Early green light for racing, but no word on Bettyville re-start
HORSE RACING in Ireland has been given the green light to resume from June 8, behind closed doors and under very strict protocols, three weeks ahead of the previously published schedule.
Jumps racing will re-start on June 22, and the first possible action at Bettyville, Wexford, will be on Friday, July 3, though this has still to be confirmed.
This is considered a very significant development for what is a multi-million euro major Irish industry that employs about 30,000 people all around the country, from the big superpowers right down to the grassroots in rural parishes in Wexford and every other county.
The Wexford track staged one of the last pre-lockdown meetings without spectators and with the minimum of personnel on St. Patrick’s Day, and it went off pretty smoothly though it was a slightly weird experience.
Since then five meetings have been lost: April 3, May 16 and 22, June 3 and 17. Racing is currently fixed for July 3, August 7, September 5, and the two-day October bank holiday meeting on the 25th and 26th.
Almost half the annual programme of eleven meetings has been lost and this represents a substantial drop in revenue, especially funding from TV coverage. It is hoped that some additional dates may be allocated for later in the year when the situation may have normalised.
The major early emphasis will be on the staging of flat racing both here and in Britain, where action resumes on June 1, with three of the five classics in each country scheduled for the first few weeks.
The British 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas and the Group 1 Coronation Cup will go ahead at Newmarket on June 6 and 7, and the Epsom Derby and Oaks are fixed for July 4.
Royal Ascot, that most glitzy of racing occasions, will go ahead behind closed doors for five days from June 16, including 20 Group 1 and Listed races.
It will be a very muted atmosphere without all the Royal parades and glamour, but perhaps the focus will be where it should be – on the best horseflesh in the world.
Here at home the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas will take place at the Curragh in the first week of action, on Friday and Saturday,
June 12 and 13.
The Irish Derby retains its traditional date on Saturday, June 27, as does the Irish Oaks on Saturday, July 18. Irish Champions Weekend will take place on September 12 and 13.
No doubt, despite the lack of track racing, Aidan O’Brien will have his battalions primed as he has won four of the last five 2,000 Guineas, and three of the last four runnings of the fillies’ 1,000 Guineas in Britain, and he has also dominated the Classics here at home. These races are the lifesblood of what the Ballydoyle training and Coolmore breeding operations are all about.
International runners will be permitted, much to the relief of Aidan, son Joseph, Jim Bolger and other Irish contenders, but there is a big problem to be negotiated still.
As things stand, any Irish personnel who travel to Britain with the horses, including jockeys and trainers, will be subject to 14 days in self-isolation on their return, and British personnel coming here will also be expected to quarantine for 14 days ahead of racing. It will be interesting to see how that is sorted.
Irish racing resumes at Naas on June 8, followed by Leopardstown, Navan and Gowran Park before the Classic weekend at the Curragh.
The jumpers start at Limerick on June 22, with other meetings fixed for Roscommon, Tipperary and Kilbeggan before the end of June.
There will be very rigid restrictions surrounding all meetings. Only the key personnel needed to run the fixture will be permitted.
All in attendance will be subject to health surveying in advance and thermal temperature screening on entry.
Face coverings will be mandatory for most attendees, and social distancing will also be strictly enforced by a dedicated Covid-19 protocol officer at each fixture.
For the first three weeks, racing will be restricted to nine racecourses which are more centrally located to minimise travel distances and which also have higher stable capacities, and there will be quite serious reductions in prize money across the board.
‘We are grateful to be one of the sectors permitted to go back to work and acknowledge the responsibility on everybody in racing to ensure the events are run in a safe way,’ said the Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland, Brian Kavanagh.