Despite the current difficult economic times, administrator Deloitte has revealed that it has been approached by "a number of parties" interested in buying Great Leighs, Britain's first new racecourse for 71 years which was closed last Friday.

The Essex track's latest temporary racing licence ran out last Thursday and the course's owner, Essex County Showground Limited, was placed into administration after running into financial difficulties.

The dreams of entrepreneur John Holmes, who tagged Great Leighs as "the future of racing", are in tatters but Carlton Siddle, Deloitte's corporate finance partner, believes the track, north of Chelmsford, could be staging racing again in around six weeks' time.

Siddle told today's Racing Post: "We have already been approached by a number of parties, all of whom wish to continue racing at Great Leighs.

"We have a duty to creditors to realise the most advantageous amount from the sale of the assets, and Great Leighs is being marketed as a going concern as a racecourse. We're not marketing it as a break-up, and the principal interest we have had so far has acknowledged that."

Paddy Power have opened betting on who will be the next owner of Great Leighs and make Arena Leisure, which was running the day-to-day management of the track, 2-1 favourite, ahead of Northern Racing at 9-4 and Jockey Club Racecourses at 3-1.

Siddle explained that a potential new owner already holding racing licences with the British Horseracing Authority would not get preferential treatment and that the vital factor of the sale would be deliverable financial value.

He said: "We will ask bidders to establish proof of funding to meet their offer. Then, when we have all the offers, we are obligated to make a judgement on which is the best."

Details of the assets for sale and the issues that any buyer would need to consider are set to be outlined in a memorandum today.

Siddle added: "A process over about four weeks is not unusual in these circumstances, which means it is critical we have as little disruption as possible to the business, so we can focus on the sale."