Musselburgh gets temporary licence

MUSSELBURGH has been granted a temporary licence until October 16, meaning the track’s fixtures during the remainder of the 2018 Flat season can go ahead as scheduled.

The circuit’s future has been thrown into doubt on several occasions in recent months following a dispute between East Lothian Council and the Lothians Racing Syndicate.

Together the t wo bodies form the Musselburgh Joint Racing Committee, which is responsible for the management and operation of the track.

A temporary licence from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) expired in April following several meetings between East Lothian Council and Lothians Racing Syndicate, who failed to reach agreement in finding a way forward.

The BHA rejected the council’s wish to begin running the course through a committee made up of four council members and two racing experts, which meant the Edinburgh track was unable to stage meetings unless a solution was found.

The ruling body, though, issued a temporary licence to ensure last week’s two-day fixture could go ahead and this has now been extended until the autumn.

A statement read: “The BHA Board remains of the view that it is in the interests of the racecourse and the wider sport for a temporary licence to be issued for this period.”