Great Leighs future is bleak as deadline passes

Great Leighs seems likely to gather moss for the foreseeable future as racing's chiefs are expected to announce that a new company formed to take over the stricken course will not be allowed to bid for fixtures in 2010.

The British Horseracing Authority spent yesterday locked in talks with the potential new owners and operators, but no decision had been reached by the close of business - a deadline set for the issue of a licence for allocating next year's fixtures.

The financially-troubled Essex track last raced on 15 January and went into administration the following day.

But Essex businessman Terry Chambers - a friend of Great Leighs founder John Holmes - who owns the nearby Ashfields Carriage and Polo Club, is behind a new consortium who are attempting to buy the racecourse.

The BHA board ruled that any new company who bought the track, which opened in May last year, would need its new representatives to be involved in an auction of BHA-owned fixtures, due to take place on 8 June.

For that to happen, the BHA stated that the owners would need to have a licence in place by this morning, but they had not told the new consortium of their decision by last night and said that they will make an announcement today, "after the deadline has passed".