The horses are due to fly out to Beijing on 30 July

Great Leighs Racecourse has been put on standby to accommodate horses heading out to the Beijing Olympics.

The course's stables have been cleared to act as a holding area for 24 horses, should there be any delay in their flight from Stansted to Hong Kong.

Should this situation arise, the horses will be held in quarantine conditions at the Essex course, which is just 15 minutes from the airport.

In April, Great Leighs became Britain's first new venue to open in 81 years.

The racecourse's chairman John Holmes was delighted to have been given the go-ahead to be a part of the back-up plan.

He said: "We are delighted that the international significance of our stabling and quarantine facilities has been recognised.

"Especially as we are only a 50-minute drive from Greenwich, site of the Olympic horse park in 2012."

The Olympic test held in Hong Kong this time last year was affected by a typhoon, which caused a series of delays for the equestrian teams.