Chelmsford City racecourse in Essex has lost its licence to host fixtures, casting serious doubt on its long-term future. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) declined to grant a racing licence to Golden Mile Racing Limited (GMRL), the company that applied to take over after the previous operator went into administration. This means scheduled meetings, including the lucrative Good Friday fixture with £250,000 in prize money, are cancelled pending any appeal.
The track's troubles follow chaotic scenes at a Justin Timberlake concert on 4 July 2025, when 25,000 fans faced long queues and traffic jams. A legal action from the concert was settled out of court, but crowd capacity for gigs was reduced. The track's operator, Great Leighs Estates Limited, entered administration on Monday, leading to GMRL's licence application.
The BHA stated it “did not consider it appropriate” to grant a licence to GMRL, meaning no further fixtures will be staged at Chelmsford City until an appeal outcome. This includes meetings on 2 April, 3 April, and 9 April. The loss of the track, which staged 38 meetings last year, would leave a significant gap in the racing calendar.
The racecourse has a troubled history. First proposed in 2001 by local entrepreneur John Holmes, it opened as Great Leighs in May 2008 but was placed into administration in January 2009. It reopened as Chelmsford City in 2015 with a permanent grandstand. Despite racegoers' facility complaints, trainers and jockeys praised the track's fair, galloping layout and proximity to Newmarket.
