Folkestone's transformation is looming - but there are still painful memories

Walking down the back straight at Folkestone on a crisp December afternoon brings the memories flooding back – but there are no hoofprints in the turf anymore.

A decade has passed since Quartz Du Montceau won the last race run under rules at a dual-purpose track that once epitomised the grassroots of the racing industry in Britain.

The fences, winning post and most of the running rails have gone but surprisingly little else has changed. The terraces may be permanently empty these days but the red-brick grandstand is proving resilient against the chilling wind driving in from the Channel. The same can't be said for its rickety, wooden counterpart but the tree-lined pasddock and saddling boxes remain in situ, while the turf on the 1m3f oval is in unexpectedly decent shape after a recent trim.