AP McCoy says horse racing cannot afford to lose Kempton Park

Tony McCoy sits astride a statue of Desert Orchid at press conference held at Kempton Park, November 2000
Julian Herbert/ALLSPORT

Former champion jump jockey AP McCoy says horse racing cannot afford to lose Kempton Park following a controversial plan to sell the venue to make way for 3,000 homes.

The Jockey Club proposal was outlined yesterday as part of a £500million investment in racing over the next decade, which would close Kempton and see its most illustrious race, the King George VI Chase, relocated to Sandown Park.

But McCoy told The Times: “It is terrible we will be losing a grade one jumps track and we can’t afford that. There will be a lot of people who will be disappointed.

“For grade one horses, indeed any horses, I am not sure Sandown has enough ground to cope with the fixtures it already has. It is not wide enough.”

McCoy’s sentiments were echoed by trainer Nicky Henderson, who boasts two King George victories on his CV. He said: “It will be a very sad day if we lost it and I fear it will be a nail in the National Hunt coffin.

“Kempton is unique. Kempton is a track National Hunt racing cannot afford to lose. We fought this battle once before and won.”

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