City Racing faces key trials morning as BHA seeks further testing on surface

A crucial trials morning in Newmarket next month is set to determine the future of City Racing with the BHA requesting further rigorous testing of the surface and logistics for the ambitious project.

Following public trials at Aintree last November, which received generally positive feedback from participants, Peter Phillips, the Queen's grandson who fronts the Jockey Club and SEL UK company, had declared his ambition for city centre racing to start the following year.

However, despite the positive noises and promises of racing taking place at iconic locations such as the Champs-Elysees in Paris and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, no timetable or venues have been announced. In 2016 racing on Oxford Street in London was rejected by the local council.

The backing of the BHA is viewed as vital to the future of the venture, partly due to the involvement of the Jockey Club and partly as an indicator that the racing meets health and safety standards for participants.

As such, a sequence of private trials will take place on the surface in front of BHA inspectors in Newmarket on November 7 on a strip of road near the Rowley Mile racecourse, according to a letter sent to the town's trainers, who have been asked to provide horses for the morning. Horses will gallop two abreast for three furlongs on the surface with approximately one and a half furlongs to pull up.

A BHA spokesman said: "The BHA continues to liaise with the team behind City Racing regarding their proposals. As part of this process the BHA have requested to test and inspect the track that it is proposed might be used at City Racing fixtures."

Despite the drawn-out process, City Racing officials remain confident the product will be able to be rolled out next year, claiming one city has been secured to host the inaugural meeting.

City Racing spokesman Johnno Spence said: "Aintree was a public event and following that trial we sat down with the BHA and are now working very closely with them.

"They have requested another trial in Newmarket to look more closely at the track itself under race conditions. They've requested it to be private because it’s for their professionals to look at it and we have sent an email to Newmarket trainers to ask for their support with horses, and we would hope to get some jockey feedback too."

He added: "It's our full intention to work with the BHA and have the races run under the rules of racing.

"It's been a long road from its inception but it's a massive initiative to try and start, and we never expected it to be a smooth journey. We're still confident it'll take place sometime next year."

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