Timeform has come out strongly against the idea of building on Kempton racecourse and poured scorn on the Jockey Club’s suggestion that Sandown would be a suitable alternative venue for the King George VI Chase.
The respected ratings organisation makes its stand in the latest edition of its hefty, much-loved annual Chasers & Hurdlers, to be published this week, an advance copy of which has been seen by the Guardian.
The latest King George VI Chase, won by Thistlecrack on Boxing Day, was a success on several measures so it was, in Timeform’s words, “astonishing” that the Jockey Club revealed its plans to close the site and build thousands of homes just a fortnight later.
Timeform describes Kempton as “superbly located close to the M25, very much part of the sport’s heritage and one of jumping’s irreplaceable assets”.
Its unbylined essay continues: “The idea the King George VI Chase should now be moved from Kempton and run at sister course Sandown … is as unacceptable as the idea of moving the Grand National from Aintree or the Gold Cup from Cheltenham.” Timeform notes Sandown’s “uphill finish and habitually more testing conditions” make it a very different track from the flat, well-drained Kempton.
Kempton attracted crowds of 21,000 and 11,000 for its two-day Christmas meeting last year, which Timeform contrasts with the 13,000 and 11,000 who attended Sandown’s best two days’ racing last season. Sandown has long found it difficult to attract the sort of peak crowds that might be expected in view of its proximity to London.
Timeform goes on to imagine the launching of a “Save Kempton” campaign within racing, predicting it would enjoy vocal support from residents in the area. It suggests use might be made of the presence of bats in a nature conservation area near the track as a means of defeating development.
Jump racing’s two most important tracks have been similarly at risk in decades past, giving Timeform some reason to hope Kempton could still have a long future. “Neither Cheltenham nor Aintree has looked back since they were saved from the developers and there is no reason why Kempton, which there is no pressing need to sell, should not thrive as a jumps course under dynamic management,” it adds.
“Racing is a sport that values its history and its traditions,” says Timeform before outlining the quantity of heritage that would be lost if Kempton disappeared under houses and apartment blocks. Desert Orchid and Kauto Star produced their very best performances there, according to Timeform, while Arkle ran his final race there half a century ago.
The Jockey Club declined to respond to Timeform’s barbs. A spokesman said there has been no change in the position since early in the year, when the Jockey Club responded with interest to a “call for sites” issued by the local council.
Simon Bazalgette, the Jockey Club’s chief executive, said in a recent interview with Owner Breeder magazine that any application for planning permission is still a year away and may not happen at all. “We are going round the country listening to different views from all stakeholders,” he said. “On the whole, most people who have been engaged have been reasonably constructive, even if they’re not supportive of us selling Kempton. Most people understand it’s a difficult decision but probably one that when you trade everything off, it’s in the best interests of the sport.
“Our stewards firmly believe there is the opportunity to do more good for the sport through these proposals than maintaining the status quo. We have been as transparent as we can about what the considerations are. If we sell Kempton, we need to make sure the issues that do arise from the sale can be addressed or mitigated and, given the money that can be generated, it’s worth making those investments.”
