Racing: Guernsey racecourse ready for revival after gap of 13 years

Plans for new racecourses in Britain may seem to be perpetually on hold but racing is poised to return to the island of Guernsey after a gap of 13 years.

Plans for new racecourses in Britain may seem to be perpetually on hold but racing is poised to return to the island of Guernsey after a gap of 13 years.

The Guernsey Race Club has made an application to the Channel Islands Racing and Hunt Club, the local equivalent of the Jockey Club, to hold a fixture at L'Ancresse Common, in the north of the island, on 2 May, 2005. Ruth Bougourd, wife of Guernsey trainer, Tom, said: "We used to have two meetings a year, but struggled to attract runners and the last meeting was in 1992. However, the club had a very positive response after it sponsored a day's racing at Les Landes [Jersey's racecourse] last July. We've already started work on the course which will be re-seeded and have new topsoil where it is needed." Christopher Edwards, the secretary of the Channel Islands Racing and Hunt Club, added: "We've agreed in principle to the fixture, subject to certain safety conditions being met, and the stewards will inspect the course again in November."