It's quite possible that the last ever race took place at Hereford this afternoon on a course which has been in exsistence for over 200 years.
Lack of investment has been blamed and the Arena Racing Company who lease the course from Hereford Council say it's not viable.
Just 2600 people watched the racing today, of which only around 1100 paid to go in.
Just 2600 people watched the racing today, of which only around 1100 paid to go in.
"It (Hereford) closes today but we're leaving two groundstaff here and keeping everything as it is as a racecourse," said ARC assistant racing director Jim Allen.
"The fences and running rail will be maintained as well, we will be
cutting and fertilising the track and there will be a site manager to
maintain stands and buildings.
"We're still willing to talk to anyone that comes along but at the
moment no-one has approached us. We'd like to see racing continue at
Hereford at some point in the future and we'll do what we can to make
that happen.
"There has been one redundancy and all the rest of the staff have found
new jobs. There are 17 years left on the lease and any racecourse or
body can come and talk to us about it. The council has come back to us
about a new 125-year lease, but this has only recently been received. It
is very brief and there will be a meeting at some point in the new
year.
"We'll be maintaining it, it will stay as it and there is still
every opportunity that some fixtures in 2014 will return here. The BHA
(British Horseracing Authority) normally start the fixture list around
February and finish in June or July and we've applied for a licence for
Hereford next year.
"But we are preparing to shut down and are not expecting to race in
2013. In 2014 I could see it in action, but the nuts and bolts of it are
it doesn't make much money and that's why we're closing it.
Meanwhile locally born rider Richard Johnson won the first race on Sammys Gone.
"I was 16 when I first rode here, so it’s very sad. I know a lot of people have said they are keen on trying to do something to keep it open, so I really hope they do."