Great Leighs has once again failed to be included in the UK horse racing calendar!

As in 2013 the BHA has rejected an application from course owners MC Racetracks Limited to run fixtures at Great Leigh’s next year. The management team behind the racecourse have responded with fury to Thursday's decision by the sport's ruling body that the track should not be allowed to bid for fixtures for 2014. The formal reasons for that decision have been kept private.

Great Leigh's was the first horse racing venue to open in Britain in 81 years when it put on its first card in April 2008. It was initially open for less than a year, between April 2008 and January 2009, but the course went into administration and had its racing licence revoked.

New owners MC Racetracks who took over the track in November 2011 had hopes of holding 35 to 45 races per year.

The BHA's director of integrity Adam Brickell said: "The application has been given careful and thorough consideration, but the Board was not in a position to approve Great Leigh’s participation in the 2014 fixture allocation process. The BHA remains open to new racecourse applications under our annual guidelines, and will continue to provide the necessary assistance and guidance to prospective applicants."