn’t give us the option to do so.
“Do they not think we have to do race planning? I had three races picked out for my horses that I’d been planning for weeks. Owners have changed their plans to be there – one of ours took a day off on Thursday to go. I feel so sorry for them.”
Jockey Paddy Bradley stated: “To allow declarations at 10am on the richest day of all-weather racing of the year then cancel the fixture a few hours later leaving jockeys unable to ride at other meetings is absolutely disgraceful.”
Michael Keady further added: “Like the other trainers and professionals involved, for me the loss of the two fixtures at Chelmsford is incredibly frustrating. Not least because of the timing and lack of warning beforehand. We had a runner scheduled for the £50,000 mile series final, which had been the plan for months. So to lose opportunities like that, with seemingly no prospect of the card being saved, is gutting.”
The BHA have stated they won’t make any further public comments amid appending appeals.