Confusion on Kempton future after denials course to be bulldozed for houses

Barratt Redrow, the housebuilding company that holds an option to redevelop the site of Kempton Park racecourse in Surrey, has denied a claim by a local MP that an application to bulldoze the historic home of the King George VI Chase to build more than 2,000 new homes on the site will be submitted this year.

According to a report on the Racing Post’s website on Friday, Lincoln Jopp MP, the Conservative member for Spelthorne, told a meeting of local residents on Thursday evening that he had been informed of the decision to put in a planning application in a meeting with representatives of both Barratt Redrow and the Jockey Club, Kempton’s owner.

However, a spokesperson for Barratt Redrow later disputed the suggestion, saying that “a planning application is not going to be submitted this year though we will continue to work with Spelthorne borough council as part of their Call for Sites’ process. We will share further updates in due course.”

The Jockey Club initially announced a plan to sell the site for housing in January 2017, but the proposal met fierce resistance from racing fans and professionals as well as local residents and was shelved in early 2020.

In late 2025, however, it emerged that the developer had negotiated a 10-year option to buy the site in 2018 if planning permission could be obtained, and that as a result, its future was beyond the Jockey Club’s control.

The latest speculation over the future of Kempton Park follows changes to planning laws in the government’s Planning and Infrastructure Act, which aims to promote housebuilding nationwide.

Constitution can eclipse rivals

Aidan O’Brien-trained three-year-olds have won four of the last five renewals of the Eclipse Stakes – and he did not send a runner in 2022 – and Constitution River (3.35), the French Derby winner, will be a short price to add another Group One success to his record in Sandown’s historic feature event on Saturday.

Constitution River’s seven-length defeat of Generic – a winner at Royal Ascot last month – in the Dee Stakes in May was the most impressive performance in any of the British Classic trials, and though he was steered towards Chantilly rather than Epsom, his three-quarter length defeat of his stable companion, Hawk Mountain, in France can be marked up as he had to overcome the worst of the draw.

Owen Burrows’s four-year-old Gethin, a close second behind the subsequent Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner, Ombudsman, over track and trip in May, is likely to offer the stiffest resistance to the favourite as he steps into all-aged company for the first time.

Constitution River, though, is already several pounds clear of the field on ratings and with just five runs in the book, he also has more scope for improvement than any of his rivals.

Sandown 1.50 Last year’s winner, *Rumstar, *stood little chance from a low draw at Royal Ascot and has an obvious chance on the form of his earlier second-place finish at Newmarket.

Newmarket 2.05 A steady pace could count against Arc Ole Ole, the likely favourite, but should suit Andrew Balding’s Hard To Believe, a cosy winner at this course last time out.

Sandown 2.25 Indalo was first home in the far-side group when third past the post in the Royal Hunt Cup and has an excellent chance to go two places better off a 1lb higher mark.

Newmarket 2.40 The Lancashire Oaks moves to Suffolk while its traditional home at Haydock undergoes work on its racing surface, and Noel Meade’s improving three-year-old, Caught U Sleeping, who gets nearly a stone from her older rivals, could progress further for the step up in trip after a fine run over 10 furlongs last time.

Sandown 3.00 A jump to Listed class for Secret Of Life after her novice success at Haydock in May, but the visual impression of her easy win was backed up by the clock and she looks ready for this test.

Newmarket 3.15 Klassleader showed a fine turn of foot to chase down two rivals who had got first run at York in May and is the type to thrive for William Haggas this summer.