IN one of the most startling developments of recent years, the Jockey Club announced this week that Kempton Park is to close, with major alterations planned for Newmarket and Sandown. The former will have a floodlit all-weather track, while the latter – the new home for the King George VI Chase – will be given a much-needed facelift.

Nothing will happen in the immediate future and Kempton will continue racing until at least 2021. However, the Jockey Club has already drafted proposals for the course to be redeveloped for housing by builders Redrow.

Kempton is situated in Sunbury-on-Thames, south-west of Central London. It is a highly desirable site for new homes and up to 3,000 would be built with around £100m raised from the sale.

A planning application will be submitted within the next two years and, if successful, the Jockey Club will be looking to reinvest around £500m over the following decade. Chief executive Simon Bazalgette said the board of stewards were unanimously of the view that British racing’s long-term interests were best served by this ‘unique package’. The Club, he added, was currently sitting on £115m worth of debt.

great moments

Put bluntly, Kempton will not be missed by many. First opened in 1878 it has known its great moments, of course, with Arkle, Kauto Star, Desert Orchid and Wayward Lad on the roll of honour.

But the venue comes alive only on St Stephen’s Day and all-weather racing under lights has been a failure, with quantity far outweighing quality as the executive sought to make up the shortfall in revenue. Kempton was never going to become another Windsor on summer evenings.

Against that, other top jumps races include the Christmas Hurdle and the Feltham Novices’ Chase, while today’s Lanzarote Hurdle is always a competitive affair.

Nicky Henderson was quick to praise the going at Kempton and doubted whether Sandown could take much more racing. The three-times champion trainer is strongly against the scheme.

CASINO

Of course, Newmarket trainers will welcome a new all-weather track on their doorstep. Also this week, neighbouring Chelmsford announced its own plans for a turf course and a casino on site. This seems likely to happen, making it the first American/Canadian style venue, with guaranteed casino profits boosting prize-money.

Interesting times indeed.