GODOLPHIN'S Tryster edged out Gaelic Silver in a pulsating finish to the first race at Chelmsford City.

The Essex circuit, formerly known as Great Leighs, closed in January 2009 after going into administration less than a year after it launched, but has reopened under a new name.

The Betfred Handicap got proceedings under way, with Tryster the 2-1 favourite in the hands of Adam Kirby.

Sent off the market leader, he was settled at the back of the field for much of the mile and a quarter journey, but was produced with a telling run in the straight.

Just as it looked as though he would win comprehensively, he hung violently to his left when coming under pressure, running across Gaelic Silver.

The two lunged to the line almost as one, but the judge called Tryster the winner by a short-head.

Kirby said: "He's still a bit of a baby and lacks a bit of experience. He just looked at something up the straight and had a duck out, but there was loads underneath me.

Echo:

Invigilator ridden by Patrick Mathers (second right) goes on to win the Fulton's Restaurant Handicap Stakes at Chelmsford City racecourse, Chelmsford

"I was quite surprised as I thought it (the track) was a little bit deep, but it's a sound surface. It's perfect."

The stewards inevitably called an inquiry following the interference between the first two but the placings remained unaltered.

Jono Mills, representing winning trainer Charlie Appleby and owner Godolphin, said: "It's only his fourth start and he's already a winner once. This was a learning curve to see if he likes the surface and he did.

"Unfortunately he caught something in the corner of his eye but it was a progressive step and he's going in the right direction."

Members of the public without pre-booked tickets were not admitted but generally the reaction among the estimated 750 people present, including invited guests and connections of the runners, seemed favourable despite some very small setbacks including a tumble dryer blowing up that created some very brief power outages.

Echo:

Zamoura ridden by Nicky Mackay (right) goes on to win the SIS Fillies' Stakes at Chelmsford City racecourse, Chelmsford

Seddik Hamla from Harlow, one of the invited guests, said: "I came here when it was Great Leighs four or five times and it definitely wasn't as good as this - this place is really nice.

"It's better than places like Lingfield and they've really spent a few quid. I'll be coming back soon as they've done it really well and what I've seen so far is very, very good."

Tim Hunt travelled from Southend, also as an invited guest, said: "I've not been here before and it looks unfinished from the outside and they've got a lot of work to do before the next meeting on January 22nd.

"But the inside is neat and clean, although I can't see any signage telling you where to go."

Philip Siers, racecourse managing director, welcomed racegoers and said: "We've got 58 fixtures here this year and we only bought it in December of 2013 and we've collapsed a two-year construction project into one year.

"The weather hasn't helped us and we've a couple of small things to do which will be completed by the end of January and we've limited the crowd on that basis.

"We've spent £15 million on the track as we want to have a facility that helps racing and all of racing's constituents.

"This is the first of possibly three trial fixtures - we certainly want one more. The official opening will be on February 1 when we'll be open to the public, although we might increase the crowd gradually, perhaps up to 1000/1200 for the January 22 fixture.

Echo:

Blue Aegean ridden by Adam Kirby (centre) goes on to win the Weatherbys Printing Handicap Stakes at Chelmsford City racecourse, Chelmsford

"We've got overall prize money of £2.2 million this year which is a considerable investment by us. For a small track that is a significant amount and we're hoping to get some big corporate sponsors with the money ploughed back into the facilities and prize money.

"We have a couple of significant fixtures here - March 28 which is World Cup night at Meydan and September 26 which is Breeders' Cup Trial night."

Joe Scanlon, racecourse chairman, added: "This is a preview and you don't open a production on Broadway or the West End without a preview. I know that people are disappointed not to be at the inaugural meeting but it's for all the right reasons."

John Gosden soon added his name to the roster when Zamoura was a game winner of the SIS Maiden Fillies' Stakes.

Sent off the 2-5 favourite after a promising run when second on her debut, she looked a sitting duck in the straight but kept on pulling out more for Nicky Mackay.

Duchess Of Marmite was just a head back in second.

"She's still green and I thought I was beaten but she just held on," said Mackay.

"Hopefully there's more to come from her.

"The track rides lovely, it's very nice to ride."

Kirby and Appleby made it a double when Blue Aegean was a comfortable winner of the Weatherbys Printing Handicap.

The first-time hood worked wonders on the top weight as she streaked to a three-length win.

"She has a high cruising speed and when she put it into gear she lengthened all the way to the line," said Kirby.

Graham Gibbons, often considered a fine jockey from the front, showed that he is just as able to come late as he swooped in the closing stages on the David Barron-trained Zac Brown (9-2) in the Greene King Handicap to deny It Must Be Faith by three and a quarter lengths.

Royal Bajan was a length and three-quarters adrift in third.

Gibbons said: "He needs a gallop and we've been trying to get six furlongs - he won at that trip - but ideally he wants five furlongs. The hood didn't make that much difference and was just an experiment and the distance was the important thing.

"The surface will get better in time but it's pretty slow at the moment."

Echo:

Runners and riders during the Betfred Handicap Stakes at Chelmsford City racecourse, Chelmsford

Tempus Temporis ran out a laughably easy winner of the Betsi Golden Mile Conditions Stakes, a Fast Track Qualifier for Good Friday.

Wearing the Godolphin blue for the first time, having previously won last time out in the colours of Princess Haya of Jordan, the result never looked in any doubt.

Robert Havlin tracked the front-running Anonymous John before unleashing the Dynaformer colt and he impressively sprinted clear of Saeed bin Suroor's, Super Kid, wearing the first-string colours of Godolphin.

The 11-4 chance brought up a double on the day for Gosden in winning by an eased-down five lengths.

Gosden's wife, Rachel Hood said: "This horse had the blinkers on which suited him and he's been very progressive."

Jono Mills, representing Godolphin, said: "I would anticipate that the All-Weather Championship is exactly where we'll go but we'll go home and check with John and the team and then a decision will be made."

Havlin said: "I knew Mr Gosden's horse stayed and we probably beat a few non-stayers there today."