Chelmsford City Course Guide

Originally opened as Great Leighs in 2008, racing returned to the venue now known as Chelmsford City in January 2015 after a hiatus of six years from 2009. The course is an all-weather circuit based on the same oval configuration as American tracks with a Polytrack racing surface.

A popular venue with Newmarket trainers, some useful horses have already raced at the track since it’s reopening, notably future Easter Classic winner Tryster and Coventry Stakes winner Buratino.

Flat Racing

Chelmsford City (first opened in April 2008 under the name Great Leighs) has a polytrack surface and is essentially galloping in nature, having broad, sweeping turns. It is a left-handed track of just over a mile in circumference, with seven-furlong and one-mile races starting in different spurs.

Nobody can fault the layout of Chelmsford, because it’s superb, absolutely immaculate, with lovely turns and a good long straight. You’d struggle to find a horse that can’t handle the sweep of the bends and you can ride into them as hard as you can anywhere. Lots of people have noticed there’s been a pace bias, making it hard to come from behind, and that the kickback was severe. That should change now they’re working on resurfacing and, potentially, it’s as good an all-weather venue as you’ll find.

View from the saddle: Jason Weaver