As part of a proposed half a billion pound investment in British Racing, The Jockey Club in Britain have announced huge changes in its racecourses over the next five years. However, the plans are sure to be controversial as it may result in the loss of Kempton Park as a racecourse.

It intends to contribute more than £500 million to British Racing over the next decade through a national programme of investments designed to benefit the sport.

The Jockey Club statement reads that it intends to fund its ambitions through “its diverse commercial operations and, subject to a successful planning process, redevelopment on its estate at Kempton Park”

It intends to transform Sandown Park “through investment in its facilities, track and race programme, including the staging of the 32Red King George VI Chase, as part of plans to unlock its potential as a thriving dual-code Class 1 racecourse for London and the South East.” This follows Spelthorne Borough Council's decision to undertake a review of its Green Belt boundaries and housing needs.

The intention is to create a new purpose-built floodlit all-weather racecourse with Newmarket the front-running location for maximum convenience for Britain’s busiest racehorse centre.

It would mean that the King George, the third most iconic chase in British steeplechasing, first run in February 1937, would be moved to Sandown after 2021.

If Kempton Park is redeveloped, The Jockey Club would intend to stage a select amount of its jumps programme at Sandown Park, including the 32Red King George VI Chase. Sandown Park has staged the race, won by One Man (1995) and Kicking King (2005).

The Jockey Club intends for Sandown Park to receive major investment to unlock its potential as London’s number one dual purpose track, as well as boosting jump racing around the country.

The Jockey Club website states “Such an outcome has been carefully considered by the stewards of The Jockey Club as in the best long-term interests of British racing given the benefits for horsemen and racegoers that can be created and with the Surrey community already well-served for racing. If development is permitted, The Jockey Club will be looking to ensure it generates in excess of £100 million for investment in British racing.

"Any changes from current operations at Kempton Park are entirely conditional on a successful planning process.”

The Jockey Club is preparing for a planning application to create a new floodlit all-weather course, purpose-built on its land at a site in Newmarket to replace Kempton Park’s all-weather operations and The Jockey Club would require it to be operational before racing stopped at Kempton Park.

Kempton Park’s other jumps fixtures would be transferred to other jumps courses operated by the Jockey Club around the country.”

Record sums are also planned to be contributed to prize money over the next decade and an increase in support for important causes and initiatives in the sport, including equine welfare and the welfare and education of racing’s workforce.

Roger Weatherby, Senior Steward of The Jockey Club, said: “If changes take place at Kempton Park in the future we will act to secure and invest in the Jumps programme nationally. We will work with the British Horseracing Authority to seek to run some races, including the King George VI Chase, at Sandown Park. We plan to transform Sandown Park's facilities, utilise the latest advances in track technology and help bring a focus on it as London’s premier dual-code racecourse right on the doorstep of millions of people, unlocking what we see as its great potential.

“A new purpose-built all-weather course on The Links in Newmarket to replace that at Kempton Park would be ideal for the thousands of horses trained at the home of racing and beyond, as well as shortening the working day for racing’s people there. I am also particularly pleased that The Jockey Club will be even better placed in the coming years to provide further support to important causes, such as racing’s welfare and education programmes. As ever our intention is for our sport to benefit to the greatest extent possible.”