The British Horseracing Board today confirmed that Great Leighs will not be staging its first six scheduled fixtures in 2006. The announcement follows a visit yesterday to the site in Essex by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority Inspectorate, and constructive meetings between all three parties.

The course, set to be the first to open in Britain for 80 years, anticipates staging its first meeting in November 2006, but this will be subject to a further HRA Inspectorate visit on September 8th.

Great Leighs’ fixtures on October 6th, 8th, 15th, and 29th, plus November 4th and 5th, have been returned to BHB, and will be auctioned in an online bidding process open to all Flat racecourses, which should take place at the end of next week.

BHB Acting Chief Executive Chris Brand said: “Although this is disappointing news, we remain fully supportive of Great Leighs’ ambitions, which reflect well on the whole sport.

“The success of the project should not be judged on its start date, but on what it achieves for British Racing in the years to come.”